2008 UCI Road World Championships – Women's road race


The women's road race of the 2008 UCI Road World Championships cycling event took place on 27 September in Varese, Italy. The course comprised eight laps around a 17.35-kilometre route, making a total distance of 138.8 km. Each lap featured two ascents: the first at Montello ; and the second at Ronchi, Gallarate. The race included a total of 1,937 metres of climbing.
Pre-race favourites included Varese local rider Noemi Cantele and her team mates Tatiana Guderzo and Giorgia Bronzini, Marianne Vos of the Netherlands, Judith Arndt of Germany, reigning Olympic champion Nicole Cooke and silver medallist Emma Johansson. Notably missing from the start list was Marta Bastianelli, reigning champion from 2007, who was awaiting a verdict on a non-negative drug test result in July 2008.
The race was won by Great Britain's Nicole Cooke, with Marianne Vos and Judith Arndt finishing with the same time, second and third respectively. Cooke was the first British woman to win the race since Mandy Jones in 1982.

The race

Not long after the race began, a Swedish rider brought down the front row of the peloton when her tyres slipped on some painted letters on the road. Christine Thorburn was also brought down in a crash, when she was squeezed up against a fence. Although she was not severely injured and did attempt to chase the bunch, she failed to make contact and did not finish.
A group of thirteen riders soon broke away from the main group, driven mainly by the American Kristin Armstrong. They gained 25 seconds on the field but were pulled back by the Dutch and British teams with one lap to go. As soon as the break was caught, Marianne Vos launched a counter-attack on the Montello climb, Nicole Cooke, Judith Arndt, Trixi Worrack and Emma Johansson, and Susanne Ljungskog joined her in what was to become the winning break. Ljungskog's chances ended when she punctured, leaving five in the break.
Worrack and Vos attacked on the final hill, but were brought back to the break with 2 km to go. The race finished with a sprint, Vos took the lead before being overtaken by Cooke just before the finish line. Arndt struggled to match their speed in the sprint, she was nearly caught out by a late surge by Johansson, but eventually crossed the line in third place.

Final classification

RankRiderCountryTime
Nicole Cooke3h 42'11"
Marianne Voss.t.
Judith Arndts.t.
4Emma Johanssonat 5"
5Trixi Worrackat 11"
6Diana Žiliūtėat 1'47"
7Marta Vilajosana Andreus.t.
8Joanne Kiesanowskis.t.
9Alex Wrubleskis.t.
10Yuliya Martisovas.t.
11Claudia Häuslers.t.
12Chantal Beltmans.t.
13Linda Villumsens.t.
14Giorgia Bronzinis.t.
15Nikki Egyeds.t.
16Grace Verbekes.t.
17Jeannie Longo-Ciprellis.t.
18Edita Pučinskaitės.t.
19Christiane Soeders.t.
20Maryline Salvetats.t.
21Kaytee Boyds.t.
22Amber Nebens.t.
23Małgorzata Jasińskas.t.
24Siobhan Dervans.t.
25Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzets.t.
26Monia Baccailles.t.
27Rasa Polikevičiūtės.t.
28Sharon Lawss.t.
29Tatiana Guderzos.t.
30Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppels.t.
31Susanne Ljungskogs.t.
32Modesta Vžesniauskaitėat 1'56"
33Natalia Boyarskayas.t.
34Jolanta Polikevičiūtės.t.
35Emma Pooleys.t.
36Anna Sanchis Chafers.t.
37Noemi Canteleat 1'59"
38Zinaida Stahurskayaat 4'54"
39Kristin Armstrongat 4'56"
40Alexandra Burchenkovaat 5"24"
41Elizabeth Armitsteads.t.
42Rosane Kirchat 6'08"
43Grete Treierat 6'11"
44Maja Adamsens.t.
45Oxana Kozonchuks.t.
46Clemilda Fernandes Silvas.t.

RankRiderCountryTime
47Karine Gautards.t.
48Erinne Willocks.t.
49Lieselot Decroixs.t.
50Sereina Trachsels.t.
51Martina Růžičkovás.t.
52Eneritz Iturriaga Echevarrias.t.
53Vicki Whitelaws.t.
54Edwige Pitels.t.
55Paulina Brzeźnas.t.
56Marissa van der Merwes.t.
57Monika Grzebinogas.t.
58Liesbet De Vochts.t.
59Daniela Pintarellis.t.
60Julie Beveridges.t.
61Jessica Allens.t.
62Suzanne de Goedes.t.
63Oenone Woods.t.
64Carla Ryans.t.
65Tatiana Antoshinas.t.
66Patricia Schwagers.t.
67Kori Kelley Seehafers.t.
68Monika Schachlat 6'16"
69Rosara Josephs.t.
70Fabiana Luperinis.t.
71Charlotte Beckers.t.
72Luise Kellers.t.
73Oksana Kashchyshynaat 9'22"
74Verónica Leal Balderass.t.
75Sylwia Kapustaat 12'14"
76Anriette Schoemanat 13'17"
77Sigrid Corneos.t.
78Felicia Greers.t.
79Jennifer Hohls.t.
80Élodie Touffets.t.
81Rasa Leleivytės.t.
82Miho Okiat 17'50"
83Yevheniya Vysotskaat 20'20"
84Laure Wernerat 22'02"
85Mirjam Hauser-Senns.t.
86Julie Krasniakat 27'51"
87Chrissie Viljoenat 28'39"
88Lynette Burgers.t.
89Magdalena Zamolskas.t.
90Inga Čilvinaitės.t.
91Alyona Andruks.t.

Did not finish

45 riders failed to finish the race. Mayuko Hagiwara of Japan was disqualified, and Grassi Herrera of Mexico did not start the race.
RiderCountry
Karin Thürig
Anne Samplonius
Irene van den Broek
Christine Thorburn
Angela Brodtka
Rochelle Gilmore
Anita Valen De Vries
Hanna Taukanitsa
Yuka Yamashima
Maria Briceno Jimenez
Eva Lechner
Brooke Miller
Emma Rickards
Katheryn Curi Mattis
Andrea Thürig
Iosune Murillo Elkano
Regina Bruins
Jarmila Machačová
Yulia Blindyuk
Louise Moriarty
Leticia Gil Parra
Olivia Dillon
Garcia Buittrago

RiderCountry
Kathryn Bertine
Monica Holler
Christine Majerus
Karin Aune
Anna Harkowska
Robyn de Groot
Cherise Taylor
Uênia Fernandes de Souza
Emilia Fahlin
Nathalie Bates
Yolandi Du Toit
Janildes Fernandes Silva
Gema Pascual Torrecilla
Marie Lindberg
Heather Wilson
Alena Sits Ko
Polona Batagelj
Nathalie Lamborelle
Laura Lepasalu
Katarína Uhlariková
Adriana Lovera Varela
Mariya Slokotovich