Australian Lauren Kitchen was Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s best finisher in the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, in Cittgilio, north west Italy, as the the peloton was forced to endure heavy rain in the second round of the 2013 World Cup. Kitchen crossed the line in 13th place, as part of the main peloton, taking eight points in the World Cup classification, with Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling teammate Anna-Bianca Schnitzmeier in 21st place as part of the same group.
“It was a really tough day,” said Kitchen after the race. “It was just horrible weather all day, and for me it was just all about trying to stay there and to see what was happening.
“But I’m happy with that, in the conditions,” she added. “It was quite a tough race and quite hard to be involved, so it’s not too bad.”
The race was won by Elisa Longo Borghini (Hitec Products), who escaped the peloton on the second of the race’s four 17km finishing circuits as she attacked on the wet descent of the race’s main climb. The Italian rider finished 1’44” ahead of a chasing duo, with Swedish champion Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS) outsprinting Ellen van Dijk (Specialized-lululemon) for second place.
The remains of the peloton arrived at the finish 35 seconds behind Johansson and van Dijk, containing Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Lauren Kitchen and Ana-Bianca Schnitzmeier.
“I was just hanging in there,” explained Kitchen. “We were looking for the big teams to control it, but under the conditions she did well to do what she did today.”
“It was okay,” summed up Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope. “A top ten would have been good today, but with the terrain, and obviously the weather as well, I think they did a good job to get round.”
