HTC-COLUMBIA¹S TEUTENBERG SPRINTS TO VICTORY IN CHINA WORLD CUP

San Luis Obispo, CA – 9th May 2010 – HTC-Columbia’s Ina-Yoko Teutenberg has sprinted to victory in the Chongming Island round of the World Cup series in China.

Teutenberg’s fourth win in five days and HTC-Columbia’s first World Cup victory of the season came when the German national road champion outpowered Kirsten Wild of Holland and Australia’s Rochelle Gilmore in a tight bunch sprint.

After taking two stages and the overall in the Tour of Chongming Island stage race earlier in the week, Teutenberg had started the World Cup event as the a favourite, and both she and HTC-Columbia handled the pressure perfectly.

“We badly wanted to get a win in the World Cup series, but overall the important thing was the way our team raced, we were really on top of of things,” says HTC-Columbia team manager Ronny Lauke.

“I’d checked out the course beforehand and it was clear there were going to be crosswinds and splits in the bunch, and our team was really attentive. After about 60 kilometres, when the first big break of about 20 went, we had six riders in it.

“[HTC-Columbia rider] Judith [Arndt] was really strong, too. She went solo for us on the return section of the race, which forced other teams to chase, and even when the next group got away she still had enough strength to get into that move, along with two more of our riders, [Ellen] Van Dijk and Adrie Visser.

“Then Judith went again in the last part and that made the other squads work some more. Finally Judith was caught and with about two kilometres to go we started the leadout for Ina. The leadout was so fast that Ina let a gap open with a kilometer to go allowing her three teammates to go for the victory ahead of the field.”

This forced Cervelo to chase again and they caught the trio with 150 meters to go and Teutenberg was able to come around at the last minute to take the sprint from Wild.

“They needed a photo-finish to decide if Ina had won, but actually it was pretty clear she had got it,” added Lauke.

Following an impressive run of victories in China, the HTC-Columbia team’s next race will be the Tour de L’Aude in France.