Second successive victory for Marianne Vos in Friends Life Women’s Tour

Reigning World & Olympic Champion Marianne Vos sprinted to victory for the second successive day, winning Stage Four of the Friends Life Women’s Tour in Welwyn Garden City.


The Rabo Liv rider out sprinted Giorgia Bronzini and Britain’s Lucy Garner along Welwyn Garden City’s Parkgate to extend her lead of the Friends Life Women’s Tour to 19-seconds over Emma Johansson, who finished fourth.

Armitstead’s chances of victory were spoilt by a puncture for the second successive day, this time a puncture in the final four kilometres that necessitated a swift change of bikes, leaving her tenth at the finish, but up to fourth overall after Susanna Zorzi lost time.

Vos now enjoys a lead in excess of the time bonus available on Sunday’s fifth and final stage, from Harwich to Bury St Edmunds, meaning her rivals now have to drop her if they are to win the Friends Life Yellow Jersey.

Vos also enjoys an unsurmountable lead in the YodelDirect Points classification, 22 points ahead of Johansson.

Much of the stage was defined by a breakaway move, led by Emma Pooley, but also containing riders from Rabo Liv, Orica AIS and Boels Dolmans, the teams of Vos, Johansson and Armitstead.

The group gained a maximum of 50 seconds advantage, and were gradually being reeled in to set up a thrilling finish when a road traffic accident ahead on the course caused a brief neutralisation to the race.  With the break’s lead less than 30 seconds, when racing resumed their lead was annulled, setting up a 15-kilometre dash to the line.
Clad in the Friends Life Yellow Jersey it was Vos who finished clear of Bronzini, herself clear of Garner and the pursuing pack, including Armistead.



“This is a new race but a very important one it gets a lot of attention all the big teams are here trying to win a stage, so for me this is an important race,” said stage winner Marianne Vos afterwards.

“The organisation is really good and with the crowds as well, I definitely think it can be one of the biggest stage races in the world and the women’s calendar.  So far I think this is the biggest one if you look to the attention it gets”

Local sisters Laura and Emma enjoyed differing days, double Olympic Champion Laura made the start despite injury and illness, finishing inside the top 30, while Emma, who was the first to attack on the stage, crossed the line further back, alongside Combativity Award winner Pooley, and then announced her retirement from the sport after Sunday’s final stage in Bury St Edmunds.

Emma’s Boels Dolmans teammate Lizzie Armitstead keeps the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Best British Rider jersey, while Sharon Laws keeps the Strava Queen of the Mountains jersey with a three point advantage and Rossella Ratto maintains her lead in the Under-23 Matrix Fitness Best Young Rider classification.

The Friends Life Women’s Tour’s final stage takes place on Sunday, from Harwich to Bury St Edmunds over 108.3 kilometres.

Highlights of Stage Four in Herfordshire will be on ITV4 at 9pm on Saturday evening, with a repeat on Sunday morning at 9.55am.

Stage 4 Results:

Rk Bb Name First Name Nat Team Time
1 1 VOS Marianne RBW 02:13:09
2 154 BRONZINI Giorgia WHT ST
3 41 GARNER Lucy* GBR ST
4 111 JOHANSSON Emma GEW ST
5 36 CECCHINI Elena* EMF ST
6 101 HALL Lauren OPW ST
7 103 KIRCHMANN Leah OPW ST
8 61 BIANNIC Aude* LKT ST
9 126 WORRACK Trixi SLU ST
10 21 ARMITSTEAD Lizzie DLT ST
11 91 PIETERS Amy* NED ST
12 141 BARNES Hannah* UHC ST
13 34 RATTO Rossella* EMF ST
14 124 CROMWELL Tiffany SLU 04
15 155 MULLENS Peta WHT ST
16 52 MOOLMAN PASIO Ashleigh HPU ST
17 55 HOSKING Chloe HPU ST
18 14 ZORZI Susanna* BPK ST
19 131 NEFF Jolanda* SUI ST
20 6 BRAND Lucinda RBW ST
21 2 VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek RBW ST
22 22 VAN DIJK Ellen DLT ST
23 116 ELVIN Gracie GEW ST
24 105 RAMSDEN Denise OPW ST
25 156 VILLUMSEN Linda WHT ST
26 53 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa* HPU ST
27 74 DE VOCHT Liesbet LBL ST
28 95 PIJNENBORG Mascha NED ST
29 151 TROTT Laura* WHT ST
30 122 BRENNAUER Lisa SLU ST
31 63 GONZALEZ Lucia LKT ST
32 152 KING Dani WHT ST
33 92 KOSTER Anouska* NED ST
34 106 WILCOXSON Jade OPW ST
35 12 MUCCIOLI Dalia* BPK ST
36 102 HOLCOMB Janel OPW ST
37 153 BECKER Charlotte WHT ST
38 112 GUNNEWIJK Loes GEW ST
39 43 HORNE Ciara GBR ST
40 113 GILLOW Shara GEW ST
41 144 LAWS Sharon UHC 13
42 33 LUPERINI Fabiana EMF ST
43 4 KNETEMANN Roxane RBW ST
44 16 ARZUFFI Alice* BPK 29
45 13 VALSECCHI Silvia BPK ST
46 121 BLAAK Chantal SLU 38
47 115 SCANDOLARA Valentina GEW ST
48 125 DELZENNE Elise SLU ST
49 45 ARCHIBALD Katie* GBR ST
50 26 PAWLOWSKA Melon DLT ST
51 142 HALL Katharine UHC 43
52 24 DAAMS Jessie DLT 45
53 62 LOPEZ Belen LKT ST
54 23 KASPER Romy DLT 57
55 81 WYMAN Helen MFV 59
56 32 MARTIN Lucy EMF 01:07
57 5 SLAPPENDEL Iris RBW 01:51
58 25 TROTT Emma DLT 02:12
59 71 POOLEY Emma LBL ST
60 76 HOFFMANN Chantal LBL ST
61 114 EDMONDSON Annette* GEW ST
62 133 LEUMANN Katrin SUI 11:29
63 85 TINDLEY Jo MFV ST
64 84 WALKER Jessie* MFV ST
65 42 JONES Hayley* GBR ST
66 65 RIBEROT Fanny LKT ST
67 66 VERHOEVEN Aurore LKT ST
68 3 KNAUER Anna* RBW 11:33
69 96 VAN DE MEER Janine* NED ST
70 11 SCHWEIZER Doris BPK ST
71 31 SOUZA Uenia Fernandes EMF 11:35
72 146 WINDER Ruth* UHC 17:01
73 46 HILL Amy* GBR ST
74 136 STIENEN Jutta SUI ST
75 143 HIGGINS Cari UHC ST
76 83 OWEN Harriet* MFV ST
77 93 WOERING Henriette* NED 17:04
78 86 ROWSON Penny* MFV 17:05
79 134 FORCHINI Ramona* SUI 18:05
80 82 LOWTHER Melissa* MFV 19:03
81 35 YEPEZ FERNANDEZ Erika Leticia EMF ST
Did not finish
73 BECKERS Isabelle LBL
132 INDERGAND Linda* SUI
135 BAUR Caroline* SUI
Did not start
44 KAY Emily* GBR

 

Overall Standings:

Jerseys :
Leader Jersey : 1 – VOS Marianne RBW
Points Jersey : 111 – JOHANSSON Emma GEW
Mountain Jersey : 144 – LAWS Sharon UHC
Young Riders Jersey : 34 – RATTO Rossella EMF
Best British Jersey : 21 – ARMITSTEAD Lizzie DLT

 

Rk Bb Name First Name Nat Team Time
1 1 VOS Marianne RBW 09:54:10
2 111 JOHANSSON Emma GEW 19
3 34 RATTO Rossella* EMF 22
4 21 ARMITSTEAD Lizzie DLT 30
5 154 BRONZINI Giorgia WHT 31
6 14 ZORZI Susanna* BPK ST
7 41 GARNER Lucy* GBR 37
8 141 BARNES Hannah* UHC ST
9 36 CECCHINI Elena* EMF 41
10 91 PIETERS Amy* NED ST
11 61 BIANNIC Aude* LKT ST
12 103 KIRCHMANN Leah OPW ST
13 126 WORRACK Trixi SLU ST
14 101 HALL Lauren OPW ST
15 22 VAN DIJK Ellen DLT 42
16 2 VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek RBW ST
17 116 ELVIN Gracie GEW 43
18 55 HOSKING Chloe HPU 45
19 74 DE VOCHT Liesbet LBL ST
20 155 MULLENS Peta WHT ST
21 53 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa* HPU ST
22 124 CROMWELL Tiffany SLU ST
23 95 PIJNENBORG Mascha NED ST
24 52 MOOLMAN PASIO Ashleigh HPU ST
25 156 VILLUMSEN Linda WHT ST
26 122 BRENNAUER Lisa SLU ST
27 105 RAMSDEN Denise OPW ST
28 152 KING Dani WHT ST
29 112 GUNNEWIJK Loes GEW ST
30 12 MUCCIOLI Dalia* BPK ST
31 63 GONZALEZ Lucia LKT ST
32 102 HOLCOMB Janel OPW ST
33 113 GILLOW Shara GEW ST
34 144 LAWS Sharon UHC 54
35 131 NEFF Jolanda* SUI 01:05
36 4 KNETEMANN Roxane RBW 01:07
37 6 BRAND Lucinda RBW 01:09
38 153 BECKER Charlotte WHT 01:10
39 125 DELZENNE Elise SLU 01:16
40 26 PAWLOWSKA Melon DLT 01:18
41 13 VALSECCHI Silvia BPK ST
42 45 ARCHIBALD Katie* GBR 01:19
43 16 ARZUFFI Alice* BPK 01:21
44 24 DAAMS Jessie DLT 01:26
45 23 KASPER Romy DLT 01:38
46 121 BLAAK Chantal SLU 01:52
47 115 SCANDOLARA Valentina GEW 01:54
48 81 WYMAN Helen MFV 02:10
49 5 SLAPPENDEL Iris RBW 02:43
50 76 HOFFMANN Chantal LBL 03:48
51 66 VERHOEVEN Aurore LKT 12:10
52 92 KOSTER Anouska* NED 12:48
53 151 TROTT Laura* WHT ST
54 43 HORNE Ciara GBR ST
55 106 WILCOXSON Jade OPW ST
56 84 WALKER Jessie* MFV 13:05
57 62 LOPEZ Belen LKT 13:29
58 133 LEUMANN Katrin SUI 13:38
59 32 MARTIN Lucy EMF 14:24
60 71 POOLEY Emma LBL 16:03
61 33 LUPERINI Fabiana EMF 16:24
62 114 EDMONDSON Annette* GEW 16:26
63 25 TROTT Emma DLT ST
64 146 WINDER Ruth* UHC 18:15
65 93 WOERING Henriette* NED 19:05
66 136 STIENEN Jutta SUI 20:28
67 65 RIBEROT Fanny LKT 21:56
68 96 VAN DE MEER Janine* NED 24:17
69 3 KNAUER Anna* RBW 25:44
70 142 HALL Katharine UHC 26:30
71 31 SOUZA Uenia Fernandes EMF 27:37
72 143 HIGGINS Cari UHC 32:31
73 42 JONES Hayley* GBR 37:34
74 11 SCHWEIZER Doris BPK 38:12
75 46 HILL Amy* GBR 39:34
76 85 TINDLEY Jo MFV 40:50
77 134 FORCHINI Ramona* SUI 41:25
78 35 YEPEZ FERNANDEZ Erika Leticia EMF 47:41
79 86 ROWSON Penny* MFV 52:48
80 82 LOWTHER Melissa* MFV 53:19
81 83 OWEN Harriet* MFV 01:13:43

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