Pooley and Cooke to clash at national time-trial championships
"I definitely plan to, although I haven't entered yet."

The women face their next world cup races
Next up on the women's race schedule is the World Cup in Sweden. On July 30, Cervélo TestTeam will defend their Team Time Trial victory from the 2009 World Cup Open du Suède, in Vargarda. Half of last year's victorious team - Regina Bruins (NLD),
Sarah Düster (DEU) and Kirsten Wild (NLD), will be racing again in 2010 and will be joined by their strong time trial teammates Charlotte Becker (DEU), Emma Jane Pooley (GBR) and Iris Slappendel (NLD).

Two day's later on August 1 the eighth World Cup race of the season follows with a 132 km road race in the beautiful Vargarda region. Kirstin Wild has good memories of the race that she finished second in last year. The focus for the team is to win as many World Cup points as possible for the overall ranking where they are currently second.





Cervélo TestTeam and HTC-Columbia head for team time trial showdown - VeloNation

Women's team Wins Team Time Trial at World Cup in Vårgårda
Cervélo TestTeam successfully defended their title riding to another win today at the Team Time Trial at the World Cup in Vårgårda Sweden.

"We all rode the same pace today and that was the key to our success," explained Regina Bruins (NLD) who was also part of the winning team last year. "Everybody did the right job and I am really proud we won again."

"It was a very successful time trial for us," said Egon van Kessel, Sports Director. "We trained a few times on the course when the weather was really good. But today it changed to rain and wind. This year's team was very strong technically and I am very proud of them. We had more than a minute on Team HTC-Columbia Woman and more than 2 minutes on third place Nederland Bloeit. So actually, we were much stronger.

"We did miss Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR) today but Emma Jane Pooley (GBR), who replaced her at the last moment and hadn't trained as much with these riders did an excellent job. Now we go on to the road race on Sunday. We know the course it is more or less the same as today's course. It is not really that hard but it will be exciting. Kirsten Wild (NLD) is in a good shape so we will go for the victory again, which I expect will come from a group sprint by a select group."



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Kirsten Wild wins Open De Suéde World Cup
Cervélo TestTeam sprint ace Kirsten Wild (NLD) won the Open De Suéde World Cup today. The 132 km race ended in a bunch sprint where Wild was able to beat Adrie Visser (Team HTC-Columbia Woman) and Emma Johansson (RedSun Cycling Team). During the race there where several breakaways but they never got enough space. In the final Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) made a solo attack but Cervélo TestTeam brought Vos back in the bunch in the streets of Vargarda and Wild was able to win her second world cup race. In fact so far this year there have been eight world cup competitions and Cervélo TestTeam has won half of them (!!!), this weekend making it three in a row!!!

"We had more options today and we also had some riders in a break away group. Though there was a lot of action today, our team had control over the race and we always had somebody there," explained Kirsten Wild after her successful win today. "When Vos attacked in the final I was a bit afraid but then when our team started the chaining at the front we saw her coming closer. I was really proud of my team today, riding in our train behind such strong girls was really cool, it was like our team trial on Friday. In the last meters
Sarah Düster (DEU), who was my last lead out person, brought me into position perfectly and I was able to win this race."

"Again a victory, our second this week, we can't do any better than that," said a smiling Egon van Kessel, Sports Director. "In the beginning there was a lot of raining but it subsided and things dried up about halfway through the race Emma Jane Pooley (GBR) attacked, as we had planned on the first lap to put some pressure on, but the wrong team was chasing her. So we pulled it back. Then we had another attack of 6 riders and after that another attack this time with Sarah Düster. We could see that this group wasn't working together so we knew that the bunch sprint would become pretty big.

But in the last lap on the last hill there was a really strong and surprising attack by Marianne Vos. We started chasing her but could not close the gap. So with 3 km to go we went full gas with the entire team at the front. We pulled really hard and we took her back 600 meters before the finish. Throughout the race there was really good teamwork today, what they did was amazing. I am happy for Kirsten, this is the first world cup she's won this year and she really deserved it."



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Patricia Schwager Swiss mountain champion
Cervélo TestTeam rider Patricia Schwager is Swiss mountain champion for the second time in a row. The race was held in Montfaucon and was split into two events. The first was a mountain race over 22km. From the start, Schwager and Emilie Aubry set a fast pace, and already at the summit of the first mountain Schwager was left with just Jennifer Hohl (Bigla Cycling Team). On the second mountain, Schwager dropped her as well and came into the finish with an advantage of 35 seconds. Aubry was third.

The second race, a pursuit over an 8km climb, started in the same order, with time gaps based on the first race. "I just went at my rhythm and full gas," said Schwager. "The 35 seconds was a good gap, and in the end I won by 1 minute 11 seconds. I'm happy with this victory! After I failed in the national championship road race and time trial, I at least won the mountain champion title. And it was also a perfect way to celebrate the Swiss national day."



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Iris Slappendel   -   Six Eddy’s
1,5 Week ago, halfway the Thüringen Rundfahrt I was telling you about the podium spots we got in the last weeks, but the victories we missed. And now, only a few race days later I have only victories to tell you about! I don't think it was because of this blog, but you never know, but right away the next day

.....

Edit: (18 August)
La Route de France féminine (8 August - 14 August), Woman's Cervélo TestTeam line-up:
Carla Ryan (AUS)
Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR)
Charlotte Becker (DEU)
Sarah Düster (DEU)
Lieselot DeCroix (BEL)
Patricia Schwager (CHE)

Sports Director: Egon van Kessel (NLD)


Edit: (13 August)
Valkenburg Hills Classic (8 August), Woman's Cervélo TestTeam line-up:
Claudia Häusler (DEU)
Kirsten Wild (NLD)
Iris Slappendel (NLD)
Emma Jane Pooley (GBR)
Regina Bruins (NLD)

Sports Director: Jens Zemke (DEU)
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Düster wins prologue at La Route de France
Cervélo TestTeam's Sarah Düster (DEU) won the prologue today at La Route de France. It was Düster's second victory of the season, completing the 5.9 km course in 7:58 and puts her in the leader's orange jersey at the start tomorrow. Teammate
Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR) finished in ninth position and now wears the white jersey of the best young rider. Annemiek van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit) came second and Olga Zabelinskaya (Safi-Pasta Zara) was third.

"The course today was pretty hilly though it was a short course, just 5.9 km," said Egon van Kessel, Sports Director. "As you can see by the result, it was a course made for strong riders. Sarah started at the beginning of the race, and she had to wait awhile, but it is great that she made it. If there is one rider who deserved this it is Sarah who always works really hard for the team."

"I am really proud of my result, actually I can't believe it," said Sarah Düster after her victory. "I was sitting so long in the chair at the finish line, and all the big riders came in but nobody passed me. Today I went full gas from the start because I had really good legs and was able to keep it up all the way to the finish. The team, once again performed very well. Our goal is to keep the jersey as long as possible and we will work for it day by day."



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Iris Slappendel third in Holland Hills Classic
Cervélo TestTeam's Iris Slappendel (NLD) finished on the podium today in third position at the one day Holland Hills Classic in the Netherlands. Grace Verbeke (Lotto Ladies Team) took the victory with Chantel Blaak (Leontien.nl) finishing second.

"Claudia Häusler (DEU) was part of the first break away group of the day, then later on I made the jump with some riders and we made the break of the day with ten riders," explained Iris Slappendel, after the race. "Leontien.nl had three riders and Claudia and I were in this group which was not a bad situation for us. Emma Jane Pooley (GBR) together with Emma Johansson (RedSun Cycling Team) tried to reach us but they didn't made it. The course was really hard, and there was not a lot happening behind us.

In the final Grace Verbeke attacked. Claudia and I also tried to make the jump but we didn't make it. On the last climb Claudia made tempo, Blaak attacked and though I could follow her, I wasn't able to pass her, so I ended up third, and I am quite happy about my result. It was a really hard race, on a beautiful course. Verbeke was really strong today and deserved to win."



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Three Cervélo women in GC top ten at La Route de France
Though the team was not able to hold onto the GC jersey after today's stage there are still three Cervélo riders in the top 10 and Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR) is still in the jersey of the best young rider. Today's first stage of La Route de France was 116.4 km long ending, as expected, in a bunch sprint. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Team HTC-Columbia Woman) won the stage. Annemiek van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit) who was number two in the GC, came third in the sprint and with the bonus seconds she had won, moved into the GC lead. Giorgia Bronzini (Gauss Rdz Ormu) placed second.

"We rode a good race today," said Egon van Kessel, Sports Director, "and controlled the better part of it. In the last part of the stage Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) attacked but Cervélo TestTeam's Charlotte Becker (DEU) made the jump and caught her. A little later Judith Arndt (Team HTC-Columbia Woman) also made the jump and at that point the peloton started to chase the three riders back into the bunch. The race ended as expected in a bunch sprint."

"I didn't expect this today," said Sarah Düster (DEU). "Van Vleuten was dropped in the last climb and I didn't pay attention that she was sprinting for the points. So today I made a mistake. But, I will fight really hard tomorrow to get that jersey back on my shoulders."



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Top 5 finish for Armitstead in bunch sprint
Cervélo TestTeam once again had a top 5 rider today at the La Route de France with Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR) who also continues to wear the best young rider's jersey. The 129 km second stage from Saint Fort to Lavare saw Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) take the victory in a bunch sprint. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Team HTC-Columbia Woman) took second and third went to Annemiek Van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit). Cervélo still has three riders in the GC top ten. Sarah Düster (DEU) is in third spot, eleven seconds down from the leader while teammates Armitstead and Charlotte Becker (DEU) are also in the top ten in sixth and seventh respectively, both twenty-eight seconds behind Vos*.

"Today's stage was actually quite unexciting. Half way the race Anne Samplonius (Canadian National Team) attacked and managed to create a maximum gap of five minutes but was taken back into the bunch with 5 km to go," said Egon van Kessel, Sports Director. "So it was quite clear that a bunch sprint would end the stage which it did, won by Marianne Vos. Lizzie Armitstead was our best rider and ended in fifth. Carla Ryan (AUS) didn't start today because of some problems she was having following a crash in a training session last week. In another bit of bad news, Lieselot DeCroix (BEL) crashed today and had to leave the race. So now we go on with only four riders, though three of them are in the GC top ten."

* Van Vleuten is GC leader, not Vos..



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Armitstead third, Düster moves up to second in GC
Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR) continues her strong showing in La Route de France with a third place finish in today's 115.8 km fourth stage from Bonneval to Cloyes Sur le Loir. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit) sprinted to victory ahead of Sara Mustonen (Hitec Products UCK). The victory moves Armitstead into fourth in the overall GC standings. Teammate Sarah Düster (DEU) moves up into second in the GC, twenty-one seconds behind Van Vleuten who retains the overall race lead. Cervélo TestTeam also currently leads the team ranking as well.

"Today's fourth stage of La Route de France was raced in quite windy conditions. After the first 50 km we had a break away of fourteen riders," said Jens Zemke, Sports Director. "For us this was a perfect situation since we had Düster, Armitstead and
Charlotte Becker (DEU) in this group which meant all three of our top GC riders were there. All the other riders in the top 10, where also there, except for Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit). The gap became bigger and bigger and with 20 km to go before the finish, Charlotte crashed, and took two riders with her, though fortunately she came back in the group.

In the two final laps, we where quite active and two riders were dropped, one of them was Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Team HTC-Columbia Woman) who started the stage, fourth in the GC. Leader Annemiek van Vleuten won today. Second place was Sara Mustonen and Lizzie came third. So now Sarah moved up into second place in the GC, and both Vos and Teutenberg are out of the top ten and Armitstead retains the best young rider's jersey so everything looks fine."



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Armitstead retains best young rider jersey, team still tops
The fifth stage of La Route de France was a 24.3 km individual time trial. Charlotte Becker (DEU) posted the best result for the team today in seventh position, 31 seconds down from Judith Arndt (Team HTC-Columbia Woman) who won the stage. Tatiana Antoshina (Team Valdarno) came second and Olga Zabelinskaia (Safi-Pasta Zara) finished third.

"Our riders rode well in today's time trial," said Jens Zemke, Sports Director. "Though we lost some position in the GC, the team still leads in the team standings and Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR) remains in the white jersey as the best young rider."



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Armitstead posts another top five finish
La Route de France's sixth stage from Luxeuil Les Bains to Saint Die Des Vosges 110.9 km was a difficult one though
Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR) once again posted a top five finish and will head into tomorrow's final stage with over five minutes on her closest competitor for the best young rider jersey. Armistead also moved up one position to fifth in the overall GC. Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) won today's stage, with Annemiek Van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit) in second, retaining her GC lead and Judith Arndt (Team HTC-Columbia Women) in third.

"During today's stage three riders were in the lead including Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Team HTC-Columbia Woman). Our riders were pretty relaxed in the bunch and concentrated on the last 35 km with two climbs," said Jens Zemke, Sports Director. "At the end, a group of six riders arrived at the finish the only one from our team was Lizzie Armitstead who finished in fourth. Behind her we tried to defend the team competition but were not successful as Nederland Bloeit was stronger so our compliments to them. Tomorrow we will try to win the last stage and with the strong competition we will ride aggressively to give us the best chance for victory."



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Armitstead wins La Route de France finale and best young rider
Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR) who finished top five throughout this week's La Route de France brought it all together today winning the mass sprint in the 118 km seventh and final stage of La Route de France. She also captured the best young rider jersey. Giorgia Bronzini (Gauss RDZ Ormu) took second today and Lisa Brennauer (Hitec Products UCK) placed third. Overall Annemiek Van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit) won the GC, though Cervélo TestTeam had three of the four riders remaining in the race in the GC top ten - Armitstead in fourth, Charlotte Becker (DEU) in sixth and Sarah Düster (DEU) in tenth.

"Being the Sports Director and winning the last stage is always super nice as well as being on the podium and winning the jersey for the best young rider - well we accomplished what we expected to do," said a satisfied Jens Zemke after today's stage. "We rode aggressively and had two riders in the leading group of eleven and we were going very hard and if that group had arrived first we would have had Charlotte Becker on the podium and we would have won the team competition. But Nederland Bloeit chased really hard, they got company from Fenixs at the end so they were able to chase this group down.

"As the action started again, we were always there with lots of attacks. Then Lizzie attacked and at the end it came to a final sprint of maybe 30 riders and Lizzie beat all of them. It was her first win of a mass sprint beating many other fast riders. But she was really strong and the team did a fantastic job here with only four riders."

"Sarah Düster was in a really good breakaway with Luise Keller (Team HTC-Columbia Women) the Safi rider Olga Zabelinskaia brought the break back but it was really perfect riding from Sarah. Then when they came back I attacked but there were too many fresh girls ready for the sprint," explained Lizzie Armitstead after winning the stage. "So I just held my position and Sarah, who is well known for how crazy she is in the corners, did a really good technical finish with three corners in the 750 meters. She went into the last corner full gas. I lost her wheel a little bit but it was also a little early so it was good and then there was nobody so I thought I'll take this corner and take on the sprint a little bit early and see what happens and it worked. Winning today is really good for my confidence. I've been coming closer each day and I needed a hard day like today, the team was really perfect."



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Armitstead wins in Route de France and takes aim at Worlds
Lizzie Armitstead capped off a fine week of racing at the Route de France with a stunning stage win but the Cervelo TestTeam star already has her sights set on her next set of objectives, as she builds up for the Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

Lieselot DeCroix - Crashing, Recovering and Crashing again
I could be silly and depressed and complain about all my bad luck this year, but if I look at the bigger picture it’s not so dramatic. If you look at our team this season only, there’s plenty of riders who have had bad luck by crashing and breaking bones, hurting knees, shaking their brains, etc. “It’s part of cycling”, but unfortunately not the nicest part!

.....

And that’s when I realized that we are a real team…sports directors, riders, mechanics, soigneurs, managers, doctors, …everyone is there for you when you’re going good but when you have bad luck, everyone takes care of you and supports you even more! And that’s a real team! Thanks a lot!

GP de Plouay-Bretagne (21 August), Woman's Cervélo TestTeam line-up:
Emma Jane Pooley (GBR)
Claudia Häusler (DEU)
Sharon Laws (GBR)
Charlotte Becker (DEU)
Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR)
Iris Slappendel (NLD)

Sports Director: Egon van Kessel (NLD)
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Pooley wins GP de Plouay as Team captures World Cup
After a great victory last year in Plouay, Emma Jane Pooley (GBR) came back to France with the best memories and took her second win in a row in the French World Cup race. The two-time Olympic Time Trial Champion* claimed the victory on a challenging six lap circuit (each 19.1 km), with more than a minute lead ahead of Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) and Emma Johansson (Redsun Cycling Team) from Sweden. Cervélo's Charlotte Becker (DEU) also made it into the top 10 in sixth place. The podium this year is exactly the same as the 2009 edition of the race.

With today's ninth and the last World Cup race of the 2010 season the women of Cervélo TestTeam have now clinched the World Cup Team ranking with five victories to their credit.

"It is just amazing this victory. Actually I didn't expect that but the course and terrain of western France seems to fit me," said the double winner Pooley. "We were a group of four riders coming into the final lap. As I am not so strong in sprints I tried my luck at the Côte de Kerihuel and attacked but Marianne Vos was still on my wheels on the top. So I attacked again at Ty Marrec and this time I was able get away and pushed hard on the final kilometers for the victory. It is great to win here in Plouay again."

"The GP de Plouay is always a challenge," commented Egon van Kessel, Sports Director of Cervélo TestTeam. "Our tactic was to make the race hard with a lot of attacks and the team worked it perfectly. We were in several breaks during the race with
Elizabeth Mary "Lizzie" Armitstead (GBR), Sharon Laws (GBR), Charlotte Becker and finally Emma Pooley. Pooley caught the final break with Marianne Vos, Judith Arndt (Team HTC-Columbia Women) and Emma Johansson. That group had a gap of four minutes heading into the final lap. Emma performed magnificently with a strong attack that gave her the solo win. I'm really happy with today's victory and also wish to congratulate all our riders for the overall win of the Team World Cup ranking."

* That's just wrong.. The best Emma has done is silver from 2008..



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