Credit: CJ Farquharson

Credit: CJ Farquharson

Credit: CJ Farquharson

Credit: CJ Farquharson

 

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Teutenberg storms to second stage in Tuscany

September 19, 2008

A hard-fought bunch sprint on Friday saw Ina-Yoko Teutenberg take her second stage win - and the team’s fourth of a possible five so far - in the Giro della Toscana-Memorial Michela Fanini.

The German sprint star outpowered her rivals at the end of a rainsoaked 115.2 kilometre stage starting and finishing in Campo Bisenzio.

“It was a very hard and technical finish, with a small bridge to tackle on the run-in and some dangerous corners as well.” Teutenberg commented.

“A team-mate was trying to lead me out, but we kind of got lost, so I went for it by myself.”

“I think I won by about half a wheel. It was close.”

After a small opening lap, the riders tackled two much larger circuits at the end of the stage, “so we had some kind of idea what was coming up, which was something.”

“But it was raining all day, you needed a lot of concentration to keep out of the crashes.”

“It wasn’t a pleasant day’s racing and I’m feeling pretty tired now.”

Overall, Teutenberg’s team-mate Judith Arndt remains in the lead after moving into the top spot on gc on the first sector of stage two.
So far Teutenberg has won in almost all possible ways in the six-day, seven stage race.
 

Columbia won the opening team time trial, Teutenberg then took a dramatic solo victory when she fended  off the pack on stage two’s second sector, at Altopascio. Finally after Mara Abbott took a mountain top finish win on Thursday, on Friday Teutenberg was first across the line in a bunch sprint.

“Tomorrow, though, we’re back in the mountains.” Teutenberg concluded, “so it’ll be up to my team-mates to do something, not me!”