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April 29, 2022
Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs 2022 – Prologue ITT – Cessange – Cessange : 2,2 km
The Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs, formerly known as the Grand Prix Elsy Jacobs,
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April 29, 2022
Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs 2022 – Prologue ITT – Cessange – Cessange : 2,2 km
The Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs, formerly known as the Grand Prix Elsy Jacobs, is a three-day stage race held in the landlocked European country of Luxembourg. The race is named after one of Luxembourg’s most successful cyclists Elsy Jacobs, the first ever Women’s World Road Race Champion and Hour Record holder between 1958 and 1972. In 2012 the organisers expanded the race and added two more stages, a prologue and another road stage on a hilly circuit. Since expanding to a three-day race, the event has grown in popularity and is now ranked as a 2.Pro race by the UCI – making it one of the most prestigious multi-day races outside of the World Tour.
Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) stormed across the technical 2.2km course in 3:09 to win the prologue of the 2022 Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs and don the first leader’s jersey for the three-day race.
Silvia Persico (Valcar-Travel & Service), the eighth rider to start on Friday, set the best time of 3:13, which held for most of the day until Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) crossed the line two seconds better. Just two riders later, Henderson crossed the line with the fastest time that settled the podium, and GC standings, Vollering taking second and Persico third.
It was the first victory of the season for Henderson, who wore the colours as the British time trial champion. All three of her Jumbo-Visma teammates finished in the top 15 – Karlijn Swinkels was fourth in the prologue, Jip van den Bos was sixth, and Noemi Ruëgg finished in 14th. Amber Kraak had to withdraw due to illness.
Henderson scooped up honors for classification leads with her ride, but will wear the yellow jersey on stage 1, while Henderson will wear the green point jersey and Persico will wear the QOM polka-dot jersey. Lieke Nooijen (Parkhotel Valkenburg) earned the white young rider award.
Vollering was one of the favourites, who is joined by Luxembourg national champion and former overall winner Christine Majerus and four other riders. Majerus finished seven seconds off the winning time and sits in 11th place, one spot behind teammate and Hungarian champion Blanka Kata Vas.
Results :