STAGE 3: Arndt Captures Giro di Trentino Overall for HTC-Highroad

HTC-Highroad ended the three-day Giro di Trentino stage race on a high note, after Judith Arndt fended off her rivals to claim the overall victory on Sunday. Arndt completed the final seventy-two kilometer stage from Castel Thun to Cles in fine style, taking second from a lead group of twenty riders which earned the German the points jersey as well as the overall victory.

"Judith got a time bonus which strengthened her lead, and then she chased down a lot of dangerous attacks," said HTC-Highroad sports director Jens Zemke.

"It wasn't clear we would win for sure, there were a lot of good rivals here."

"But she did a super performance and she got really good back-up from her team-mates, too."

"Ina [Teutenberg] did a great job again as well, taking second on the first climb of the day and supporting Judith there, and then leading Judith out in the final sprint."

"It's the first time HTC-Highroad have taken Trentino overall, so we can be pretty satisfied with how it's gone."

In an impressive all-round performance, HTC-Highroad came away from the Italian stage race  - which they led from start to finish - with a total of two stage wins from a possible three, the overall and the points jersey.
 

STAGE 2: Arndt Claim's HTC Highroad's Second Victory in Two Days

HTC-Highroad's Judith Arndt has followed up team-mate Ina-Yoko Teutenberg's win in the opening stage of the Giro di Trentino in Italy with her own victorY, twenty four hours later.

Arndt claimed her fifth win of the season at the end of a mountainous eighty-six kilometer trek from Matarrello to Termon, simultaneously taking over as race leader from Teutenberg.

"Judith was exactly where she needed to be all day, first winning an intermediate sprint and getting the bonus seconds on offer,  which was a good sign, then playing her tactics very well on the last climb of the stage," pointed out HTC-Highroad sport director, Jens Zemke, "She and another rider caught [earlier breakaway] Emma Pooley on the last climb, then Judith still had enough strength to go for and win the sprint."

Seventh on the stage, Teutenberg has retained the points jersey. Zemke noted, "Ina was really impressive, she was the last of the HTC-Highroad riders to stay with Judith. Her climbing is getting better and better."

The final stage of Trentino is seventy-two kilometers long and very hilly, running from Castel Thun to Cles, and Zemke is optimistic about Arndt's chances of winning outright.

"She's got a seven second advantage, so it's up to us to defend our lead and the rest to attack us, which is a good place to be in."

"Plus our riders all rode very well today, and they will protect Judith as best they can tomorrow, too  - and she's already proved she's in great shape."

Zemke says it will be slightly more complicated to deal with the sixty kilos of apples the team has won, "Today they gave us a special prize which was Judith's weight in apples, and while it's wonderful to have it,  we're not sure what we're going to do with it all. Sixty kilos is a lot of fruit to have in the back of a team car!"

STAGE 1: TEUTENBERG AND VISSER CLINCH TOP TWO IN GIRO DI TRENTINO

HTC-Highroad riders, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg and Adrie Visser took first and second today after a powerful display of bunch sprinting in the Giro di Trentino. The opening stage sent riders from Dimaro to Arco.

"There was a big climb at the start of the stage, eight kilometers long, and Ina came over the top of it with the first group," HTC-Highroad sports director Jens Zemke said.

"Then after a long descent towards Arco, all five of our riders were there for the bunch sprint, which was perfect."

"We'd had a good look at the maps because it was a very technical finish with cobblestones and a lot of corners in the last kilometer, and all the team made sure they were in exactly the right position."

"Then Adrie was strong enough to take second as well, so it was a very good performance by the whole squad."

"I was in third place with 250 meters to go and then went for the sprint from there," Teutenberg added, "it was a very fast finish with four or five corners late on, but it worked out fine."

A winner of a stage of Trentino last year, Teutenberg said she was also pleased to have stayed with the front group on the early climb, because "It's not really my area. That was good."

As well as leading in the points and overall classification, Teutenberg latest win is her ninth of the season and the thirtieth of 2011 for HTC-Highroad women's team.