Pooley in defence of her World Cup jersey
One week Emma Pooley (Garmin-Cervélo) won the Trofeo Alfredo Binda that kicked off the 2011 UCI Women’s World Cup, the women’s peloton heads to Belgium on Sunday for the Ronde van Vlaanderen Vrouwen, the Women’s Tour of Flanders, for the series’ second of nine rounds.
Pooley will start in defence of her World Cup leader’s jersey, but she doesn’t expect to be a factor on the cobbled parcours.
“For us for as a team it’s fantastic to have the leader’s jersey in the World Cup. Especially as we’re still learning how to work together as we’ve changed a bit since last year,” said Pooley.
“But if I’m going to be totally honest I don’t think I can hold on to the jersey. To put it mildly I’m not the best sprinter in the world and realistically I don’t have a chance in the sprinters’ races. It would be a shame to leave the jersey at home. We want to try and win Flanders but I’m not the person for that. But perhaps I can work for someone else.”
The winners of the previous four Rondes will be on hand in Oudenaarde, led by defending champion Grace Verbeke (Topsport Vlaanderen 2012-Ridley Team).