As the 2012 Giro d¹Italia Femminile completes 6 days of racing, Team Faren
Honda¹s Luperini still wears the Blue Jersey as the best placed Italian
rider, sitting 4th on the overall general classification.
The undulating profile of Stage 6 provided the perfect opportunity for a
breakaway group to contest for the win. Whilst it was again Faren Honda¹s
Nicole Cooke and Gracie Elvin who remained active at the front, it was the
Swiss Champion Jennifer Hohl who made the break of the day.
It was only 20 kilometres into the 109 kilometre stage that the break of 13
riders including Hohl were able to escape from the peloton, the group looked
likely to succeed as they quickly achieved a maximum advantage of 35 seconds
on the peloton.
Unfortunately for the breakaway group, the team of current World champion
Giorgia Bronzini, (Diadora Pasta-Zara) were unhappy with the leading
combination of riders and worked swiftly to bring back the group in order to
set Bronzini up for the win. The break was caught with about 60 kilometres
to go.
After already having been active at the front all day, Cooke shifted into
overdrive to cover any last minute attempts from riders to breakaway but, as
the speed of the peloton increased with 20 kilometres to go, a bunch sprint
became imminent.
Giussepina Grassi stayed by Luperini¹s side all day and then had to dig deep
to bring Gilmore & Luperini back to the lead group with 20km to go. Elvin
used every little last bit of energy she had to try and position team Faren
Honda¹s sprinter Rochelle Gilmore during the final kilometres. A tough
slightly uphill drag finish saw Gilmore claim 10th place behind stage winner
Shelly Olds (USA).
Tomorrow the team travels further north to Voghera where they will be
greeted with a categorized climb and a steep uphill finish which will no
doubt see the riders take advantage of the challenging terrain to secure
their positions on the general classification.
Team Faren Honda will dedicate their efforts to supporting Faniana
Luperini¹s attempt to finish on the podium again at her 16th Giro d¹Italia.
STAGE 6 RESULTS
1Shelley Olds (USA) AA Drink - Leontien.nl Cycling Team2:29:54
2Marianne Vos (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team
3Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Diadora - Pasta Zara
4Monia Baccaille (Ita) MCipollini Giambenini
5Judith Arndt (Ger) Orica-AIS
6Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products - Mistral Home Cycling Team
7Adrie Visser (Ned) Netherlands
8Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Be Pink
9Cherise Taylor (RSA) Lotto Belisol Ladies
10Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Faren Honda Team
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 6
1Marianne Vos (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling Team16:03:07
2Evelyn Stevens (USA) Team Specialized - Lululemon0:01:44
3Emma Pooley (GBr) AA Drink - Leontien.nl Cycling Team0:02:20
4Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Faren Honda Team0:02:57
5Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Orica-AIS0:04:06
6Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini Giambenini0:04:14
7Claudia Hausler (Ger) Orica-AIS0:04:21
8Judith Arndt (Ger) Orica-AIS0:04:31
9Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Hitec Products - Mistral Home Cycling
Team0:05:15
10Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) Lotto Belisol Ladies0:05:20
