Simac Ladies Tour 2021 – Stage 3 [FULL STAGE] (ladies)

August 27, 2021

Simac Ladies Tour 2021 – Stage 3 – Stramproy – Weert : 125,9 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.

Lonneke Uneken (SD Worx) won stage 3 of the Simac Ladies Tour from a reduced group of six after a huge crash held up the rest of the peloton with just over 5km to the finish line in Weert.

Uneken, 21, and SD Worx teammates Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, Amy Pieters, and Demi Vollering, as well as Susanne Andersen and Pffeifer Georgi of Team DSM, were the only riders left at the front of the race.

As the small group came to the line, Uneken outsprinted Andersen with Georgi claiming third.

Despite being held up by the crash, Marlen Reusser of Ale BTC Ljubljana retained the yellow jersey after the stage. Speaking after crossing the line Reusser admitted that she was positioned too far back at the time of the crash.

How it unfolded

The peloton were determined to keep the race together after multiple failed attempts at bringing about a bunch sprint in recent races. The pace was high from the start of the stage and with 40km covered there was still no sign of a breakaway. Femke Markus of Parkhotel Valkenburg attempted to escape the peloton however she was quickly shut down.

With 67km to go there was a split in the bunch and a group of fifteen riders broke away soon getting an advantage of 20 seconds, however just 12km later the bunch was back together again.

With 48km to go, Letizia Paternoster of Trek-Segafredo suffered a crash, which saw her subsequently abandon the race. The team have since said that the 22-year-old sprinter is being assessed in hospital.

A few kilometres later, Quinty Ton (GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling) and Hanna Nilsson (Lotto Soudal) attacked and managed to force a small gap, however Christine Majerus (SD Worx) worked to close them down. Ton attacked again and managed to stay clear for a few kilometres.

The intermediate sprint at 32km to go was taken by Silvia Persico (Valcar Travel & Service) ahead of Markus.

Daniek Hengeveld of GT Krush eventually managed to sneak off the front with 30km to go but the peloton did not give the 18-year-old Dutch rider much leeway and kept the gap at under 30 seconds.

Janneke Ensing of Team BikeExchange kicked off a series of attacks with just under 30km to go, putting in a strong attack which was countered by FDJ however SD Worx were on hand to close things down yet again.

With just over 15km to go Hengeveld was caught by a charging bunch as the sprint teams took up the chase and ramped up the pace heading into the finish. With around 8km to go it was Jumbo-Visma who picked up the pace riding for Marianne Vos and they were soon joined by Movistar and Trek.

Coming into the final 7km of the race the pace was searing as the sprint teams jostled for position coming into the finale. With the pace still high and the road narrow, a huge crash near the front took out most of the peloton with just over 5km to go. The crash affected most of the favourites for the sprint including Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM), Emma Norsgaard (Movistar), and Chloe Hosking (Trek-Segafredo) and left only Uneken, van den Broek-Blaak, Georgi, Andersen, and Pieters to contest the finish.

With groups coming into the finish, a second crash involving Jesse Vandenbulcke (Lotto Soudal) occurred on the final corner before the line.

General classification leader Marlen Reusser (Ale BTC Ljubljana) was also caught up in the crash, however the Swiss champion finished the race with no serious injury. By avoiding the crash, van den Broek-Blaak moved up one place on GC and now sits in second place just 10 seconds behind Reusser. Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo) is now third at 12 seconds down.

After stage 3 Alison Jackson (Liv Racing) retained her lead in the mountain classification, Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) is the new leader of the points classification and Pfeiffer Georgi moves into lead of the youth classification.

On Saturday, the peloton face 148.9km on a selective course from Geleen to Sweikhuizen along nine laps of a circuit.

Results :
1 Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Team SD Worx 2:52:41
2 Susanne Andersen (Nor) Team DSM
3 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM
4 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx
5 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx
6 Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx
7 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:00:14
8 Marianne Vos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
9 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:00:29
10 Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Trek-Segafredo
11 Alison Jackson (Can) Liv Racing
12 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
13 Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
14 Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
15 Danique Braam (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies
16 Marta Jaskulska (Pol) Liv Racing
17 Anouska Koster (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
18 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
19 Marlen Reusser (Swi) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
20 Lisa Klein (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing
21 Daniek Hengeveld (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
22 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
23 Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
24 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange
25 Laura Tomasi (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
26 Vittoria Guazzini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
27 Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
28 Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Liv Racing 0:00:43
29 Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:49
30 Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
31 Quinty Ton (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
32 Sanne Bouwmeester (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
33 Teuntje Beekhuis (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
34 Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
35 Romy Kasper (Ger) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:00:29
36 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:00:59
37 Silke Smulders (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies
38 Hanna Nilsson (Swe) Lotto Soudal Ladies
39 Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service
40 Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
41 Brodie Chapman (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:01:38
42 Valerie Demey (Bel) Liv Racing
43 Lea Lin Teutenberg (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
44 Elise Vander Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
45 Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
46 Henrietta Colborne (GBr) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling 0:01:51
47 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
48 Pernille Mathiesen (Den) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
49 Franziska Brauße (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
50 Ilse Pluimers (Ned) NXTG Racing 0:02:05
51 Julia Borgström (Swe) NXTG Racing
52 Maud Rijnbeek (Ned) NXTG Racing
53 Britt Knaven (Bel) NXTG Racing
54 Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chi) NXTG Racing
55 Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
56 Julie Leth (Den) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
57 Nienke Wasmus (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling
58 Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Liv Racing
59 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing
60 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM 0:02:23
61 Alana Castrique (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
62 Charlotte Kool (Ned) NXTG Racing
63 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
64 Megan Jastrab (USA) Team DSM 0:02:42
65 Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange
66 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM Racing
67 Jesse Vandenbulcke (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:00:29
68 Georgia Williams (NZl) Team BikeExchange 0:03:34
69 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women
70 Lauretta Hanson (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
71 Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
72 Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:04:37
73 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:06:05
74 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
75 Emma Norsgaard (Den) Movistar Team Women
76 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
77 Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:06:42
78 Jessica Allen (Aus) Team BikeExchange
79 Julia Soek (Ned) Team DSM 0:06:49
80 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM
81 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo 0:07:25
82 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
83 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women 0:08:48
84 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
85 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women 0:09:28
DNF Anastasiia Chursina (Rus) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
DNF Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx
DNF Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx
DNF Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Clara Lundmark (Swe) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

General Classification after Stage 3 :
1 Marlen Reusser (Swi) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 6:35:27
2 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:00:10
3 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:12
4 Lisa Klein (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:00:47
5 Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:00:50
6 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM 0:01:07
7 Marianne Vos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:01:19
8 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:01:28
9 Anouska Koster (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:01:29
10 Vittoria Guazzini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:01:37
11 Alison Jackson (Can) Liv Racing 0:01:54
12 Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
13 Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:01:56
14 Marta Jaskulska (Pol) Liv Racing 0:02:08
15 Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:02:10
16 Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Liv Racing 0:02:12
17 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
18 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:02:25
19 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
20 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
21 Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:02:30
22 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange
23 Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:02:36
24 Daniek Hengeveld (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling 0:02:43
25 Susanne Andersen (Nor) Team DSM 0:02:47
26 Romy Kasper (Ger) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:02:49
27 Jesse Vandenbulcke (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:02:51
28 Teuntje Beekhuis (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:02:57
29 Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:02:59
30 Danique Braam (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:03:01
31 Hanna Nilsson (Swe) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:03:02
32 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
33 Silke Smulders (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:03:08
34 Brodie Chapman (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:03:10
35 Julie Leth (Den) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:03:14
36 Franziska Brauße (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:03:15
37 Laura Tomasi (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:03:21
38 Pernille Mathiesen (Den) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:03:25
39 Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:03:31
40 Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:03:37
41 Ilse Pluimers (Ned) NXTG Racing 0:03:40
42 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:03:43
43 Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:03:44
44 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:03:52
45 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:03:54
46 Quinty Ton (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling 0:03:55
47 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM
48 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:03:59
49 Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:04:02
50 Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chi) NXTG Racing 0:04:09
51 Lea Lin Teutenberg (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
52 Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:04:13
53 Maud Rijnbeek (Ned) NXTG Racing 0:04:25
54 Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange 0:04:29
55 Valerie Demey (Bel) Liv Racing 0:04:33
56 Julia Borgström (Swe) NXTG Racing 0:04:42
57 Megan Jastrab (USA) Team DSM 0:04:44
58 Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Liv Racing 0:04:56
59 Charlotte Kool (Ned) NXTG Racing
60 Henrietta Colborne (GBr) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling 0:05:01
61 Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:05:02
62 Alana Castrique (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:05:16
63 Elise Vander Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:05:28
64 Lauretta Hanson (Aus) Trek-Segafredo 0:05:45
65 Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:05:57
66 Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:06:18
67 Nienke Wasmus (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling 0:06:24
68 Emma Norsgaard (Den) Movistar Team Women 0:06:37
69 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:06:47
70 Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:06:59
71 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:07:05
72 Britt Knaven (Bel) NXTG Racing
73 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:07:27
74 Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:07:44
75 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM 0:08:08
76 Georgia Williams (NZl) Team BikeExchange 0:08:15
77 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:08:30
78 Sanne Bouwmeester (Ned) GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling 0:09:07
79 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo 0:09:21
80 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo 0:09:54
81 Julia Soek (Ned) Team DSM 0:10:12
82 Jessica Allen (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:10:47
83 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women 0:11:37
84 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women 0:12:09
85 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:13:13