After yesterday’s opening day success for the team where Lorena Wiebes powered home to victory, today the peloton were faced with at testing nine-kilometre long time trial around Boadilla del Monte. Featuring several sharp turns, rolling terrain and some difficult conditions – it was a hard day out for the riders.
Julia Soek and Wilma Olausson both set solid early times for the team before Liane Lippert crossed the line in a provisional sixth place with an effort of 13 minutes and 15 seconds. Canadian TT champion Leah Kirchmann was next down the ramp and she flew around the circuit, lighting up the timing sheets before punching to the finish line to set the provisional best time of 12 minutes and 54 seconds.
Kirchmann slipped down the order ever so slightly as other riders toppled her time before race leader Wiebes set off down the start ramp. Wiebes produced one of the best time trials of her career so far, putting her sprinting speed to good use and giving it her all, all the way to the line. Her efforts were good enough to see her finish in 11th place on the stage.
As a result, Wiebes and Kirchmann sit in fifth and sixth place on GC respectively ahead of tomorrow’s final stage where there are lots of bonus seconds available to shake up the overall standings.
