The team was in England this weekend for the Ride Lond
On the program, a race in 3 stages from Friday to Sunday, for a total of 363.5 kilometres and a final finish in the streets of London, at the foot of the most iconic buildings of the capital of the United Kingdom.
The first stage took place on a circuit, with a finish and a start in the town of Maldon, a coastal town in the county of Essex, 80 kilometres east of London.
Emilia approaching the start: “I think it’s going to be a fast stage today, and a lot of people will try to attack. But I think it’s going to come in the sprint, and if so , it’s going to be a tough sprint. It should be very interesting!”
During the first loop of the 85-kilometre circuit the peloton stayed together, then it was Anna Henderson (Jumbo Visma) who attacked and escaped 40 kilometres from the finish. She continues her raid alone and leads the peloton by almost 2 minutes. But the peloton begins its work and the teams drive hard to catch up with her. And it is 3 kilometres from the finish that the junction takes place. The finish is played in a massive sprint, Lorena Wiebes (DSM) takes the victory. Vittoria Guazzini takes 5th place at the finish and thus takes the best young rider’s jersey.
“It was a very good first day, very satisfying for the team, with Vittoria’s Top 5 and their white jersey!” tells us Nicolas Maire, sports director.
For the second stage, the start was given in Chelmsford, prefecture of the county of Essex. It is the longest stage with its 141.7 kilometres. 20 kilometres after the start, Veronica Ewers (EF Tibco SVB) escapes and will ride up to 3 minutes ahead of the peloton. The race intensifies and the peloton catches Veronica during the penultimate loop of the circuit before the finish. It’s a massive sprint that takes place in Epping. Despite her fall earlier in the day, Vittoria took 7th place and kept her white jersey as the best young rider, she also took 8th place in the general classification.
“Unfortunately, at the start of this second stage, the fall of Vittoria tarnished the table of the day before. But the team remained united and worked to protect her and take her, a job that paid off because she finally able to finish 7th in the stage.” explains Nicolas Maire following this second stage.
For the third and final stage, Londoners were present in large numbers on the edges of the circuit. On the programme, 85.3 kilometres in the hyper centre of London with landscapes: Big Ben, the Tower Bridge, the London Eye, … Unfortunately, after a lap of the circuit Vittoria was forced to abandon because of knee pain, following his fall the day before. As expected, it was a massive sprint that took place in the streets of London. Lorena Wiebes (DSM), for the third day in a row takes victory at the finish line. Emilia Fahlin, takes the 21st place.
Nicolas Maire looks back on the race and this last stage: “Unfortunately the fall had more consequences than we had hoped for and Vittoria had to abandon the race. It was a disappointment for the team because the work done by the team could have secured a good place in the general standings and brought home the best young rider’s jersey. The team nevertheless remained mobilized for the race, to try to be in the best possible position.
It was also Clara’s recovery from her fall and her collarbone injury. A recovery on time, neither early nor too late. A large part of the workforce will be at the start of the Women’s Tour next week and Clara should feel better and better. We hope that Vittoria will not have too many consequences for its races in June.
The whole team will therefore be keen to do well by staying on land across the Channel for the Women’s Tour!”