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Tough task ahead for Team Faren Honda
Today’s penultimate stage of the 2012 Giro d’Italia was predicted to be one for the pure sprinters but due to the three hilly circuits in the first 60km and many tired legs in the last 50km, the GC riders had another taste of podium success on stage 8.
The pace was very high from the start with attack after attack until one strong rider, Linda Villmusen (Orica) was able to ride off the front.
Villmusen spent 50km’s off the front alone before she was chased down towards the end of the stage. Soon after, with about 20km’s to go, Marianne Vos (Rabo) applied pressure to the pedals through a roundabout on the flat and forced a new break of three riders. It’s rumoured that Vos was riding at 60km/hr when she pulled Stevens and Arndt away from the main peloton.
In spite of the hard chasing determined bunch, Marianne Vos (Rabo) Judith Arndt (Orica) and Evelyn Stevens (Specialized) worked well together to stay away until the finish. Vos took her 5th stage for 2012 from Arndt and Stevens who were 40 seconds ahead of the main peloton.
Nicole Cooke of Faren Honda whole-heartedly worked to close in on the final break of the day in order to strengthen Luperini’s position on the general classification leading into the final 106km stage finishing in Bergamo tomorrow.
Faren Honda have high hopes of assisting Fabiana Luperini in the final stage with their bold ambition to gain 33 seconds over Emma Pooley, which would see Luperini move up to 3rd position on the overall classification for the 2012 Giro d’Italia.
Luperini earns another Giro d’Italia podium for Team Faren Honda
Faren Honda’s Fabiana Luperini showed her vast experience and strength to sprint into 3rd position in Stage 7 of the Giro d’Italia Femminile.
A tough profile ensured that today’s 128 kilometre stage to Castagnole delle Lanze would provide riders with one of their last opportunities to challenge for the Maglia Rosa as the Giro Donne comes to a close on Saturday.
After an aggressive start, 12 riders managed to establish a break on the peloton at 42 kilometres into the race.
Faren Honda’s Nicole Cooke was active at the front of the chasing peloton as she tried to launch team Faren Honda into the break however the peloton had differentideas as they were reluctant to let the current Olympic Champion escape from the bunch so easily.
The advantage to the breakaway group slowly decreased as team Rabobank chased aggressively leading into the penultimate climb at 20 kilometres to go. It was at this point which current tour leader Marianne Vos (Rabobank) attacked over the summit of the climb with Emma Johansson (Hitec) and Emma Pooley (AA Drink) in tow.
Faren Honda’s Italian superstar Luperini remained composed, keeping her cards close to her chest as she bridged across to the 3 leaders in a small select group.
Heading into the final kilometre Luperini, whilst not being a renowned sprinter, used her years of racing experience to time her sprint to near perfection as she crossed the line in 3rd position behind hill-sprint specialists; Marianne Vos & Emma Johansson.
Tomorrow the team will face more forgiving terrain around the city of Varese where we will most likely see the pure sprinters being given their last chance to taste victory at this year’s Giro d’Italia Femminile.
Team Faren Honda’s GC rider Fabiana Luperini is chasing the podium in Bergamo
As the 2012 Giro d’Italia Femminile completes 6 days of racing, Team Faren Honda’s 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 Honda’s 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.
Luperini still sits pretty in blue as one lone rider upsets the potential bunch sprint on stage 5
Stage 5 of the Giro d’Italia had every intention of being a stage for the sprinters, that was until Tiffany Cromwell (Orica-AIS) won in a surprise solo attack forcing the sprinters to battle it out for the minor placings.
Faren Honda’s Nicole Cooke and Gracie Elvin were present at the front of the bunch during the early stages of the race in an attempt tospur a chase from the peloton, however, their attempts proved futile as Cromwell continued to build on her advantage. The bunch clearly wanted a rest day mid- Giro Donne 2012.
It wasn’t until Cromwell became virtual overall race leader on the road that the team of current race leader Marianne Vos (Rabobank) took responsibility at the head of the peloton and went in pursuit of the lone rider with 15 kilometres remaining.
Luperini solidifies her lead as best Italian rider at the Girod’Italia
Faren Honda’s Fabiana Luperini looked comfortable as she crossed the line in 7th position in today’s 4th stage of the Giro d’Italia Femminile.
Team Faren Honda was placed under attack early on in the race as numerous rival teams were out to make amends from the destruction which took place out on the road during yesterday’s 3rd stage.
A small break of 10 riders slipped clear 25kms into the 98 kilometre race and it was left to the teams of the current tour leader Evelyn Stevens “Specialised Lululemon” and team “Faren Honda” to bring back the break which threatened to disrupt the general classification. The two teams determinedly spearheaded the peloton to successfully bring back the break heading into the major climb of the day.