Josie Talbot clinched a commanding solo victory on the final day of the Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées, completing the 125.5km stage from Nay to Bosdarros. The Australian rider from Cofidis broke away in the last 15 kilometres, finishing 53 seconds ahead of Lotte Claes and with a 1’24” lead over the chase group.
Talbot was jubilant as she crossed the line, her right arm raised in triumph. Reflecting on her win, she said, “Crossing the finish line was such a relief! We had a strong team here, and we were keen to get a good result. Nikola [Noskova] being in the breakaway allowed us to approach the stage confidently. When I saw the peloton spreading out, I knew it was the right moment to attack. I noticed nobody followed, and I quickly gained a gap. I just had to hold on until the end, and I did! I want to thank my teammates for their fantastic work. This victory gives me a lot of confidence and motivation heading into the Giro. The team keeps getting more professional and continues to progress. It’s promising for the future!” For Talbot it’s an indication of some good form after a pair of top-10 finishes at the Women’s Tour of Britain recently too.
Cofidis’s success extended beyond Talbot’s stage win. Nikola Noskova secured the best climber’s jersey, and world champion Julie Bego was awarded the best young rider, finishing 3 minutes 26 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. Takehiro Mizutani, Cofidis’s directeur sportif, praised the team, stating, “Josie’s solo attack at 20km from the finish was perfectly timed. She delivered an impressive performance. The whole team worked excellently, with Nikola contributing significantly to Josie’s victory and deserving her polka dot jersey. Julie’s consistent performance over the three days rightly earned her the best young rider award.”
Despite their efforts, Arkea-B&B Hotels couldn’t overturn the general classification. Lotte Claes finished second in the stage, while Valentina Cavallar secured second place overall. Cavallar acknowledged the team’s efforts, saying, “Arkea-B&B Hotels worked very well over the three days. We were very active and raced together. I think we should all be pleased with today’s performance.”
Grégoire Le Calvé, Arkea-B&B Hotels’ directeur sportif, commented, “Our goal was to try and overturn the general classification. We attempted this with several riders. Anaïs Morichon was in the breakaway to serve as a relay for her teammates. Behind her, Marie-Morgane Le Deunff, Maurène Trégouët, and Titia Ryo worked to thin out the group. Valentina Cavallar and Lotte Claes made several attempts to unsettle Laboral Kutxa. We didn’t succeed, but at least we tried. Lotte’s second place in the stage is excellent. Valentina finishing second overall and Lotte sixth shows we raced well collectively. It’s been a successful Tour des Pyrénées for Arkea-B&B Hotels.”
In the overall standings, Usoa Ostolaza of Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi secured the general classification title, maintaining her lead from the previous stage. She finished 31 seconds ahead of Valentina Cavallar and 58 seconds ahead of her teammate Yurani Blanco.
2024 Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées Stage 3 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
2024 Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées GC result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
