Anna Henderson brought her 2025 campaign to a triumphant close with victory at the Tour of Guangxi, winning the final Women’s WorldTour race of the season in a two-rider sprint ahead of Caroline Andersson. The British rider from Lidl–Trek proved the strongest after breaking clear with the Swedish climber on the steep final ascent of Qingxiushan and held her off in the run to the finish in Nanning.
A steep challenge in China
While the men’s Tour of Guangxi takes place over several days, the women’s edition remains a one-day event, featuring four laps of a 27-kilometre circuit around Nanning. The defining feature of the 108.5-kilometre race was the Qingxiushan climb, a short but punishing ascent of 1.3 kilometres at an average gradient of 11.5 percent. Each lap brought a fresh test of endurance and climbing ability, steadily reducing the peloton as the day unfolded.
After three ascents of Qingxiushan, the peloton had been reduced to just a dozen riders, including Henderson, Andersson, Usoa Ostolaza, Giorgia Vettorello and Marina Komina. Early attacks had come and gone, with an initial breakaway containing several of those names caught before the final lap. As expected, the last climb proved decisive.
Henderson and Andersson go clear
When the road tilted skyward for the fourth and final time, Andersson of Liv AlUla Jayco and Henderson seized their chance. The pair accelerated sharply, distancing their rivals on the steepest section of Qingxiushan before cresting the climb together. Behind them, a group of six chasers formed, but the gap quickly widened on the descent and the following flat kilometres.
Working smoothly together, the leading duo extended their advantage to around 50 seconds with five kilometres to go. The chasers began to look at one another as their hopes of catching the leaders faded, shifting their focus to the battle for third place.
Henderson seals it in a two-way sprint
Into the final kilometre, Andersson took the front position and led the run-in to the line. Henderson sat calmly on her wheel, timing her move perfectly before launching her sprint in the closing metres. The British rider surged past decisively to claim her second Women’s WorldTour victory of the season, adding to her earlier stage win at the Giro d’Italia Women.
Andersson had to settle for second place, though her performance earned her a first podium at WorldTour level. Behind them, Usoa Ostolaza of Laboral Kutxa–Fundación Euskadi won the sprint for third ahead of Marina Komina, while Riejanne Markus finished sixth for Lidl–Trek after a strong ride in support of her teammate.
“It was a really hard race with a brutal climb each lap,” said Henderson at the finish. “Caroline was incredibly strong on the last ascent, and we worked well together to stay away. I knew it would come down to a sprint, so I just had to stay patient and go at the right time. It feels amazing to win here and end the season on such a high.”
For Andersson, the runner-up spot was both bittersweet and encouraging. “I would have loved to finish it off better, but Anna was simply stronger in the sprint,” she said. “It’s my first WorldTour podium, so I’m really happy with that and it gives me confidence for next year.”
2025 Tour of Guangxi Women result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
