Women's World Cup: Unive Ronde van Drenthe

The third round of the UCI Women's World Cup was held in Holland on Monday. Another tough race with only 79 finishers out of 128 starters. The winner was Emma Johansson (Red Sun Cycling Team), with the remaining podium spots going to 2nd Loes Gunnewijk (Team Flexpoint) and 3rd Chantal Blaak (Leontien.nl).

The best placed Italian team was Selle Italia-Ghezzi with rider Martine Bras coming in 9th.

Photos (by DCP/Bert Geerts): the pave caused pain during the Ronde van Drenthe

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Trofeo Binda, UCI Women's Road World Cup

The first race of the UCI Women's Road World Cup series was won on Sunday in Cittiglio (Varese) by Marianne Vos who out sprinted Emma Johannson, third went to American Kristin Armstrong who out sprinted Eva Lutz for a podium spot. Vos's average speed was 36,350 Km/h on the same course of 2008.

It was a cold, driving rain, miserable day. It was so miserable that only 49 of the 135 starters finished the race.

Photos:Marian Vos; by Davide Tricarico: World Champion Nicole Cooke pre-race flanked to here right by Italian Cycling Federation president Renato Di Rocco, peloton, Vos and Johannson get away, a crash into the finish, Vos out sprints Johannson

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com