Liane Lippert 2nd on final stage as Team DSM end with 3 in top 10 on GC

By
Mathew Mitchell
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Liane Lippert 2nd on final stage as Team DSM end with 3 in top 10 on GC

The final day of action at Itzulia Women saw the bunch take on a parcours similar to that of Classica San Sebastian with the climbs of Jaizkibel and the brutally steep Murgil Tontorra in the finale. It was a punchy start but things soon calmed down and a breakaway managed to establish itself out front. With no immediate threat on GC they were allowed to build up a gap of over five minutes.

On the Jaizkibel the team came forward en masse and started to set the pace in the bunch, reducing the gap to those out front. Over the top of the penultimate climb attacks flew in the bunch with Liane Lippert following a dangerous move but things came back together and trio were still ahead as the bunch raced towards Murgil Tontorra. Strong work from Esmée Peperkamp saw Juliette Labous, Floortje Mackaij and Lippert well positioned for the stingingly steep ascent. It became a race of attrition as the peloton ground their way up the slopes, with Labous and Lippert making the main chasing group which crested the climb just behind eventual stage winner Vollering, Flying down the descent, Mackaij joined her Team DSM teammates as her and Labous helped to set up the sprint finish where Lippert showed a great turn of speed to “win’ from the chasing group and take a strong second place.

Mackaij held on for sixth with Labous ninth, meaning it was a good triple top ten for the team on the stage. A result that was reflected in the overall GC where Labous claimed fifth, Lippert sixth and Mackaij eighth; rounding out a strong three days of racing for the team.

“It was a longer stage for us at 144 kilometres,” explained Lippert. “It was a shame to start without Francesca who crashed out yesterday and Léa had some stomach problems so she didn’t have great legs, so she did her best in the start for us. Esmée then did a lot of really good work for Floortje, Juliette and I. We were always in control. A breakaway had went and we stayed relaxed in the bunch and focused on the steep final climb, where the race really happened. Esmée did a great job to position us and we could all keep up with the best pretty much. Over the top I was with Juliette, where Demi attacked but no one could follow. Juliette then did a great job to cover the next attacks and close things down. Floortje came back to us in the final few kilometres and she did a good job to do the lead out and I could finish the sprint off for second place. It’s a shame it was for second but Demi was just on a different level on the climb than us today. I think it was a really good team effort. To have three riders in the top ten in a race like this shows our strength and I think we can be confident for the next races to come. I also really enjoyed the three days here; even when it was hard, it was fun to race like this.”

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