High Road Women's team gunning for first European win of the season

March 21, 2008

March 24th will see High Road’s Women’s Team taking part in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda race in northern Italy - and gunning for their first European win of 2008.

“We had some bad luck in Het Volk last weekend, so we’re very keen to take our first victory in Europe this time round.” team sports director Ronny Lauke said.

 “[High Road rider] Oenone Wood was in a good position in the final kilometer of Het Volk, but then a crash changed the shape of the race completely. If that incident hadn’t happened, we’re sure she would have got a great result.”

“Coming so close makes us want to get a win even more.”

The Trofeo Alfredo Binda is the second round of the World Cup series, but Lauke claims that the team is equally motivated regardless of the race’s category.

“High Road goes into every race looking for that first place result. At Alfredo Binda all of our riders will be looking for a chance to show what they can do.”

“We aren’t making the World Cup series a particular objective. If you get the victories, the right results overall come naturally as part of that success.”

The line-up for the Alfredo Binda will consist of Judith Arndt (Ger), Chantal Beltman (Hol), Luise Keller (Ger), Madeleine Sandig (Ger), Ina-Yoko Teutenerg (Ger) and Oenone Wood (Aus).

High Road has already taken a global total of five stages from the Geelong Tour and Tour of Wellington in Australia and New Zealand this spring - as well as the Australian National Championships. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg also placed third in the opening round of the World Cup at Geelong.

Following two laps of a 36-kilometre circuit, three shorter 17 kilometre laps complete the course of the Trofeo Alfredo Binda. A total of seven climbs will toughen up the race - and almost certainly see a lone rider or small break staying away to the finish.