Vanpachtenbeke holds off Leleivyte to claim Giro Toscana Int. Femminile title by two seconds

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Margot Vanpachtenbeke secured the overall victory in the Giro Toscana Int. Femminile, fending off a determined Rasa Leleivyte by a mere two seconds after an intense final stage. The Belgian rider, representing VolkerWessels, managed to hold on to the leaderโ€™s jersey despite finishing second in the last leg of the race.

The final stage, which spanned 129 kilometres from Lucca to Montecatini, was fiercely contested. Starting from the iconic Mura Urbane of Lucca, the peloton faced a challenging course with the climb at Selvette, which had to be tackled three times. Early on, a breakaway group of 23 riders gained a lead of three minutes, though none were within striking distance of the general classification.

However, the race dynamics shifted dramatically as the stage approached its conclusion. Vanpachtenbeke and her VolkerWessels teammates- Scarlett Souren, Anne Knijnenburg, and Anne van Rooijen – pushed to the front, joined by several other contenders, including Leleivyte. The gap to the chasing group was whittled down, and with just 4 kilometres to go, the breakaway was caught.

The final sprint saw Leleivyte power ahead to take the stage victory, but Vanpachtenbekeโ€™s second-place finish was enough to clinch the overall title by the slenderest of margins. Reflecting on her performance, Vanpachtenbeke acknowledged the team effort, saying, โ€œMy teammates were incredible today; they protected me when it mattered most. I knew I just had to stay close to Rasa in the final sprint, and thankfully, it was enough.โ€

Leleivyte, who also lost last yearโ€™s edition by two seconds, expressed mixed emotions after crossing the line. โ€œI gave it everything, and itโ€™s frustrating to come so close again. But thatโ€™s racing,โ€ she remarked, her disappointment palpable.

The battle for third place saw Ukraineโ€™s Olha Kulynych secure her spot on the podium, finishing third both on the stage and in the general classification. Meanwhile, Italyโ€™s Elisa De Vallier impressed with a consistent performance throughout the race, ending fifth overall and second in the youth classification.

The points jersey was claimed by Leleivyte, and Anne Knijnenburg took home the mountains classification, rounding off a successful outing for the VolkerWessels team. The eventโ€™s organiser, Brunello Fanini, praised the competitive nature of the race, looking ahead to next yearโ€™s edition.

2024 Giro Toscana Int. Femminile Stage 3 result

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2024 Giro Toscana Int. Femminile GC result

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