Uneken wins Simac Ladies Tour stage 3 after massive crash impacts finale
Uneken wins Simac Ladies Tour stage 3 after massive crash impacts finale
The talented up-and-coming sprinter Lonneke Uneken (SD Worx) won stage 3 of the Simac Ladies Tour after a crash majorly impacted the peloton with just under 6 km to go. Uneken was part of a six-rider group, the only six ahead of the crash when it happened. Susanne Andersen (Team DSM) and Georgi Pfeiffer (Team DSM) finished second and third behind Uneken.
The race leader Marlen Reusser (Alé BTC Ljubljana) was caught up in the crash and finished 31 seconds behind the stage winner. Reusser held onto the race lead but Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, who was part of the six-rider group, moved up to second overall only 10 seconds down.
A series of solo riders tried to break away throughout the stage but couldn’t secure a gap from the peloton. There was a group of 14 riders midway through the stage that slipped away but only managed to stay ahead of the peloton for 10 km.
Near the closing kilometres, Daniek Hangeveld (GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling) managed to get away and stay away until 15 km to go when she was finally swallowed up by the peloton led by Trek-Segafredo.
A massive crash impacted what looked to be a bunch sprint when the road narrowed with 5.9 km to go. A Team DSM rider went down first causing a cascade of riders to hit the ground. The crash happened near the front so the peloton was significantly impacted, only six riders were left at the front of the race. Two DSM riders and four SD Worx riders led the race, with the race leader Reusser caught behind the crash.
Those impacted by the crash weren’t able to catch the six out front and Uneken took the stage victory from the group of six.
A few riders sustained injuries, including the best young rider Emma Norsgaard who could be seen cradling her arm when she got to the Movistar team bus.
Simac Ladies Tour (2.WWT) Stramproy → Weert
REUSSER Marlen
VOS Marianne
JACKSON Alison
GEORGI Pfeiffer
SD Worx