Unbeatable Wiebes takes second victory in a row at Women’s Tour, moves into overall lead
Unbeatable Wiebes takes second victory in a row at Women's Tour, moves into overall lead
Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM) showed her unparalleled sprinting abilities yet again on stage three of The Women’s Tour. The Dutch rider is peerless when it comes to fast finishes and with the help of her Team DSM lead-out train, including British champion Pffeifer Georgi, took another comfortable victory in Gloucester on Wednesday.
The win marks Wiebes’ 45th career victory and her 18th individual WorldTour win at just 23-years-old.
The stage saw yet another solo breakaway early on in the race, with Riejanne Markus of Jumbo-Visma, who began the stage over four minutes down on GC, spending 75 km off the front.
With 50 km to go Markus was joined by Gladys Verhulst (Le Col – Wahoo) and QOM classification leader Christine Majerus (SD Worx). However, with attacks in the peloton coming thick and fast, their lead diminished and the trio were caught with 24 km remaining.
A split formed shortly afterwards with several favourites making it into the front group including Coryn Labecki (Jumbo-Visma), Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (SD Worx), Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM), Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope), and Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo).
However, having missed out on the split and with the most to lose, Team DSM pulled in the peloton behind and with little cohesion in the front the peloton regrouped.
With a sprint finish on the cards teams formed into lead-outs as the rain started to fall on the run-in to Gloucester with Team BikeExchange, Jumbo-Visma, Trek-Segafredo, and Canyon//SRAM all vying for the best position on the approach to the line. It was DSM once again, however, in the form of Georgi and Charlotte Kool who guided Wiebes into the narrow town-centre roads, enabling her to launch her unmatchable speed and take a second victory.
Alexandra Manly (Team BikeExchange) took second, and Coryn Labecki (Jumbo-Visma) third.
The win also moves Wiebes into the general classification lead, 13 seconds ahead of Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ), and Manly. Former race leader Clara Copponi (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) was seen struggling on the first QOM of the day and finished three minutes down at the end of the stage.
Women's Tour (2.WWT) Tewkesbury → Gloucester
WIEBES Lorena
WIEBES Lorena
MAJERUS Christine
Canyon//SRAM Racing