Trixi Worrack represents in breakaway, Amalie Dideriksen sprints to 4th as Trek-Segafredo ends a successful week of WorldTour racing in the Netherlands
There was no respite from the wet and cold on the final day in the Simac Ladies Tour as the riders battled rainy conditions for a second straight day.
Trek-Segafredo, down to four for the last stage, didn’t let the weather dampen spirits and went to work for the final day in the WorldTour race.
Trixi Worrack joined the day’s escape group – a rare chance for the veteran rider who typically gives all her energy in support of her teammates – and with no threats up the road, Trek-Segafredo was content to let the group ride to the end.
However, a motivated bunch still wanted a sprint finish, despite many pure sprinters dropping from the race in yesterday’s grueling Stage 4, including Trek-Segafredo’s Chloe Hosking, and contained the leading group with three kilometers remaining.
“It was a very wet day again; I think most of the races we do in the Netherlands are rainy,’ said van Dijk, no stranger to the weather in her home country. “It was nice that Trixi was in the breakaway, and it’s a shame that it didn’t make it. The plan was also to attack for GC, but the race was a bit closed.”
Trixi Worrack in the breakaway.
The hard-working Lauretta Hanson navigates a wet turn.
Nasty weather all day.
With no chance to sneak away from her rivals, van Dijk focused on the final sprint. She came to the bow with Amalie Dideriksen, placing the Danish fast legs in first position around the last bend, but the crafty Marianne Vos was on Dideriksen’s wheel and easily sprinted to her 3rd win of the race.
“We wanted to go for Amalie in the sprint, and so we gave a good lead-out, but it was still a bit far from the last corner for her. She had a nice 4th place in the end, and we held 3rd place in the GC, which is good, so it was a good finish,” continued van Dijk.
Ellen van Dijk paces the bunch.
No stopping Marianne Vos as Amalie Dideriksen finishes in 4th.
Dideriksen finished just outside the podium as van Dijk crossed in 10th position to seal her third place in the overall classification.
“It would have been nice if we could have had a better attack at the GC, but the race was a bit closed, and the course was not as challenging as we thought it was. But a good end of the week and a nice – and wet – week in the Netherlands,” ended van Dijk.
Trixi Worrack celebrates winning the most combative jersey for Stage 5.
The final podium ceremony: (L-R) Marlen Reusser, Chantal Van Den Broek-Blaak and Ellen Van Dijk.