The women's road race of the 2008 UCI Road World Championships

2008 UCI Road World Championships

The 2008 UCI Road World Championships took place in Varese, Italy, between September 23 and September 28, 2008. The event consisted of a road race and a time trial for men, women and men under 23.-Medals table:-Events summary:-External links:**...

 cycling event took place on 27 September in Varese

Varese

Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. The course comprised eight laps around a 17.35-kilometre route, making a total distance of 138.8 km. Each lap featured two ascents: the first at Montello (6.5% gradient for 1.15 kilometres); and the second at Ronchi

Ronchi

Ronchi may refer to:*Luke Ronchi, an Australian cricketer*Vasco Ronchi, an Italian physicist known for his work in optics*Ronchi test, a method of determining the figure of a mirror used in telescopes and other optical devices invented by Vasco Ronchi...

 (4.5% for 3.13 kilometres). The race included a total of 1,937 metres of climbing.

Pre-race favourites included Varese local rider Noemi Cantele

Noemi Cantele

Noemi Cantele is a professional road bicycle racer. She rides for in women's elite professional events on the National Racing Calendar and UCI Women's World Cup.- Palmarès :2009- External links :*...

 and her team mates Tatiana Guderzo

Tatiana Guderzo

Tatiana Guderzo is an Italian professional cyclist. She won the world road race championship on 26 September 2009 at Mendrisio, Switzerland.-Palmarès:20022004...

 and Giorgia Bronzini

Giorgia Bronzini

Giorgia Bronzini is an Italian professional racing cyclist. She was born in Piacenza. She is the current Road World Champion.-Notable results:20032004...

, Marianne Vos

Marianne Vos

Marianne Vos, is a Dutch cyclo-cross, road bicycle racer and track racer. After winning a junior European and world championship in road racing, she continued in senior cycling by becoming world champion in cyclo-cross and road racing at the age of 19. Vos added track racing world championships...

 of the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

, Judith Arndt

Judith Arndt

Judith Arndt is a German professional cyclist for the T-Mobile Women cycling team. She won the bronze medal in the 3000 m pursuit event at the 1996 Summer Olympics when she was 20...

 of Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 (champion in 2004

2004 UCI Road World Championships - Women's Road Race

The women's road race of the 2004 UCI Road World Championships cycling event took place on 2 October in Verona, Italy. Starting at 13:30 CEST, the race was 132.75 km long, which constituted of 9 laps of a circuit around Torricelle, including the 3.4 km Torricelle climb, with an average...

), reigning Olympic

Cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's road race

The women's road race was one of the cycling events at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. It took place on 10 August 2008, featuring 66 women from 33 countries. It was the seventh appearance of an Olympic women's road race event and featured a longer course than any of the previous six races...

 champion Nicole Cooke

Nicole Cooke

Nicole Denise Cooke, MBE is a Welsh professional road bicycle racer for the Mario Cipollini - Giordana Team team, and is the current Olympic road race champion.-Early life:...

 and silver medallist Emma Johansson

Emma Johansson

Emma Johansson is a Swedish professional cyclist. She won the silver medal in the women's road race at the 2008 Summer Olympics...

. Notably missing from the start list was Marta Bastianelli

Marta Bastianelli

Marta Bastianelli is an Italian professional racing cyclist. She was born in Velletri, near Rome.-Professional career:...

, reigning champion from 2007

2007 UCI Road World Championships - Women's Road Race

The 2007 UCI Road World Championships - Women's Road Race took place on September 29, 2007 around the German city of Stuttgart. The race started at 9:00....

, who was awaiting a verdict on a non-negative drug test result in July 2008.

The race was won by Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

's Nicole Cooke

Nicole Cooke

Nicole Denise Cooke, MBE is a Welsh professional road bicycle racer for the Mario Cipollini - Giordana Team team, and is the current Olympic road race champion.-Early life:...

, with Marianne Vos

Marianne Vos

Marianne Vos, is a Dutch cyclo-cross, road bicycle racer and track racer. After winning a junior European and world championship in road racing, she continued in senior cycling by becoming world champion in cyclo-cross and road racing at the age of 19. Vos added track racing world championships...

 and Judith Arndt

Judith Arndt

Judith Arndt is a German professional cyclist for the T-Mobile Women cycling team. She won the bronze medal in the 3000 m pursuit event at the 1996 Summer Olympics when she was 20...

 finishing with the same time, second and third respectively. Cooke was the first British woman to win the race since Mandy Jones

Mandy Jones

Amanda Ellen Jones is a former British racing cyclist who won the women's world road race championship in 1982.-Biography:Jones joined the West Pennine Road Club to ride on Sunday outings. She rode her first race in 1974 and five years later tied with Julie Earnshaw for first place in the national...

 in 1982.

The race

Not long after the race began, a Swedish rider brought down the front row of the peloton when her tyres slipped on some painted letters on the road. Christine Thorburn was also brought down in a crash, when she was squeezed up against a fence. Although she was not severely injured and did attempt to chase the bunch, she failed to make contact and did not finish.

A group of thirteen riders soon broke away from the main group, driven mainly by the American Kristin Armstrong

Kristin Armstrong

Kristin Armstrong is a professional road bicycle racer and Olympic gold medalist, the winner of the Women's Time Trial at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Before temporarily retiring to start a family in 2009, she rode for in women's elite professional events on the National Racing Calendar ...

. They gained 25 seconds on the field but were pulled back by the Dutch and British teams with one lap to go. As soon as the break was caught, Marianne Vos launched a counter-attack on the Montello climb, Nicole Cooke, Judith Arndt, Trixi Worrack

Trixi Worrack

Beatrix Worrack is an elite professional road racing cyclist and the 2003 German national road race champion...

 and Emma Johansson, and Susanne Ljungskog

Susanne Ljungskog

Susanne Ljungskog is a Swedish cyclist. A four-time Olympian , she won the world road race championship in 2002 and 2003. The same years, she was UCI points champion...

 joined her in what was to become the winning break. Ljungskog's chances ended when she punctured, leaving five in the break.

Worrack and Vos attacked on the final hill, but were brought back to the break with 2 km to go. The race finished with a sprint, Vos took the lead before being overtaken by Cooke just before the finish line. Arndt struggled to match their speed in the sprint, she was nearly caught out by a late surge by Johansson, but eventually crossed the line in third place.

Final classification

Rank	Rider	Country	Time
	Nicole Cooke Nicole Cooke Nicole Denise Cooke, MBE is a Welsh professional road bicycle racer for the Mario Cipollini - Giordana Team team, and is the current Olympic road race champion.-Early life:...		3h 42'11"
	Marianne Vos Marianne Vos Marianne Vos, is a Dutch cyclo-cross, road bicycle racer and track racer. After winning a junior European and world championship in road racing, she continued in senior cycling by becoming world champion in cyclo-cross and road racing at the age of 19. Vos added track racing world championships...		s.t.
	Judith Arndt Judith Arndt Judith Arndt is a German professional cyclist for the T-Mobile Women cycling team. She won the bronze medal in the 3000 m pursuit event at the 1996 Summer Olympics when she was 20...		s.t.
4	Emma Johansson Emma Johansson Emma Johansson is a Swedish professional cyclist. She won the silver medal in the women's road race at the 2008 Summer Olympics...		at 5"
5	Trixi Worrack Trixi Worrack Beatrix Worrack is an elite professional road racing cyclist and the 2003 German national road race champion...		at 11"
6	Diana Žiliūtė Diana Žiliute Diana Žiliūtė is a Lithuanian racing cyclist who dominated the sport in the late 1990s, and continues to be a formidable force in road cycling to this day....		at 1'47"
7	Marta Vilajosana Andreu		s.t.
8	Joanne Kiesanowski		s.t.
9	Alex Wrubleski		s.t.
10	Julia Martisova		s.t.
11	Claudia Häusler Claudia Häusler Claudia Häusler is a German professional cyclist. She has been part of the 2006 and 2007 Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung team. She now rides for . In 2009, she won the Tour de l'Aude, a race which has been called the "women's Tour de France."-Notable results:20062007-External links:*...		s.t.
12	Chantal Beltman Chantal Beltman Chantal Beltman is a Dutch professional cyclist. She is part of the 2008 Team High Road Women team. In 2007 this was called the T-Mobile Women cycling team. In 2006, Beltman raced for Vrienden van het Platteland team...		s.t.
13	Linda Villumsen Linda Villumsen Linda Melanie Villumsen Serup is a Danish-born road racing cyclist. She finished 5th in the Women's road race at the 2008 Summer Olympics and finished third in Women's Time Trial at the 2009 World Championships in Mendriso....		s.t.
14	Giorgia Bronzini Giorgia Bronzini Giorgia Bronzini is an Italian professional racing cyclist. She was born in Piacenza. She is the current Road World Champion.-Notable results:20032004...		s.t.
15	Nikki Egyed		s.t.
16	Grace Verbeke		s.t.
17	Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli		s.t.
18	Edita Pučinskaitė Edita Pucinskaite Edita Pučinskaitė is a Lithuanian racing cyclist. For many years, she has been one of the top competitors in women's racing on the international level with a victory in the World Road Race Championships in 1999 and several very high finishes in major tours, World Championship competition and on...		s.t.
19	Christiane Soeder Christiane Soeder Christiane Soeder is a German-born Austrian road racing cyclist and former duathlete who now lives in Vienna. She finished 4th in Olympic road race with a time of 3h 32′ 28...		s.t.
20	Maryline Salvetat Maryline Salvetat Maryline Salvetat is a French cyclist born in Castres. She participates in road cycling as well as in cyclo-cross and mountain biking. In 2002, 2004 and 2005 she became French national champion in cyclo-cross...		s.t.
21	Kaytee Boyd		s.t.
22	Amber Neben Amber Neben Amber Neben is an American racing cyclist who won the UCI world time trial championship in 2008 and the U.S. national road race championship in 2003. She is the only active American female cyclist to win multiple UCI category 1 stage races, having won the Gracia Tour in 2002, theTour du Montreal...		s.t.
23	Małgorzata Jasińska		s.t.
24	Siobhan Dervan Siobhan Dervan Siobhan Dervan-Horgan is an Irish racing cyclist. She is the current Irish National Road Race Champion, a title she holds for the fourth consecutive year. Dervan finished 24th in the 2008 UCI Women's Road Race World Championships, an improvement on her 67th position the previous year. She did not...		s.t.
25	Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet		s.t.
26	Monia Baccaille Monia Baccaille Monia Baccaille is an Italian professional cyclist. She is part of the 2006 Saccarelli EMU Marsciano team.-Notable results:2005*Tour of Flanders for Women 2006*Coppa de Laghi...		s.t.
27	Rasa Polikevičiūtė Rasa Polikeviciute Rasa Polikevičiūtė is a Lithuanian cycle racer. She was one of the first in a long line of Lithuanian cyclists who, together, established Lithuania as one of the powerhouses of women's cycle racing in the 1990s and beyond...		s.t.
28	Sharon Laws Sharon Laws Sharon Laws is a British professional cyclist, riding for . She is an environmental advisor for the mining company, Rio Tinto, in Australia. She was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and has lived in Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the UK....		s.t.
29	Tatiana Guderzo Tatiana Guderzo Tatiana Guderzo is an Italian professional cyclist. She won the world road race championship on 26 September 2009 at Mendrisio, Switzerland.-Palmarès:20022004...		s.t.
30	Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel		s.t.
31	Susanne Ljungskog Susanne Ljungskog Susanne Ljungskog is a Swedish cyclist. A four-time Olympian , she won the world road race championship in 2002 and 2003. The same years, she was UCI points champion...		s.t.
32	Modesta Vzesniauskaite		at 1'56"
33	Natalia Boyarskaya Natalia Boyarskaya Natalia Boyarskaya is an Russian professional racing cyclist. She represented her country at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Boyarskaya broke away from the main peloton in the road race and managed to build up a lead of 59 seconds, but had to stop when she couldn't see which way to choose...		s.t.
34	Jolanta Polikevičiūtė Jolanta Polikevičiūtė Jolanta Polikevičiūtė is a retired female road racing cyclist from Lithuania, who competed in three Summer Olympics for her native country: 1996, 2004 and 2008. She is the twin sister of Rasa Polikevičiūtė, who also had a professional career in women's cycling.-References:*...		s.t.
35	Emma Pooley Emma Pooley Emma Jane Pooley is an English professional cyclist and Olympic silver medallist currently riding for . Pooley was the 2010 World Time Trial Champion and is a former British Road Race and Time Trial Champion.-Biography:...		s.t.
36	Anna Sanchis Chafer		s.t.
37	Noemi Cantele Noemi Cantele Noemi Cantele is a professional road bicycle racer. She rides for in women's elite professional events on the National Racing Calendar and UCI Women's World Cup.- Palmarès :2009- External links :*...		at 1'59"
38	Zinaida Stahurskaya Zinaida Stahurskaya Zinaida Vladimirovna Stahurskaya was a Belarusian racing cyclist who was the world champion in 2000. Stahurskaya was born in Vitebsk. She was banned in 2006 for two years for a drugs test that she failed in 2005. She had earlier been suspended for drugs offences in 2001 for four months and 2003...		at 4'54"
39	Kristin Armstrong Kristin Armstrong Kristin Armstrong is a professional road bicycle racer and Olympic gold medalist, the winner of the Women's Time Trial at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Before temporarily retiring to start a family in 2009, she rode for in women's elite professional events on the National Racing Calendar ...		at 4'56"
40	Alexandra Burchenkova		at 5"24"
41	Elizabeth Armitstead		s.t.
42	Rosane Kirch Rosane Kirch Rosane Kirch is a female professional road cyclist from Brazil.-Career:200320042005200620072008...		at 6'08"
43	Grete Treier Grete Treier Grete Treier is an Estonian road bicycle racer.She finished 30th in the road race at the 2008 Olympic Games.-References:...		at 6'11"
44	Maja Adamsen		s.t.
45	Oxana Kozonchuk		s.t.
46	Clemilda Fernandes Silva Clemilda Fernandes Silva Clemilda Fernandes Silva is a Brazilian cycle racer who presently competes with the Chirio Forno d'Asolo team. She scored three consecutive wins in the Copa América de Ciclismo in 2005, 2006 and 2007....		s.t.

Rank	Rider	Country	Time
47	Karine Gautard		s.t.
48	Erinne Willock		s.t.
49	Lieselot Decroix		s.t.
50	Sereina Trachsel		s.t.
51	Martina Ruzickova		s.t.
52	Iturriagaechevarria		s.t.
53	Vicki Whitelaw		s.t.
54	Edwige Pitel		s.t.
55	Paulina Brzeźna Paulina Brzezna Paulina Brzeźna is a Polish professional road bicycle racer.- Palmarès :20052006...		s.t.
56	Marissa Van Der Merwe		s.t.
57	Monika Grzebinoga		s.t.
58	Liesbet De Vocht		s.t.
59	Daniela Pintarelli		s.t.
60	Julie Beveridge		s.t.
61	Jessica Allen Jessica Allen Jessica Allen is a Welsh racing cyclist. Allen has been cycling for four years and after being spotted by the Welsh Talent Team, she was selected for the Olympic Development Programme in 2006. She was British Junior Time Trial Champion in 2006 and later British Junior Points Race and Time Trial...		s.t.
62	Suzanne De Goede Suzanne de Goede Suzanne de Goede is a Dutch professional racing cyclist. She is currently part of the Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung cycling team.-Palmarès:20002002...		s.t.
63	Oenone Wood Oenone Wood Oenone Wood, born on 24 September 1980 in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, is a retired professional cyclist, who commenced her cycling career in 2001 at the age of 21....		s.t.
64	Carla Ryan Carla Ryan Carla Ryan is a Australian professional racing cyclist for . She is also a multiple National Champion.-Career highlights:20082009-References:* http://www.cervelo.com/en_us/testteam/riders/view/carla-ryan/37/...		s.t.
65	Tatiana Antoshina		s.t.
66	Patricia Schwager		s.t.
67	Kori Kelley Seehafer		s.t.
68	Monika Schachl		at 6'16"
69	Rosara Joseph Rosara Joseph Rosara Joseph is a New Zealand cyclist who won a silver medal for New Zealand in the Women's mountain bike racing event at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games...		s.t.
70	Fabiana Luperini Fabiana Luperini Fabiana Luperini is an Italian professional cyclist. Luperini has won the Giro d'Italia Femminile a record five times.-Palmarès:1996200020012002200420062008-External links:*...		s.t.
71	Charlotte Becker Charlotte Becker Charlotte Becker is a German professional racing cyclist.-Career highlights:2000200120022004200520062007-References:...		s.t.
72	Luise Keller		s.t.
73	Oksana Kashchyshyna		at 9'22"
74	Verónica Leal Balderas		s.t.
75	Sylwia Kapusta		at 12'14"
76	Anriette Schoeman		at 13'17"
77	Sigrid Corneo		s.t.
78	Felicia Greer		s.t.
79	Jennifer Hohl		s.t.
80	Elodie Touffet		s.t.
81	Rasa Leleivyte Rasa Leleivytė Rasa Leleivytė is a professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for the Vaiano - Solaristech.- Major achievements :200520062007...		s.t.
82	Miho Oki		at 17'50"
83	Yevgeniya Vysotska		at 20'20"
84	Laure Werner		at 22'02"
85	Mirjam Hauser-Senn		s.t.
86	Julie Krasniak		at 27'51"
87	Chrissie Viljoen		at 28'39"
88	Lynette Burger		s.t.
89	Magdalena Zamolska		s.t.
90	Inga Cilvinaite		s.t.
91	Alona Andruk		s.t.

Did not finish

45 riders failed to finish the race. Mayuko Hagiwara of Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 was disqualified, and Grassi Herrera of Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

 did not start the race.

Rider	Country
Karin Thürig Karin Thürig Karin Thürig is a Swiss professional racing cyclist and triathlete. She is the sister of fellow professional cyclist Andrea Thürig.-Cycling:2001200220032004...
Anne Samplonius
Irene Van Den Broek
Christine Thorburn
Angela Brodtka Angela Brodtka Angela Brodtka is a German professional cyclist. She is part of the 2006 AA-Drink Cycling Team. Since 2010 she is riding for Noris Cycling.-Palmarès:2000200120032004...
Rochelle Gilmore Rochelle Gilmore Rochelle Gilmore is an Australian racing cyclist currently living in Italy. Gilmore currently rides for the Italian cycling team Menikini Selle Italia Gysko....
Anita Valen De Vries
Hanna Taukanitsa
Yuka Yamashima
Maria Briceno Jimenez
Eva Lechner
Brooke Miller Brooke Miller Brooke Miller was an American professional road racing cyclist and a former US national criterium and road race champion.-Biography:...
Emma Rickards
Katheryn Curi Mattis
Andrea Thürig
Iosune Murillo Elkano
Regina Bruins Regina Bruins Regina Bruins is a Dutch professional racing cyclist. She rides for .-External links:...
Jarmila Machacova Jarmila Machacová Jarmila Machačová is a Czech professional racing cyclist.-Career highlights:2006:2º in Sydney, Scratch 3º in National Championship, Road, ITT, Elite, Czech Republic , Bratislava...
Yulia Blindyuk
Louise Moriarty Louise Moriarty Louise Moriarty is an Irish racing cyclist from Dublin. She was the Irish National Time Trial Champion in 2006 and 2007....
Leticia Gil Parra
Olivia Dillon
Garcia Buittrago

Rider	Country
Kathryn Bertine
Monica Holler Monica Holler Monica Holler is a Swedish professional cyclist. She is part of the 2006 Bigla Cycling Team.-Notable results:* 2002: 3rd in World Road Race Championship, Juniors* 2004: 1st in European Road Race Championship, Espoirs...
Christine Majerus
Karin Aune
Anna Harkowska
Robyn De Groot
Cherise Taylor
Uenia Fernandes Da Souza Uenia Fernandes Da Souza Uenia Fernandes Da Souza is a female professional racing cyclist from Brazil.-Career highlights:200520072008-External links:...
Emilia Fahlin
Nathalie Bates
Yolandi Du Toit
Janildes Fernandes Silva
Pascual Torrecilla
Marie Lindberg Marie Lindberg Marie Lindberg is a Swedish teacher, singer/songwriter and guitarist. She competed in the Swedish Melodifestivalen 2007 after sending in a song to the contest for fun....
Heather Wilson Heather Wilson (cyclist) -Palmarès:2006*2nd, Irish National Time Trial Championships*3rd, Irish National Road Race Championships*3rd, Stage 2, Danny Boy International, Limavady2007*3rd, Irish National Time Trial Championships2008*2nd, Irish National Time Trial Championships...
Alena Sits Ko
Polona Batagelj
Nathalie Lamborelle
Laura Lepasalu
Katarina Uhlarikova
Adriana Lovera Varela
Mariya Slokotovich

External links

• Varese 2008 home page