Eleonora Gasparrini claimed victory in the Women’s Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region on 15th September after a dramatic final-lap sprint, beating Lieke Nooijen and Mareille Meijering to the line. The 118.2km race, now upgraded to UCI ProSeries status, took riders from Böblingen to Stuttgart, ending with three laps through the streets of the city.
The race was marked by several breakaway attempts, but the field largely remained together during the first half. Early attacks from riders like Pia Grünewald and Floortje Mackaij were quickly shut down by the main teams. Brodie Chapman, Dominika Wlordarczyk, and Mackaij formed a breakaway group midway through the race but were reeled back in by the peloton with just under 60km to go.
As the race entered the final 40km, Anneke Dijkstra broke free and was soon joined by Eva van Agt. The duo opened a gap, but with 20km left, they were joined by Marta Lach, who quickly made her own solo move. Lach managed to gain a 19-second lead but was caught with 3km to go, just before the final sprint began.
With the finish line in sight, Lieke Nooijen attacked first, launching her sprint from a long way out. Gasparrini, however, timed her move to perfection and surged past Nooijen in the final metres to claim the victory. Meijering followed closely behind to take third, with the rest of the peloton just seconds behind.
After the race, 2024 Princess Anna Vasa Tour GC winner Nooijen reflected on her second-place finish, saying, “I did what I could. The others didn’t want to pull anymore, so I knew I had to start early and not get surprised. It was a long sprint, and I just couldn’t hold on. Still, I’m happy with the result because I gave it my all.”
Gasparrini was emotional after the win, sharing, “This means so much to me. My team did such an amazing job.” It was the Italian’s first time racing in Germany, and she added, “I loved the course and the atmosphere. The crowd was fantastic, and I can’t wait to come back next year.”
Lach, whose bold attack almost paid off, finished in fifth place, while Dominika Wlordarczyk came in sixth. The rest of the peloton, which had been closely bunched throughout much of the race, crossed the line shortly after the leading group.
2024 Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Lichtgut-Ferdinando Iannone
