Race Reports Road Archives - Page 13 of 30

Katarzyna Niewiadoma wins the OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017

by Chris Maher | Jun 11, 2017

The OVO Energy Women’s Tour concludes in central London on Sunday 11 June, with a 10-lap circuit race starting and finishing on Regent Street St James. The 62-kilometre leg gets underway at 15:30 and is preceded by the Pink Ribbon Tour, a 25-kilometre ride for 800-women to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the pink ribbon, in aid of Breast Cancer Care, the Official Charity Partner of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour.
Jolien D’hoore sprinted to victory on the streets of London as Katarzyna Niewiadoma held onto the OVO Energy Green Jersey to claim the overall victory in the OVO Energy Women’s Tour as it finished at the heart of the capital.

The Polish National Champion won the opening stage in Northamptonshire, and has held the race lead ever since, finishing ahead of Luxembourg champion Christine Majerus and British Champion Hannah Barnes, who moved up to third overall thanks to bonus seconds on the final day.

I’m super happy. I think that’s the only word that can describe my feelings.

At our first team meeting we said that we wanted to have a good race and that we wanted to fight for a good result. We knew that the first day was good for a bunch sprint; our strong bullet for it was Marianne[Vos]. All of us had opportunities; we could do whatever we wanted if felt we could. In that moment when I attacked I saw a small hill in front of me. I tried, nobody followed – I wanted somebody to join me – but I had no choice but to keep pushing!

Katarzyna Niewadoma

Winner - OVO Energy Women's Tour 2017, WM3 Pro Cycling

In addition to her overall victory Niewiadoma also moved into the lead of the UCI Women’s WorldTour following the OVO Energy Women’s Tour, overtaking erstwhile leader Olympic Champion Anna van der Breggen.

Runner-up Christine Majerus took added the Eisberg Sprints Jersey to the Wiggle Points Jersey, clinching the former after her and three Boels Dolmans team took the race by storm in London, forcing an eight-rider group clear that contested both intermediate Eisberg Sprints, handing Majerus the jersey and Barnes third overall.

That also gave Hannah the Adnams Best British Rider Jersey, at the end of a week long battle with her younger sister Alice, and coming 18-months on from a prolonged injury lay-off with a broken leg.

It’s been a really hard week. Unfortunately we lost Ale [Alena Amialiusik] to a really bad crash on Stage Three so we only had five riders and yesterday’s stage was really hard, but it came back together, which helped us. I knew I pretty much had to win both intermediate sprints and place well in the sprint to finish on the podium today and I managed to do that.

I’ve been working really hard and this was one of the big targets of the year for me. I’m pleased I came into it strongly. The first day I didn’t feel great, it felt like it was going to be a really bad five days. But it helps that I can ride into a stage race and I think my training going into the race has paid off.

Hannah Barnes

Wiiner Best British Rider - OVO Women's Tour 2017

With an eye on the finish, Wiggle HIGH5 worked to bring the group back, reuniting the field with three laps to go and setting up a thrilling finish on Regent Street St James, with D’hoore heading home Barnes and Majerus.

Every time it’s a bunch sprint there’s pressure on me. I had to deal with it; I think I can handle the expectation pretty well. We also had Giorgia Bronzini there for us; at the end of the stage she said the team were going for me. It’s great to win.

The hammer went down from the start. We weren’t there in the move as a team so we had to chase it down. The girls did a lot of work, everybody was on their limit. Luckily we closed it down and it was up to me in the sprint.

Jolien D'hoore

Audrey Cordon-Ragot won the SKODA Queen of the Mountains climb while Team Sunweb took the Team Classification, with their rider Lucinda Brand claiming the week’s combativity prize.

Earlier in the day the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan had joined Breast Cancer Care ambassador Denise Lewis to wave away the Pink Ribbon Tour, which saw over 800-women riding 25-kilometres to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of Breast Cancer Care’s pink ribbon.

Interview – Katarzyna Niewiadoma – Winner of the 2017 Women’s Tour by Cycling Shorts

Katarzyna Niewiadoma of WM3 Pro Cycling – winner of the 2017 OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 chats to the assembled media. Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | www.cyclingshorts.cc

Interview – Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, the U23 Women’s World Tour Leader by Cycling Shorts

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig of Cervelo Bigla the UCI U23’s Women’s World Tour Leader chats to the press after the final stage of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017. Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | www.cyclingshorts.cc

Highlights of the final stage of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in London are on ITV4 at 23:00 on Sunday 11 June, with a repeat the following morning on the same channel. The highlights will also be available on demand via the ITV Hub catch-up service.

One week after the OVO Energy Women’s Tour, amateur cyclists will have the chance to ride sections of the Northamptonshire route in the Tour Ride, the official sportive of the race on Sunday 18 June. Riders can take part in 40 or 80-mile routes, starting and finishing at Delapre Abbey in Northamptonshire, or tackle a fun, 10-mile Family Ride. For more details visit www.tourride.co.uk

Stage 5 Results

Final Results OVO Energy Women's Tour 2017

Chris Maher

Photographer & Writer

Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

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Over the years Anna has supported grass roots cycling events, riders and teams. Anna has a particular interest in Track, Road, womens cycling, recreational cycling and cycling related art. She has reported from the top cycle races on the world calendar including the Tour de France, Olympics, World Cups & World Championships.

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Sarah Roy wins Stage 4 of OVO Women’s Tour in Derbyshire

by Chris Maher | Jun 11, 2017

Katarzyna Niewiadoma held onto the race leader’s OVO Energy Green Jersey at the conclusion of the penultimate stage of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in Chesterfield, but only after resisting a stern challenge from her rivals on the roads of Derbyshire.

The Polish National Champion, who has led the OVO Energy Women’s Tour since Stage One in Northamptonshire on Wednesday faced her strongest challenge yet in the four days of racing, with Christine Majerus at one stage becoming the virtual green jersey on the road, ending the day in second overall, 1-minute and 25-seconds back from Niewiadoma, who described it as “one of the hardest races I’ve done in my life.”

I knew it was a really dangerous move and I knew we had to start riding to bring her back. I tried to stay calm and relaxed and only think positively.

As soon as you start thinking negatively you become nervous. What made it easier for my head is that I knew the course was hard and the climbs suit me. I also knew that some teams would be destroyed on this course; it wasn’t easy to stay in the front group.

My DS was coaching me, giving me advice on what I had to do. Of course it’s impossible to control every attack but I tried as much as I could. I’m super happy that the OVO Energy Green Jersey is still with me. It was really cool that Cervélo Bigla and Canyon//SRAM helped us chase the breakaway down; I knew Canyon would want to keep Hannah Barnes in third on GC, so it was really cool that they were eager to ride.

Katarzyna Niewadoma

Green Jersey Holder Stage 4 - OVO Energy Women's Tour, WM3 Pro Cycling

The stage win went to Orica Scott’s Sarah Roy, as an Australian came out on top in the OVO Energy Women’s Tour for the second day running following Chloe Hosking’s win in Warwickshire on Friday.

Team Sunweb’s Leah Kirchmann also jumped up the order, elevating herself to third overall, 11-seconds behind Majerus, as the Barnes sisters dropped to fifth and sixth, with Hannah retaking the higher position and the Adnams Best British Rider jersey.

Kirchmann was part of a day-long three rider break including Shara Gillow and eventual winner Roy that was joined by Majerus, who bridged the gap from a small chasing group with 77-kilometres of racing remaining.

I’m really excited, elated and thrilled to take the victory, especially given the efforts that the team have put in for the past few stages, Gracie [Elvin] was in the break yesterday and got caught with five kilometres to go, which was both exciting and disappointing, so for us to have another dig today and pull it off was awesome.

I was preparing for a bunch sprint because the girls behind were lighting up. We just happened to dig really dig on an uncategorised climb towards the finish; I took a few fewer turns but [Christine] Majerus really put the hammer down. I just held her wheel and I took over on the descents.

I felt pretty good coming into the finish. I didn’t want to be the one attacking but I was really confident following the wheels. I’m actually really surprised – it was very hilly and I’m not a climber. It was a hard race.

Sarah Roy

Winner - Stage 4 OVO Women's Tour, Orica Scott Rider

Interview – Green Jersey Katarzyna Niewiadoma – Stage 4 – OVO Women’s Tour by Cycling Shorts

Green Jersey Holder Katarzyna Niewiadoma of WM3 Pro Cycling chats to the media after Stage 4 (the penultimate) of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in Chesterfield. Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | www.cyclingshorts.cc

Interview – QoM’s Cordon-Ragot Stage 4 – OVO Women’s Tour by Cycling Shorts

Stage 4 (the penultimate) of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in Chesterfield and the SKODA Queen of the Mountains Jersey was decided by Audrey Cordon-Ragot. Audrey spoke to the collected media. Image ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | www.cyclingshorts.cc

Buoyed by Majerus’ presence, and with no chase initially behind, their lead swelled putting the Luxembourg champion into the virtual race lead. With Cervelo Bigla and Canyon//SRAM aiding the isolated Niewiadoma in the chase, they were gradually reeled back in, until with Roy, Majerus and Kirchmann contesting the finish.

Having saved her legs for the finish, Roy led from the front outsprinting Majerus on the cobbled finish line, with Kirchmann coming home third for the final bonus seconds.

Audrey Cordon-Ragot sealed the SKODA Queen of the Mountains climb ahead of the final, flat, stage in London, finishing with a six-point lead over Lucinda Brand.

It was a hard day, I think we did really good in protecting the jersey. The first goal of the day was to target the first SKODA Queen of the Mountain climb at Middleton Top, which we did. The only thing was that if Lucinda won the second SKODA Queen of the Mountains climb we would lose the jersey, so we had to stay awake. Obviously with it being a hard race, it was easiest for me to keep the jersey with a breakaway up the front.

I knew I had really good legs from the Ardennes. I’ve found a really good shape this year and a nice way to ride my bike, so it’s a nice reward. But I wasn’t coming for that, I was coming to help Giorgia and Jolien win as many stages as I could, but it’s really nice I have a reward.

Audrey Cordon-Ragot

QoM OVO Women's Tour 2017, Wiggle HIGH5

Teammate Jolien D’hoore retained the Eisberg Sprints Jersey, with Christine Majerus now her nearest challenger, two points behind with six points available during London’s final stage.

Highlights of the third stage of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour are on ITV4 at 23:00 on Saturday 10 June, with a repeat the following morning on the same channel. The highlights will also be available on demand via the ITV Hub catch-up service.

Stage 4 Results

Overall Standings