After three days of racing, Nicole Steigenga has finished at an impressive seventh place in the general classification. She laid the foundation for that result with an equally impressive ninth place in Thursday’s individual time trial. In the second stage Nicole finished in twelfth place, while Emma Boogaard took the best result on the final stage on Saturday, finishing nineteenth.
As said, Nicole started the Bloeizone Fryslan Tour with a nineth place in the time trial. That was won by Ellen van Dijk, who later would also win the general classification. On the second stage, on Friday, Nicole managed to move up two spots and on Saturday she could hold on to that seventh place. “It was all because of my time trial, I think”, she says. “I am happy that we could manage to keep my position.” Nicole also won the Fryslan classification, for riders from the province Friesland.
The final stage, in which Emma was for a short time involved in a leading group of six riders, did not go as Nicole hoped. “Unfortunately there were no echelons”, she tells about that. “But I think we as a team were in the front when we had to be. That was nice. The final stage was similar to the stage on Friday. At moments it was hard, but there were also moments the tempo went out. I got 7th in the general classification and I am really happy with that.”
Back in the peloton
For Jessica Roberts, the Bloeizone Fryslan Tour was her first stage race since November 2020. “This was my first stage race after my time of because of my injury”, she says. “It is pretty nice to get back into racing and to get back in the peloton. I think we grow together as a team more, each race we do. I hope to progress through the season and see what we can do as a team. For me it is really nice to be back racing.”
GC Bloeizone Fryslan Tour
1. Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo)
7. Nicole Steigenga
31. Jessica Roberts
46. Sylvie Swinkels
57. Nora Tveit
59. Emma Boogaard
90. Mari Hole Mohr
Photos: Sportfoto.nl