Cooking up a storm

Nicole Cooke really appears to have put her injury woes behind her as she takes over the lead in the season-long Women’s World Cup. Cooke had won the prestigious Women’s Fleche Wallonne last week showing that she was back to her best and a 5th place at the Tour de Berne cemented her return to the top spot in the rankings.

Tour de Berne – Result

1. Zoulfia Zabirova (Kaz) Bigla Cycling Team 3.02.06 (41.12 km/h)
2. Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.02
3. Olga Slyusareva (Rus) Russian National Team
4. Judith Arndt (Ger) T-Mobile Professional Cycling
5. Nicole Cooke (GBr) Univega Pro Cycling Team
6. Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) A.S. Team F.R.W
7. Marianne Vos (Ned) Dutch National Team
8. Annette Beutler (Swi) Elk Haus Nö
9. Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas
10. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung

World Cup standings

1. Nicole Cooke (GBr) Univega Pro Cycling Team 144 pts
2. Oenone Wood (Aus) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 130
3. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 120
4. Zoulfia Zabirova (Kaz) Bigla Cycling Team 105
5. Judith Arndt (Ger) T-Mobile Professional Cycling 95

40th Tour de Bretagne Cycliste

Many of the recycling team have headed out to France for a spot of stage racing. Kristian House ran out the winner of a hard stage three yesterday and Russell Downing has already podium-ed on stage two.

DFL’s British Champion Russell Downing has also been showing good form in the race and is well placed overall to contend for the lead.

Results – Stage 1 – April 25 – Saint-Brieuc to Saint-Brieuc – 142 km

1. David Le Lay (Fra) G.S Bretagne Jean Floch 3.14.19
2. Peter Velits (Svk) Team Konica Minolta
3. Viktor Folkesson (Swe) Team Malarenergi
4. Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Wielergroep Beveren 2000 – Quick Step
5. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Bodysol-Win For Life-Jong Vlaanderen
6. Cédric Drouet (Fra) U.C Chateauroux
7. Alain Van Katwijk (Ned) Procomm -Van Hemert
8. Julien Simon (Fra) Super Sport 35 Acnc
9. Marcel Belma (Ned) Procomm -Van Hemert
10. Cédric Herve (Fra) G.S Bretagne Jean Floch

Results – Stage 2 – April 26 – Saint-Brieuc to Concarneau – 160.2 km

1. Andrey Mizurov (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 3.40.29
2. Cédric Herve (Fra) G.S Bretagne Jean Floch 0.04
3. Russell Downing (GBr) DFL-Cyclingnews 0.06
4. Jérémie Derangere (Fra) S.C.O Dijon Team Lapierre
5. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Wielergroep Beveren 2000 – Quick Step
6. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Restaurants
7. Peter Velits (Svk) Team Konica Minolta
8. Jonathan Dayus (GBr) Team U Nantes Atlantique
9. Stéphane Petilleau (Fra) G.S Bretagne Jean Floch
10. David Le Lay (Fra) G.S Bretagne Jean Floch

Results – Stage 3 – April 27 – Concarneau to Hennebont – 158.3 km

1. Kristian House (GBr) Recycling.Co.Uk 3.56.43
2. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Wielergroep Beveren 2000 – Quick Step
3. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Bodysol-Win For Life-Jong Vlaanderen
4. Fabrice Jandesboz (Fra) Cotes D’Armor Cyclisme Maître Jacques
5. Médéric Clain (Fra) V.C De Roubaix
6. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Wielergroep Beveren 2000 – Quick Step
7. Andreyi Pchelkin (Rus) Espoir Cycliste Saint Etienne
8. Peter Velits (Svk) Team Konica Minolta
9. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Restaurants
10. Russell Downing (GBr) DFL-Cyclingnews

General classification after stage 3

1. David Le Lay (Fra) G.S Bretagne Jean Floch 10.51.27
2. Andrey Mizurov (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 0.02
3. Peter Velits (Svk) Team Konica Minolta 0.04
4. Russell Downing (GBr) DFL-Cyclingnews 0.06

5. Cédric Herve (Fra) G.S Bretagne Jean Floch 0.09
6. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Wielergroep Beveren 2000 – Quick Step 0.10
7. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Restaurants
8. Stéphane Petilleau (Fra) G.S Bretagne Jean Floch 0.15
9. Jonathan Dayus (GBr) Team U Nantes Atlantique 0.18

10. Jérémie Derangere (Fra) S.C.O Dijon Team Lapierre

Shay Elliott – Results – 163.5 km

Malcom Elliott continues to show the youngsters a thing or two about bike racing, in this classic hardman’s race in Ireland last weekend. He rides the Chas Messenger stage race this weekend followed by the Lincoln Grand Prix (that he won 23 years ago!) and then the Melton-Rutland the following weekend. No sign that he’s getting tired then…

1. Andrew Roche (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) 3.57.32
2. Malcolm Elliot (Plowman Craven) 0.09

3. Conor Murphy (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) 0.11
4. David McCann (Giant Asia) 0.15
5. Ryan Connor (Scott-Ballymena) 0.18
6. Tommy Evans (Terry Dolan) 0.29
7. Neill Delahaye (Usher IRC) 1.03
8. Paídi O’Brien (Sean Kelly – ACLVB M. Donnelly Racing Team)
9. Daniel Lynch (Kanturk Credit Union)
10. Paul Healion (Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) 4.52

Jan heads to Romandie

It’s been a slow start to the 2006 season for Jan Ullrich. But he finally made it to a race the Swiss tour of Romandie. It’s been a shaky start so far as he’s 117th overall and 10.26 back on the current leader Chris Horner. Clearly still a bit of work to do then. Roger Hammond is sitting in the wheels and is 142nd overall some 10 minutes back too. We’ll keep you posted…