Nina Buijsman claimed victory in the third stage of the 2024 Tour de l’Ardèche today, winning a sprint finish in Bollène from a group of four breakaway riders. The Dutch rider, representing FDJ-Suez, outpaced Spanish national champion Usoa Ostolaza and Nadia Gontova after a gruelling 125-kilometre route from Avignon over rolling terrain. Thalita de Jong retained her lead in the general classification, finishing fifth after winning the sprint from the main peloton.
The decisive move came after 85 kilometres, with a quartet breaking free on the final climb. Buijsman’s group, which included Ostolaza, Gontova, and Nathalie Bex, collaborated well to maintain a gap of over 30 seconds to the peloton. Despite efforts from the chasers, the breakaway managed to hold their lead to the finish.
Buijsman spoke of her delight after the stage. “It’s been a tough year for me, so to get this win is really special,” she said. “I had a broken collarbone earlier in the season, and it’s been a struggle. Today, though, I felt strong, especially in that final climb.”
In the closing kilometres, the steep gradients suited Buijsman, who managed to hold off her rivals in a thrilling sprint. “The rider from DNA Pro Cycling, Gontova, pushed hard in the final ascent,” she explained, “but I knew I had to hang on and give it everything in the last 200 metres. It all came down to that sprint, and I’m just really happy to come out on top.”
Meanwhile, race leader Thalita de Jong, who has worn the yellow jersey since winning the opening two stages, consolidated her advantage with a strong performance. De Jong recounted the strategy that shaped her race, noting that the breakaway didn’t pose a threat to her GC position. “Four riders rode away on the last climb after 85 kilometres, but they weren’t a danger in the general classification, so I let them go,” she said. “EF-Oatly-Cannondale was hoping for a bunch sprint, so I wasn’t too concerned about bringing them back. In the end, I won the sprint for fifth.”
The Dutchwoman added that she was pleased with her efforts, especially given the technical nature of the finish. “I thought my sprint was over at one point, but in the last kilometre, I found a good position. It was a tough, uphill finish with lots of corners, but I’m happy with how I rode and the time I gained on Marion Bunel.”
De Jong now leads Bunel by 10 seconds in the overall standings, with Lotte Claes sitting 19 seconds behind. With tomorrow’s 15-kilometre individual time trial looming, de Jong is keen to capitalise on her advantage, saying, “I hope to still have power in my legs for the time trial. It starts flat but climbs for eight kilometres, so it’ll be a challenging day.”
Despite coming close to a stage win, Usoa Ostolaza, who finished second, expressed disappointment. Her team, LABORAL Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi, had put a significant effort into the breakaway, and team director Ion Lazkano noted, “It was a shame to miss out on the win. Usoa was brilliant today, and we knew it would be tough for the peloton to catch the escapees. Still, we’re happy with how the team is riding overall.”
The fourth stage, a time trial from Goudargues to Méjannes-le-Clap, promises to reshuffle the standings ahead of the weekend’s mountainous finale.
2024 Tour de l’Ardeche Stage 3 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
