Rossella Ratto wins in Bedford to take Women’s Tour lead

by Anna Magrath | May 9, 2014

Friends Life Women’s Tour 2014 | Stage Two ©Cycling Shorts / www.chrismaher.co.uk

Italian Rossella Ratto out sprinted compatriot Susanna Zorzi on Bedford’s Embankment to win the second stage of the Friends Life Women’s Tour, jumping into the lead of the race following her victory.

The Italian duo out foxed the sprinters into Bedford, holding off the Marianne Vos led bunch by six seconds to remain clear after Ratto had broken clear after 65-kilometres of racing.

Having instigated the move heading towards the second Strava Queen of the Mountains at Brixworth, Ratto was later joined by Zorzi, building a gap of two minutes approaching 20-kilometres to go.

With Lizzie Armitstead’s Boels Dolmans taking up the chase the deficit was halved, but Ratto and Zorzi remained clear, although only just with the peloton in sight behind the duo on the 400-metre long finishing straight.

Having outsprinted Zorzi, Estado de Mexico Faren rider Ratto said afterwards;

“I originally attacked to get the points for the Queen of the Mountains but I continued because I felt good – I am training for the time-trial at present – so I thought why not? I was on the point of giving up when Susanna came across to me from the peloton. Two is always better than one so we started to ride hard again. The gap started going up and we thought maybe we could do it.

“I was still afraid the peloton would get back to us in the final 4km but Suzanna, who is a good friend, helped me a lot and we were able to ride all the way to the finish it was a dream.”

Behind the Italians Vos led home compatriot Amy Pieters and Lucy Garner, followed by Giorgia Bronzini and Lizzie Armitstead.

“We almost caught Rossella but not quite,” said Armitstead afterwards. “From our point of view it was really our team’s responsibility to lead the chase, we didn’t have the yellow jersey to defend and possibly GreenEdge made a slight mistake.

“In terms of the GC we are still in the hunt if the stages are challenging enough but realistically we need some wins to make it more interesting. I’ve been going for all the intermediate sprints so far, I have been in stage races before when it comes down to second so if it does get close on Sunday I don’t want to look back on any lost opportunity.”

Armitstead moves up to fifth overall and pulls on the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Best British Rider jersey, while Ratto added the Matrix Fitness Best Young Rider jersey to her Bedfordshire haul.

In the Friends Life Overall Classification Ratto now leads Zorzi by five seconds, with Vos, who leads the YodelDirect Points Classification a further second in arrears. Day One winner Emma Johansson drops to fourth overall, having come home eleventh, with Hannah Barnes and Lucy Garner joining Armitstead as Brits in the top ten.

UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling’s Sharon Laws retains the Strava Queen of the Mountains jersey after enjoying a competitive battle with Switzerland’s mountain bike champion Jolanda Neff, that saw the two competing for the points available at each of the day’s two Strava climbs.

Friday sees the Friends Life Women’s Tour head to Suffolk and Tendring, for Stage Three from Felixstowe to Clacton. Highlights of Stage Two are on ITV4 in the UK at 9pm this evening, with a repeat on Friday morning at 8am.

Stage Results:

Rk		Bb		Name First Name		Nat		Team		Time
1		34		RATTO Rossella*				EMF		03:02:02
2		14		ZORZI Susanna*				BPK		ST
3		1		VOS Marianne				RBW		06
4		91		PIETERS Amy*				NED		ST
5		41		GARNER Lucy*				GBR		ST
6		154		BRONZINI Giorgia				WHT		ST
7		21		ARMITSTEAD Lizzie				DLT		ST
8		66		VERHOEVEN Aurore				LKT		ST
9		61		BIANNIC Aude*				LKT		ST
10		55		HOSKING Chloe				HPU		ST
11		111		JOHANSSON Emma				GEW		ST
12		36		CECCHINI Elena*				EMF		ST
13		126		WORRACK Trixi				SLU		ST
14		53		LONGO BORGHINI Elisa*				HPU		ST
15		131		NEFF Jolanda*				SUI		ST
16		45		ARCHIBALD Katie*				GBR		ST
17		52		MOOLMAN PASIO Ashleigh				HPU		ST
18		22		VAN DIJK Ellen				DLT		ST
19		122		BRENNAUER Lisa				SLU		ST
20		134		FORCHINI Ramona*				SUI		ST
21		156		VILLUMSEN Linda				WHT		ST
22		141		BARNES Hannah*				UHC		ST
23		92		KOSTER Anouska*				NED		ST
24		155		MULLENS Peta				WHT		ST
25		103		KIRCHMANN Leah				OPW		ST
26		125		DELZENNE Elise				SLU		ST
27		74		DE VOCHT Liesbet				LBL		ST
28		2		VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek				RBW		ST
29		63		GONZALEZ Lucia				LKT		ST
30		95		PIJNENBORG Mascha				NED		ST
31		116		ELVIN Gracie				GEW		ST
32		152		KING Dani				WHT		ST
33		16		ARZUFFI Alice*				BPK		ST
34		105		RAMSDEN Denise				OPW		ST
35		82		LOWTHER Melissa*				MFV		ST
36		132		INDERGAND Linda*				SUI		ST
37		101		HALL Lauren				OPW		ST
38		23		KASPER Romy				DLT		ST
39		112		GUNNEWIJK Loes				GEW		ST
40		6		BRAND Lucinda				RBW		ST
41		26		PAWLOWSKA Melon				DLT		ST
42		151		TROTT Laura*				WHT		ST
43		144		LAWS Sharon				UHC		ST
44		124		CROMWELL Tiffany				SLU		ST
45		62		LOPEZ Belen				LKT		ST
46		13		VALSECCHI Silvia				BPK		ST
47		4		KNETEMANN Roxane				RBW		ST
48		24		DAAMS Jessie				DLT		ST
49		102		HOLCOMB Janel				OPW		ST
50		113		GILLOW Shara				GEW		ST
51		12		MUCCIOLI Dalia*				BPK		ST
52		5		SLAPPENDEL Iris				RBW		ST
53		136		STIENEN Jutta				SUI		ST
54		106		WILCOXSON Jade				OPW		ST
55		43		HORNE Ciara				GBR		ST
56		142		HALL Katharine				UHC		21
57		153		BECKER Charlotte				WHT		31
58		81		WYMAN Helen				MFV		36
59		121		BLAAK Chantal				SLU		39
60		32		MARTIN Lucy				EMF		ST
61		146		WINDER Ruth*				UHC		ST
62		42		JONES Hayley*				GBR		ST
63		33		LUPERINI Fabiana				EMF		41
64		115		SCANDOLARA Valentina				GEW		ST
65		133		LEUMANN Katrin				SUI		42
66		85		TINDLEY Jo				MFV		46
67		76		HOFFMANN Chantal				LBL		48
68		84		WALKER Jessie*				MFV		01:01
69		46		HILL Amy*				GBR		01:11
70		93		WOERING Henriette*				NED		ST
71		11		SCHWEIZER Doris				BPK		01:13
72		71		POOLEY Emma				LBL		ST
73		86		ROWSON Penny*				MFV		01:33
74		135		BAUR Caroline*				SUI		ST
75		31		SOUZA Uenia Fernandes				EMF		ST
76		65		RIBEROT Fanny				LKT		ST
77		3		KNAUER Anna*				RBW		ST
78		64		GUTIERREZ Sheyla*				LKT		ST
79		114		EDMONDSON Annette*				GEW		01:36
80		25		TROTT Emma				DLT		ST
81		51		THORSEN Thea*				HPU		ST
82		96		VAN DE MEER Janine*				NED		06
83		143		HIGGINS Cari				UHC		02:52
84		35		YEPEZ FERNANDEZ Erika Leticia				EMF		ST
85		145		TAMAYO Lauren				UHC		03:33
86		44		KAY Emily*				GBR		10:37
87		83		OWEN Harriet*				MFV		13:21
88		73		BECKERS Isabelle				LBL		14:43
Did not finish
		123		CANUEL Karol Ann				SLU
		72		CURE Amy*				LBL

Overall:

Jerseys :
Leader Jersey :	34 –	RATTO Rossella		EMF
Points Jersey :	1 –	VOS Marianne		RBW
Mountain Jersey :	144 –	LAWS Sharon		UHC
Young Riders Jersey :	14 –	ZORZI Susanna		BPK
Best British Jersey :	21 –	ARMITSTEAD Lizzie		DLT

 

 Overall GC Results:

Rk Bb Name First Name Nat Team Time 1 34 RATTO Rossella* EMF 05:30:18 2 14 ZORZI Susanna* BPK 05 3 1 VOS Marianne RBW 06 4 111 JOHANSSON Emma GEW 07 5 21 ARMITSTEAD Lizzie DLT 14 6 141 BARNES Hannah* UHC 15 7 22 VAN DIJK Ellen DLT 16 8 125 DELZENNE Elise SLU ST 9 13 VALSECCHI Silvia BPK ST 10 41 GARNER Lucy* GBR 19 11 154 BRONZINI Giorgia WHT ST 12 91 PIETERS Amy* NED ST 13 126 WORRACK Trixi SLU ST 14 36 CECCHINI Elena* EMF ST 15 66 VERHOEVEN Aurore LKT ST 16 61 BIANNIC Aude* LKT ST 17 55 HOSKING Chloe HPU ST 18 131 NEFF Jolanda* SUI ST 19 53 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa* HPU ST 20 103 KIRCHMANN Leah OPW ST 21 122 BRENNAUER Lisa SLU ST 22 74 DE VOCHT Liesbet LBL ST 23 101 HALL Lauren OPW ST 24 156 VILLUMSEN Linda WHT ST 25 95 PIJNENBORG Mascha NED ST 26 52 MOOLMAN PASIO Ashleigh HPU ST 27 2 VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek RBW ST 28 124 CROMWELL Tiffany SLU ST 29 105 RAMSDEN Denise OPW ST 30 152 KING Dani WHT ST 31 155 MULLENS Peta WHT ST 32 116 ELVIN Gracie GEW ST 33 92 KOSTER Anouska* NED ST 34 134 FORCHINI Ramona* SUI ST 35 144 LAWS Sharon UHC ST 36 12 MUCCIOLI Dalia* BPK ST 37 16 ARZUFFI Alice* BPK ST 38 102 HOLCOMB Janel OPW ST 39 132 INDERGAND Linda* SUI ST 40 151 TROTT Laura* WHT ST 41 23 KASPER Romy DLT ST 42 45 ARCHIBALD Katie* GBR ST 43 26 PAWLOWSKA Melon DLT ST 44 63 GONZALEZ Lucia LKT ST 45 112 GUNNEWIJK Loes GEW ST 46 62 LOPEZ Belen LKT ST 47 5 SLAPPENDEL Iris RBW ST 48 43 HORNE Ciara GBR ST 49 113 GILLOW Shara GEW ST 50 24 DAAMS Jessie DLT ST 51 96 VAN DE MEER Janine* NED ST 52 4 KNETEMANN Roxane RBW ST 53 106 WILCOXSON Jade OPW ST 54 142 HALL Katharine UHC 34 55 6 BRAND Lucinda RBW 43 56 153 BECKER Charlotte WHT 44 57 81 WYMAN Helen MFV 49 58 32 MARTIN Lucy EMF 52 59 121 BLAAK Chantal SLU ST 60 42 JONES Hayley* GBR ST 61 146 WINDER Ruth* UHC ST 62 115 SCANDOLARA Valentina GEW 54 63 133 LEUMANN Katrin SUI 55 64 76 HOFFMANN Chantal LBL 01:01 65 84 WALKER Jessie* MFV 01:14 66 93 WOERING Henriette* NED 01:24 67 11 SCHWEIZER Doris BPK 01:26 68 71 POOLEY Emma LBL ST 69 65 RIBEROT Fanny LKT 01:46 70 3 KNAUER Anna* RBW ST 71 114 EDMONDSON Annette* GEW 01:49 72 25 TROTT Emma DLT ST 73 136 STIENEN Jutta SUI 03:05 74 35 YEPEZ FERNANDEZ Erika Leticia EMF ST 75 143 HIGGINS Cari UHC ST 76 31 SOUZA Uenia Fernandes EMF 03:37 77 33 LUPERINI Fabiana EMF 03:46 78 145 TAMAYO Lauren UHC ST 79 85 TINDLEY Jo MFV 04:08 80 51 THORSEN Thea* HPU 04:38 81 64 GUTIERREZ Sheyla* LKT 04:45 82 82 LOWTHER Melissa* MFV 09:03 83 46 HILL Amy* GBR 10:08 84 135 BAUR Caroline* SUI 10:30 85 86 ROWSON Penny* MFV ST 86 44 KAY Emily* GBR 10:50 87 73 BECKERS Isabelle LBL 23:40 88 83 OWEN Harriet* MFV 31:29