Women’s World Cup season starts on Sunday

Sunday, March 28th’s Trofeo Alfredo Binda will mark the start of the 2010 Women’s World Cup season. 150 athletes from 26 national and club teams are expected to race in the event organized by Cycling Sport Promotion Mario Minervino. Among these are the best professional teams in the world along with national teams from the Netherlands, Australia, USA, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, Ukraine and Slovenia.

The obviously race favorite is Marianne Vos, 2004 junior world champion, world champion 2006, winner of the 2007 World Cup and 2009 European champion in 2006 and 2007, gold in the points race in Beijing 2008, gold at the World Cyclo-cross in 2006, 2009 and 2010, gold in the points race on the track World 2008. Expected to challenge her are her Dutch compatriot Kirsten Wild, Sweden’s Emma Johansson, German Trixi Worrack, Britain’s Emma Pooley (who won the Trofeo Alfredo Binda in 2008), Germany’s Judith Arndt, Australia’s Rochelle Gilmore, the Belgian Grace Verbeke, and 2008 world champion and 2 time winner of the Trofeo Binda (2005 and 2007) Nicole Cooke (Britain), all specialists in road competition.

The teams included:

• Italy
• Netherlands
• Australia
• Great Britain
• USA
• Russia
• Ukraine
• Slovenia
• HTC Columbia (GER)
• Cervelo Test Team (NED)
• Noris Cycling (GER)
• Redsun Cycling Team (BEL)
• Lotto Ladies Team (BEL)
• Valdarno (ITA)
• Safi Pasta Zara (LTU)
• Gauss RDZ Ormu (ITA)
• Fenix – Petrogradets (RUS)
• SC MIchela Fanini Record Rox (ITA)
• Hitec Products UKC (NOR)
• Esgl 93 – GSD Gestion (FRA)
• Lointek (SPA)
• MTN (RSA)
• Top Girls Fassa Bortolo (ITA)
• ASC Chirio Forno D’Asolo (ITA)
• Kuota Speed Kueens (AUT)
• Vaiano Solaristech (ITA)

Recent Winners:

• 1999 Fanny Lecortois
• 2000 Fabiana Luperini
• 2001 Nicole Brandli
• 2002 Svethlana Boubnenkova
• 2003 Diana Ziliute
• 2004 Oenone Wood
• 2005 Nicole Cooke
• 2006 Regina Schleicher
• 2007 Nicole Cooke
• 2008 Emma Pooley
• 2009 Marianne Vos

Tags: ASO, cervelo, columbia, Emma Johansson, Emma Pooley, kuota, Marianne Vos, Netherlands, nicole cooke, sweden, The Netherlands, Trofeo Binda