Former world champion Marta Bastianelli claimed her first-ever AJ Bell Women’s Tour stage victory in Banbury, Oxfordshire, on Monday following a perfectly-timed sprint.

Bastianelli (Alé BTC Ljubljana) managed to pass Chloe Hosking (Trek-Segafredo) and FDJ Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope’s Clara Copponi in sight of the line to take the win and the race’s first leader’s jersey of 2021.

The 2007 World Champion headed into the final corner on Banbury’s South Bar Street in third position but on the gently rising road to the finish line it was Bastianelli who powered to the line.  Victory was the first for an Italian rider at the AJ Bell Women’s Tour since Stage Two of the inaugural edition in May 2014.

“It’s a very nice win for me.  There are lots of people, lots of babies, for me it is good, because I think of my daughter.

“There was a crash with 1km to go, and luckily I did not crash but I am sorry for those that did.  I started the sprint in third position, and for me it was the maximum because my coach has seen me win sprints from there.

“The sprint was not easy because it is a little bit tougher and uphill, and I think it is not for the sprinters, but for me it is a good race and a good day.”

Marta Bastianelli

Stage 1 Winner, Team Alé BTC Ljubljana

Top Brit was Hannah Barnes (Canyon SRAM Racing) in sixth while defending champion Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) finished 40th, 26 seconds down, after working for team-mate Hosking in the sprint.

Bastianelli also takes the Sigma Sports Points jersey while Nina Kessler (Team TIBCO Silicon Valley Bank) holds the Eisberg Sprints jersey and Demi Vollering (SD Worx) takes the ŠKODA Queen of the Mountains.

Highlights of Stage One are on ITV4 at 21:00 on Monday 4 October and available on demand via the ITV Hub.

Stage 1 Results

AJ BELL LEADER'S JERSEY
   1   Marta BASTIANELLI [ITA]   Ale BTC Ljubljana   03:44:31
 
1   Marta BASTIANELLI [ITA]   Ale BTC Ljubljana   03:44:31
2   Chloe HOSKING [AUS]   Trek – Segafredo   03:44:35
3   Nina KESSLER [NED]   Team TIBCO – Silicon Valley Bank   03:44:35
4   Clara COPPONI [FRA]   FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope   03:44:37
5   Sarah ROY [AUS]   Team BikeExchange   03:44:38
6   Alison JACKSON [CAN]   Liv Racing   03:44:39
7   Demi VOLLERING [NED]   Team SD Worx   03:44:40
8   Sheyla GUTIERREZ RUIZ [ESP]   Movistar Team   03:44:41
9   Elena CECCHINI [ITA]   Team SD Worx   03:44:41
10   Hannah BARNES [GBR]   Canyon SRAM Racing   03:44:41
11   Sofia BERTIZZOLO [ITA]   Liv Racing   03:44:41
12   Josie NELSON [GBR]   Team Coop – Hitec Products   03:44:41
13   Amy PIETERS [NED]   Team SD Worx   03:44:41
14   Leah KIRCHMANN [CAN]   Team DSM   03:44:41
15   Juliette LABOUS [FRA]   Team DSM   03:44:41
16   Christine MAJERUS [LUX]   Team SD Worx   03:44:41
17   Chantal BLAAK [NED]   Team SD Worx   03:44:41
18   Eugénie DUVAL [FRA]   FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope   03:44:41
19   Elise CHABBEY [SUI]   Canyon SRAM Racing   03:44:41
20   Aude BIANNIC [FRA]   Movistar Team   03:44:41
21   Eugenia BUJAK [SLO]   Ale BTC Ljubljana   03:44:41
22   Soraya PALADIN [ITA]   Liv Racing   03:44:41
23   Ella HARRIS [NZL]   Canyon SRAM Racing   03:44:41
24   Joscelin LOWDEN [GBR]   Drops – Le Col S/B TEMPUR   03:44:41
25   Pien LIMPENS [NED]   Parkhotel Valkenburg   03:44:41
26   Natalie GRINCZER [GBR]   CAMS – Basso   03:44:41
27   Evita MUZIC [FRA]   FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope   03:44:41
28   Mischa BREDEWOLD [NED]   Parkhotel Valkenburg   03:44:41
29   Abi SMITH [GBR]   Team TIBCO – Silicon Valley Bank   03:44:41
30   Sophie WRIGHT [GBR]   Ale BTC Ljubljana   03:44:41
31   Nicole FRAIN [AUS]   Team TIBCO – Silicon Valley Bank   03:44:41
32   Anna SHACKLEY [GBR]   Team SD Worx   03:44:41
33   Ane SANTESTEBAN GONZALEZ [ESP]   Team BikeExchange   03:44:41
34   Lauren STEPHENS [USA]   Team TIBCO – Silicon Valley Bank   03:44:41
35   Victorie GUILMAN [FRA]   FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope   03:44:41
36   Jade WIEL [FRA]   FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope   03:44:41
37   Hayley SIMMONDS [GBR]   CAMS – Basso   03:44:41
38   Lourdes OYARBIDE JIMENEZ [ESP]   Movistar Team   03:44:41
39   Elisa BALSAMO [ITA]   Valcar – Travel & Service   03:44:41
40   Alice BARNES [GBR]   Canyon SRAM Racing   03:44:41
41   Chiara CONSONNI [ITA]   Valcar – Travel & Service   03:44:41
42   Ilaria SANGUINETI [ITA]   Valcar – Travel & Service   03:44:41
43   Jelena ERIC [SRB]   Movistar Team   03:44:41
44   Liane LIPPERT [GER]   Team DSM   03:44:41
45   Ingvild GÅSKJENN [NOR]   Team Coop – Hitec Products   03:44:41
46   Pfeiffer GEORGI [GBR]   Team DSM   03:44:41
47   Jeanne KOREVAAR [NED]   Liv Racing   03:44:41
48   Lucy KENNEDY [AUS]   Team BikeExchange   03:45:07
49   Elizabeth DEIGNAN [GBR]   Trek – Segafredo   03:45:07
50   Maaike BOOGAARD [NED]   Ale BTC Ljubljana   03:45:16
51   Amber VAN DER HULST [NED]   Parkhotel Valkenburg   03:45:58
52   Femke MARKUS [NED]   Parkhotel Valkenburg   03:46:00
53   Danielle CHRISTMAS [GBR]   Drops – Le Col S/B TEMPUR   03:46:00
54   Janneke ENSING [NED]   Team BikeExchange   03:46:05
55   Veronica EWERS [USA]   Team TIBCO – Silicon Valley Bank   03:46:13
56   Connie HAYES [GBR]   AWOL O’Shea   03:46:26
57   April TACEY [GBR]   Drops – Le Col S/B TEMPUR   03:47:43
58   Kirstie VAN HAAFTEN [NED]   Parkhotel Valkenburg   03:47:43
59   Margaux VIGIE [FRA]   Valcar – Travel & Service   03:47:43
60   Anna CHRISTIAN [GBR]   Drops – Le Col S/B TEMPUR   03:47:44
61   Alice LETHBRIDGE [GBR]   AWOL O’Shea   03:47:44
62   Becky STORRIE [GBR]   CAMS – Basso   03:47:44
63   Elena PIRRONE [ITA]   Valcar – Travel & Service   03:47:47
64   Femke GERRITSE [NED]   Parkhotel Valkenburg   03:47:52
65   Audrey CORDON RAGOT [FRA]   Trek – Segafredo   03:47:58
66   Trixi WORRACK [GER]   Trek – Segafredo   03:47:58
67   Mari Hole MOHR [NOR]   Team Coop – Hitec Products   03:47:58
68   Teniel CAMPBELL [TTO]   Team BikeExchange   03:47:58
69   Alicia GONZALEZ BLANCO [ESP]   Movistar Team   03:47:58
70   Gloria RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ [ESP]   Movistar Team   03:47:58
71   Lorena WIEBES [NED]   Team DSM   03:48:28
72   Megan JASTRAB [USA]   Team DSM   03:50:15
73   Maria Apolonia VAN ‘T GELOOF [NED]   Drops – Le Col S/B TEMPUR   03:50:19
74   Jessica FINNEY [GBR]   CAMS – Basso   03:56:43
75   Katie SCOTT [GBR]   CAMS – Basso   03:56:43
76   Alice TOWERS [GBR]   Drops – Le Col S/B TEMPUR   03:56:43
77   Phoebe MARTIN [GBR]   AWOL O’Shea   03:56:43
78   Hannah BAYES [GBR]   AWOL O’Shea   03:56:43
79   Francesca MORGANS-SLADER [GBR]   AWOL O’Shea   03:56:46
80   Emma EDWARDS [USA]   CAMS – Basso   03:56:46
81   Caroline ANDERSSON [SWE]   Team Coop – Hitec Products   03:56:46
82   Olivia BENT [GBR]   AWOL O’Shea   03:56:46
83   Jessica ALLEN [AUS]   Team BikeExchange   03:56:49
84   Maelle GROSSETETE [FRA]   FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope   03:56:49
85   Evy KUIJPERS [NED]   Liv Racing   03:56:49
86   Pernille Larsen FELDMANN [NOR]   Team Coop – Hitec Products   03:56:52
SIGMA SPORTS POINTS JERSEY
   Marta BASTIANELLI [ITA]   Ale BTC Ljubljana   15pts
 
1   Marta BASTIANELLI [ITA]   Ale BTC Ljubljana   15pts
2   Chloe HOSKING [AUS]   Trek – Segafredo   12pts
3   Clara COPPONI [FRA]   FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope   9pts
4   Sheyla GUTIERREZ RUIZ [ESP]   Movistar Team   7pts
5   Elena CECCHINI [ITA]   Team SD Worx   6pts
6   Hannah BARNES [GBR]   Canyon SRAM Racing   5pts
7   Sofia BERTIZZOLO [ITA]   Liv Racing   4pts
8   Josie NELSON [GBR]   Team Coop – Hitec Products   3pts
9   Amy PIETERS [NED]   Team SD Worx   2pts
10   Leah KIRCHMANN [CAN]   Team DSM   1pt
SKODA QUEEN OF THE MOUNTAINS JERSEY
  1   Demi VOLLERING [NED]   Team SD Worx   7
 
1   Demi VOLLERING [NED]   Team SD Worx   7
2   Janneke ENSING [NED]   Team BikeExchange   6
3   Alison JACKSON [CAN]   Liv Racing   5
4   Elise CHABBEY [SUI]   Canyon SRAM Racing   4
5   Chiara CONSONNI [ITA]   Valcar – Travel & Service   3
6   Joscelin LOWDEN [GBR]   Drops – Le Col S/B TEMPUR   2
7   Evita MUZIC [FRA]   FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope   2
8   Femke MARKUS [NED]   Parkhotel Valkenburg   2
9   Ane SANTESTEBAN GONZALEZ [ESP]   Team BikeExchange   1
10   Liane LIPPERT [GER]   Team DSM   1
ISBERG SPRINTS JERSEY
  1   Nina KESSLER [NED]   Team TIBCO – Silicon Valley Bank   6pts
 
1   Nina KESSLER [NED]   Team TIBCO – Silicon Valley Bank   6pts
2   Sarah ROY [AUS]   Team BikeExchange   3pts
3   Alison JACKSON [CAN]   Liv Racing   2pts
4   Demi VOLLERING [NED]   Team SD Worx   1pts

Stage 2 Preview

Walsall will welcome the Women’s Tour, the world’s leading international women’s cycle race, for the first time in 2021.

Stage two will start at the Walsall Arboretum, the area’s famous Victorian park, and culminate with a finish on Lichfield Street in the heart of the town and in the shadows of Walsall Town Hall. However, action aplenty is guaranteed on the 10-kilometre clockwise circuit around Hayhead Woods, Barr Beacon nature reserve and Pool Green that will be tackled 10 times.

The circuit will include three intermediate sprints at Barr Common (on laps four, six and eight) as well as offering points towards the ŠKODA Queen of the Mountains competition atop the Barr Beacon climb (1.2km long, maximum gradient of 5.7%) on laps five, seven and nine. A thrilling run in to the line is guaranteed, as the top of the climb on lap 10 comes just 6.5 largely downhill kilometres from the finish. In total the stage measures 103 kilometres (64 miles).

Walsall will become only the third venue – after both Stoke-on-Trent and Chesterfield in 2017 – in history to welcome both the start and finish of a Women’s Tour road stage on the same day.

Stage 2 Timetable

ROUTE DETAILS ESTIMATED TIMETABLE
kms kms
to go
Miles Miles
to go
Feature Instruction Description Base Speed 35 38 42
110% 100% 90%
Duration 02:57 02:41 02:25
0.00 4.20 0.00 2.50

Start Neutralised 

  Arboretum, Walsall 38 11:30 11:30 11:30
0.00 102.2 0.00 63.6

Start Proper 

  A454 Walsall Road 38 11:45 11:45 11:45
0.4 101.8 0.2 63.3 T.Lights Right A4154 Bosty Lane 38 11:45 11:45 11:45
0.8 101.4 0.5 63.1     Green Zone in operation from Race Start 38 11:46 11:46 11:46
1.9 100.3 1.2 62.4

Sprint 

  Laps 4, 6 & 8 38 11:48 11:48 11:47
2.5 99.7 1.6 62.0 R/about 3rd Exit Erdington Road 38 11:49 11:48 11:48
3.2 99.0 2.0 61.6 R/about 2nd Exit Aldridge Road 38 11:50 11:50 11:49
4.4 97.8 2.7 60.8 X.Roads Right Bride Lane 38 11:52 11:51 11:51
4.4 97.8 2.7 60.8 QoM Start   38 11:52 11:51 11:51
5.7 96.5 3.5 60.0

QoM Cat 3 

Finish Laps 5,7 & 9 38 11:54 11:54 11:53
5.7 96.5 3.5 60.0 T.Junction Right B4154 Beacon Lane 38 11:54 11:54 11:53
6.8 95.4 4.2 59.3 Junction Left Little Johnsons Lane 38 11:56 11:55 11:54
7.0 95.2 4.4 59.2 T.Junction Left B4151 Sutton Road 38 11:57 11:56 11:54
8.6 93.6 5.3 58.2 Junction Right Longwood Lane 38 11:59 11:58 11:57
9.7 92.5 6.0 57.5 R/about 2nd Exit A454 Walsall Road 38 12:01 12:00 11:58
10.0 92.2 6.2 57.3     1 x full circuit of 9 38 12:02 12:00 11:59
98.6 3.6 61.3 2.2 Straight Exit Circuit B4151 Sutton Road 38 14:36 14:20 14:05
100.2 2.0 62.3 1.2 R/about 2nd Exit Sutton Road 38 14:39 14:23 14:07
101.1 1.1 62.9 0.7 R/about 2nd Exit Springhill Road Keep Left! 38 14:40 14:24 14:08
101.4 0.8 63.1 0.5 R/about 2nd Exit Ablewell Street 38 14:41 14:25 14:09
101.5 0.7 63.1 0.4 T.Lights Straight Ablewell Street Caution! Against One Way! 38 14:41 14:25 14:09
101.7 0.5 63.2 0.3 T.Lights Straight Bridge Street 38 14:41 14:25 14:09
101.7 0.5 63.2 0.3 T.Lights Straight Bridge Street 38 14:41 14:25 14:09
101.9 0.3 63.4 0.2   Keep Right Lichfield Street 38 14:41 14:25 14:09
102.2 0.0 63.6 0.0

Finish 

  Lichfield Street, Walsall 38 14:42 14:26 14:10

Stage 2 Map

Stage 2 Race Profile

Chris Maher

Chris Maher

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Anna Magrath

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