The Women’s Tour 2021 – Stage 2 [Highlights] (ladies)

October 5, 2021

The Women’s Tour 2021 – Stage 2 WE – Walsall – Walsall : 102,2 km

After a two-year enforced hiatus the Women’s Tour is finally back, ready and raring to wrap up what has been one of the most dramatic Women’s World Tour seasons in recent memory. As the final WWT-ranked stage race of the year, the six-day event promises to deliver some thrilling racing as a handful of superstars go in search of one final big result. The six-day race will begin with a 147.6km-long stage from the Grand Départ in Bicester to Banbury that is a local spectacle for residents of Oxfordshire. Travelling as far south as Culham, the route passes through much of the county and will even hit the banks of the River Thames, before the riders head north to the finish in Banbury.

Amy Pieters (Team SD Worx) has won stage 2 of The Women’s Tour in the sprint of a small group.

On the last of 10 laps of a rolling circuit east of Walsall, a group of 10 riders went off the front on the climb of Barr Beacon and increased its advantage to the finish.

In a fast sprint after a downhill run-in, Pieters beat Clara Copponi (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) and Sheyla Gutiérrez (Movistar Team) to the line to win the stage.

As the peloton finished 42 seconds behind, Copponi takes over the leader’s jersey on stage placing countback. Going into the stage 3 ten-mile time trial, Pieters is second overall on the same time as Copponi. Gutiérrez in third place is six seconds behind.

How it unfolded

It was a reduced peloton that set off from the Walsall Arboretum in the rain: Tanja Erath (Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank), who crashed the previous day, Emma Boogaard (Team Coop-Hitec Products), and pre-race favourite Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) had had to abandon the race on stage 1.

Additionally, Liv Racing’s Alison Jackson and Jeanne Korevaar as well as Boogaard’s teammates Caroline Andersson and Ingvild Gåskjenn could not start stage 2 due to injuries sustained in a crash in the final of stage 1.

There were intermediate sprints at Barr Common on the fourth, sixth, and eighth lap and mountain sprints at Barr Beacon on laps five, seven, and nine before returning to the centre of Walsall for the finish after 102.2 kilometres.

It was a race of attrition with riders being dropped at the back, and despite many attempts to attack, there was no real breakaway. Nina Kessler (Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank) won the first and third intermediate sprint, placing second in between, to defend her red sprint jersey.

A group of eight riders including Ella Harris (Canyon-SRAM), Gutiérrez, Christine Majerus (Team SD Worx), Liane Lippert (Team DSM), Chloe Hosking (Trek-Segafredo), Amber van der Hulst (Parkhotel Valkenburg), Maëlle Grossetête (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), and Teniel Campbell (Team BikeExchange) briefly held a 25-second lead on the fifth lap but was reeled in before the Barr Beacon climb.

Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM) won the two first mountain sprints, and this was enough to take the green QOM jersey off Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx). On the penultimate lap, a group of sixteen with, among others, Harris, Évita Muzic (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo), Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM), Pieters, Veronica Ewers (Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank), Elena Pirrone (Valcar-Travel & Service), Copponi, Alicia González (Movistar Team), Anna Christian, and Joss Lowden (both Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) got away and contested the last QOM sprint 25 seconds ahead of the peloton, but they were caught again at the start of the final lap.

This final lap saw more action with several attacks, and on the lower slopes of the now-unclassified Barr Beacon climb, ten riders broke free: Copponi, Vollering, Gutiérrez, Pieters, Juliette Labous (Team DSM), Chabbey, Aude Biannic (Movistar Team), Georgi, Maaike Boogaard (Alé BTC Ljubljana), and Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Trek-Segafredo) were 30 seconds ahead at the top of the climb and increased their advantage further on the downhill run towards Walsall before sprinting for the stage win.

Results :
1 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx 2:38:03
2 Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
3 Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women
4 Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
5 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM
6 Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing
7 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
8 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
9 Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM
10 Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx
11 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM 0:00:42
12 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
13 Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
14 Josie Nelson (GBr) Team Coop Hitec Products
15 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women
16 Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing
17 Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
18 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx
19 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM
20 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
21 April Tacey (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
22 Mari Hole Mohr (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products
23 Soraya Paladin (Ita) Liv Racing
24 Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
25 Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
26 Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange
27 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women
28 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM
29 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing
30 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
31 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
32 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
33 Sophie Wright (GBr) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
34 Abi Smith (GBr) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
35 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
36 Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
37 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
38 Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
39 Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service
40 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx
41 Evita Muzic (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
42 Natalie Grinczer (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
43 Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
44 Pien Limpens (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
45 Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
46 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
47 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx
48 Lourdes Oyarbide Jimenez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
49 Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
50 Anna Shackley (GBr) Team SD Worx
51 Marjolein Van’T Geloof (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
52 Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
53 Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
54 Emma Edwards (USA) CAMS-Tifosi
55 Connie Hayes (GBr) AWOL Oshea
56 Anna Christian (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
57 Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange
58 Alice Lethbridge (GBr) AWOL Oshea
59 Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo
60 Veronica Ewers (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
61 Hayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
62 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
63 Becky Storrie (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
64 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange 0:00:58
65 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:01
66 Pernille Larsen Feldmann (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products
67 Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
68 Megan Jastrab (USA) Team DSM 0:01:19
69 Nicole Frain (Aus) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:03:15
70 Alice Towers (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
71 Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange
72 Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:07:18
73 Katie Scott (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:07:50
DNF Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Liv Racing
DNF Hannah Bayes (GBr) AWOL Oshea
DNF Olivia Bent (GBr) AWOL Oshea
DNF Lucy Kennedy (Aus) Team BikeExchange
DNS Ingvild Gåskjenn (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products
DNS Alison Jackson (Can) Liv Racing
DNS Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Liv Racing
DNS Caroline Andersson (Swe) Team Coop Hitec Products

General Classification after Stage 2 :
1 Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 6:22:34
2 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx
3 Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:00:06
4 Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:00:09
5 Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM 0:00:10
6 Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing
7 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
8 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM
9 Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:00:38
10 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:00:40
11 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:00:45
12 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:46
13 Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange
14 Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing 0:00:48
15 Josie Nelson (GBr) Team Coop Hitec Products 0:00:52
16 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx
17 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM
18 Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
19 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
20 Soraya Paladin (Ita) Liv Racing
21 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing
22 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx
23 Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
24 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
25 Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
26 Sophie Wright (GBr) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
27 Abi Smith (GBr) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
28 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx
29 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women
30 Evita Muzic (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
31 Natalie Grinczer (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
32 Pien Limpens (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
33 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
34 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
35 Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
36 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM
37 Anna Shackley (GBr) Team SD Worx
38 Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
39 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
40 Lourdes Oyarbide Jimenez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
41 Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
42 Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange
43 Hayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
44 Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
45 Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:18
46 Megan Jastrab (USA) Team DSM 0:01:29
47 Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:02:09
48 Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:02:11
49 Veronica Ewers (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:02:24
50 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange 0:02:32
51 Connie Hayes (GBr) AWOL Oshea 0:02:37
52 Nicole Frain (Aus) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:03:25
53 Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:03:27
54 April Tacey (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:03:54
55 Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service
56 Anna Christian (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:03:55
57 Alice Lethbridge (GBr) AWOL Oshea
58 Becky Storrie (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
59 Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:03:58
60 Mari Hole Mohr (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products 0:04:09
61 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women
62 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
63 Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:04:22
64 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo 0:04:28
65 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM 0:04:39
66 Marjolein Van’T Geloof (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:06:30
67 Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange 0:06:41
68 Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:08:47
69 Emma Edwards (USA) CAMS-Tifosi 0:12:57
70 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:13:00
71 Pernille Larsen Feldmann (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products 0:13:22
72 Alice Towers (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:15:27
73 Kirstie van Haaften (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:16:14
74 Katie Scott (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:20:02
75 Phoebe Martin (GBr) AWOL Oshea 0:25:11
76 Jessica Finney (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:25:14
77 Francesca Morgans Slader (GBr) AWOL Oshea
78 Jessica Allen (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:33:39