Simac Ladies Tour 2021 – Prologue [FULL STAGE – Individual Time Trial] (ladies)

August 24, 2021

Simac Ladies Tour 2021 – Prologue ITT – Ede – Ede : 2,4 km

Rebranded and with renewed vigour, the Simac Ladies Tour is back after a one-year hiatus and ready to embark on its 24th edition. As ever, the 2021 race will hinge on two individual time trials that’ll likely dictate the overall standings, while two flat and two undulating stages will give the sprinters and fast-finishing all-rounders plenty of chances to shine. With superstars Marianne Vos, Anna van de Breggen, Lizzie Deignan and Emma Norsgaard all set to line up, this year’s race promises to be one of the most hotly-contested in years. This six-day Dutch stage race has gone by many different names since its launch as the ‘Holland Ladies Tour’ in 1998, but it was perhaps best known as the ‘Boels Ladies Tour’ – a name it carried from 2013 until this year. For the 2021 edition, tech company Simac have taken over title sponsorship from Boels and – provided this year’s race is a success – will go on to sponsor the event for a further two years. This year’s race may have been rebranded, but its route remains as recognisable as ever with two individual time trials, two flat stages and two undulating stages that, on paper, look like gifts to the powerful rouleurs and explosive sprinters. Don’t discount the threat of crosswinds however, the Netherlands is renowned for its blustery weather and we’ve often seen past editions of this race decided with a lucky throw of the dice in windy conditions.

Marianne Vos (Jumbo Visma) won the prologue and the first leader’s jersey of the 2021 Simac Ladies Tour in her first race since the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Vos won the 2.4km prologue in Ede by five seconds ahead of her compatriot Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo) with Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) in third a further one second back.

“It is unbelievable that it worked out, because there were a lot of fast riders at the start. I already explored the course last Friday, but during the race it always feels different. It is important that you know the course almost by heart, that you almost know it backwards, so to speak,” Vos said following the stage.

“The team has also been really busy with the right technique. It comes down to the details when the prologue is so short. We wanted to go for a stage win, so it is superb that we succeeded.”

Vos covered the 2.4km course in 03:01 averaging 47.7 kph to beat time trial specialist van Dijk. Vos posted her time relatively early on in the order of the day but no other rider came close to taking her place in the hot seat.

Olympic Games time trial silver medallist and Swiss national time trial champion Marlen Reusser, looked strong early on, however the Ale BTC Ljubljana rider only managed 18th place, 11 seconds behind Vos.

Vos will go into tomorrow’s 134.4km first road stage, which is expected to come down to a bunch sprint, wearing the leader’s jersey.

How it unfolded

Catalina Soto of NXTG Racing was first off the ramp for the short introduction to the 12th round of the Women’s WorldTour and the 23rd edition of the Simac Ladies Tour (previously, Boels Ladies Tour).

The six-day race started with a short, flat, but technical prologue around Ede, which looked to favour sprinter and puncheur-style riders.

Amongst the favourites for tomorrow’s sprint stage, Lorena Wiebes finished in fifth place seven seconds down, Elisa Balsamo of Valcar Travel & Service finished in seventh place, eight seconds down.

Danish ITT champion and fast-finisher Emma Norsgaard of Movistar has eleven seconds to make up while sprinter Chloe Hosking (Trek-Segafredo) currently sits in 42nd place at 16 seconds down with Canyon-SRAM’s Alice Barnes one second behind her.

The 21-year-old SD Worx sprinter Lonneke Uneken, who last month won the final stage if the 2.1 Baloise Ladies Tour, came fourth, trailing Vos by six seconds.

It was not only those with a fast finish who placed in the top-10, however, 2019 overall winner Christine Majerus came sixth at seven seconds behind Vos while FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine leader Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig found herself on the podium in third place and five seconds back.

Tomorrow marks the first road stage of the race with a 134.4km course from Zwolle to Hardenberg that is expected to come down to a bunch sprint.

The sprint teams missed out on the first two stages at the recent Ladies Tour of Norway, which were won by breakaways, so they will be looking to keep it together for a bunch kick at this race.

Results :
1 Marianne Vos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:03:01
2 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:05
3 Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:06
4 Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Team SD Worx
5 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM 0:00:07
6 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx
7 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:00:08
8 Lisa Klein (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing
9 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women
10 Charlotte Kool (Ned) NXTG Racing
11 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:00:09
12 Anouska Koster (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
13 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM
14 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:00:10
15 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx
16 Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:00:11
17 Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
18 Marlen Reusser (Swi) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
19 Emma Norsgaard (Den) Movistar Team Women
20 Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
21 Vittoria Guazzini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
22 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM
23 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:00:12
24 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
25 Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
26 Megan Jastrab (USA) Team DSM
27 Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx
28 Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service
29 Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:00:13
30 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM Racing
31 Sanne Bouwmeester (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
32 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx
33 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:00:14
34 Maud Rijnbeek (Ned) NXTG Racing
35 Susanne Andersen (Nor) Team DSM
36 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
37 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women
38 Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange
39 Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:00:15
40 Alison Jackson (Can) Liv Racing
41 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
42 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:16
43 Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Liv Racing
44 Ilse Pluimers (Ned) NXTG Racing
45 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
46 Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
47 Lea Lin Teutenberg (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
48 Pernille Mathiesen (Den) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:00:17
49 Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
50 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
51 Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
52 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-SRAM Racing
53 Danique Braam (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies
54 Lauretta Hanson (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
55 Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
56 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
57 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:00:18
58 Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chi) NXTG Racing
59 Quinty Ton (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
60 Laura Tomasi (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
61 Julia Borgström (Swe) NXTG Racing 0:00:19
62 Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:20
63 Romy Kasper (Ger) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
64 Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Trek-Segafredo
65 Hanna Nilsson (Swe) Lotto Soudal Ladies
66 Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
67 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:21
68 Daniek Hengeveld (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
69 Franziska Brauße (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
70 Julie Leth (Den) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
71 Teuntje Beekhuis (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
72 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange
73 Silke Smulders (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:00:22
74 Julia Soek (Ned) Team DSM 0:00:23
75 Valerie Demey (Bel) Liv Racing
76 Alana Castrique (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
77 Georgia Williams (NZl) Team BikeExchange
78 Marta Jaskulska (Pol) Liv Racing
79 Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange
80 Jesse Vandenbulcke (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:00:24
81 Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Liv Racing 0:00:26
82 Brodie Chapman (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
83 Clara Lundmark (Swe) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
84 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
85 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:00:27
86 Henrietta Colborne (GBr) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
87 Anastasiia Chursina (Rus) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:00:28
88 Jessica Allen (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:00:29
89 Nienke Wasmus (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling 0:00:35
90 Elise Vander Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:00:36
91 Britt Knaven (Bel) NXTG Racing 0:01:09

General Classification after Prologue :
1 Marianne Vos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:03:01
2 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:05
3 Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:06
4 Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Team SD Worx
5 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM 0:00:07
6 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx
7 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:00:08
8 Lisa Klein (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing
9 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women
10 Charlotte Kool (Ned) NXTG Racing
11 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:00:09
12 Anouska Koster (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
13 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM
14 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:00:10
15 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx
16 Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:00:11
17 Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
18 Marlen Reusser (Swi) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
19 Emma Norsgaard (Den) Movistar Team Women
20 Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
21 Vittoria Guazzini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
22 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM
23 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:00:12
24 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
25 Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
26 Megan Jastrab (USA) Team DSM
27 Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx
28 Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service
29 Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:00:13
30 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM Racing
31 Sanne Bouwmeester (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
32 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx
33 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:00:14
34 Maud Rijnbeek (Ned) NXTG Racing
35 Susanne Andersen (Nor) Team DSM
36 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
37 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women
38 Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange
39 Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:00:15
40 Alison Jackson (Can) Liv Racing
41 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
42 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:16
43 Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Liv Racing
44 Ilse Pluimers (Ned) NXTG Racing
45 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
46 Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
47 Lea Lin Teutenberg (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
48 Pernille Mathiesen (Den) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:00:17
49 Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
50 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
51 Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
52 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-SRAM Racing
53 Danique Braam (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies
54 Lauretta Hanson (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
55 Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
56 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
57 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:00:18
58 Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chi) NXTG Racing
59 Quinty Ton (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
60 Laura Tomasi (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
61 Julia Borgström (Swe) NXTG Racing 0:00:19
62 Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:20
63 Romy Kasper (Ger) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
64 Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Trek-Segafredo
65 Hanna Nilsson (Swe) Lotto Soudal Ladies
66 Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
67 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:21
68 Daniek Hengeveld (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
69 Franziska Brauße (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
70 Julie Leth (Den) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
71 Teuntje Beekhuis (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
72 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange
73 Silke Smulders (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:00:22
74 Julia Soek (Ned) Team DSM 0:00:23
75 Valerie Demey (Bel) Liv Racing
76 Alana Castrique (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
77 Georgia Williams (NZl) Team BikeExchange
78 Marta Jaskulska (Pol) Liv Racing
79 Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange
80 Jesse Vandenbulcke (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:00:24
81 Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Liv Racing 0:00:26
82 Brodie Chapman (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
83 Clara Lundmark (Swe) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
84 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
85 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:00:27
86 Henrietta Colborne (GBr) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
87 Anastasiia Chursina (Rus) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:00:28
88 Jessica Allen (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:00:29
89 Nienke Wasmus (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling 0:00:35
90 Elise Vander Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:00:36
91 Britt Knaven (Bel) NXTG Racing 0:01:09