The Women’s Tour 2021 – Stage 3 [Highlights – Individual Time Trial] (ladies)

October 6, 2021

The Women’s Tour 2021 – Stage 3 ITT WE – Atherstone – Atherstone : 16,6 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.

Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) won stage 3 of The Women’s Tour, a 16.6-kilometre time trial starting and finishing in Atherstone.

The 24-year-old Dutchwoman set the fastest intermediate time halfway through the rolling course and further increased her lead on the second half, stopping the clock after 23:18 minutes.

World Hour Record holder Joss Lowden (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) took second place, 1:04 minutes slower, with Leah Kirchmann (Team DSM) in third place another second behind.

With her convincing stage victory, Vollering also assumed the overall lead. She is now 1:09 minutes ahead of Juliette Labous (Team DSM) who finished fifth on the day, and overnight leader Clara Copponi (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) dropped to third place at 1:19 minutes.

How it unfolded

Stage 3 was an homage to the British time trialling heritage, but the course of the first-ever individual time trial in the history of The Women’s Tour was quite different from a typical 10-mile course. At 10.3 miles, or 16.6 kilometres, the course was a bit longer, but more importantly it was not the usual out-and-back route, but a loop to the south-west of Atherstone.

Unlike on stage 2 the day before, the riders enjoyed sunshine, but the rolling terrain and strong north-westerly winds still made it a hard race with crosswinds for most of the course and a full-on headwind on the final 1.5 kilometres to the finish.

Alice Towers (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) was the first rider to set a benchmark with a time of 25:59 minutes, though she was quickly beaten by Teniel Campbell (Team BikeExchange) who finished eight seconds faster.

Towers’ teammate Anna Christian improved the best time to 25:41 minutes but only held the lead for three minutes as Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Trek-Segafredo) stopped the clock after 25:27 minutes. Janneke Ensing (Team BikeExchange) beat this time by one second, but the next rider on the course, Veronica Ewers (Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank), finished in 24:39 minutes and took the hot seat.

This time stood for a while as 10-mile record holder Hayley Simmonds (CAMS-Basso Bikes) stopped the clock after 25:30 minutes while Anna Shackley (Team SD Worx) fell only four seconds short. Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) had been behind at the intermediate timing point but gained time on the second half to beat Ewers’ time by 13 second. Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Team SD Worx), however, was eight seconds ahead halfway through but lost ground to finish one second behind Barnes.

Six days after beating the World Hour Record, Lowden took another four seconds off the clock to take the lead with 24:22 minutes. Kirchmann had been four seconds ahead of Lowden at the timing point but finished a second slower. Labous recorded the same time as Lowden halfway through but lost four seconds on the second half.

Vollering, however, set a phenomenal intermediate time, 37 seconds faster than Lowden, and finished over a minute ahead. The last three riders, Sheyla Gutiérrez (Movistar Team), Amy Pieters (Team SD Worx), and GC leader Copponi, were far off this time, giving Vollering her first Women’s Tour stage victory.

Results :
1 Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:23:18
2 Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:01:04
3 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM 0:01:05
4 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:01:08
5 Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM
6 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:01:09
7 Abi Smith (GBr) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:01:20
8 Veronica Ewers (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:01:21
9 Anna Shackley (GBr) Team SD Worx 0:01:25
10 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:01:27
11 Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:01:28
12 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:01:31
13 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women 0:01:32
14 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx 0:01:34
15 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:01:46
16 Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:01:49
17 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM 0:01:52
18 Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:01:53
19 Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:02:05
20 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange 0:02:08
21 Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women
22 Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:09
23 Hayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:02:12
24 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx 0:02:15
25 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:02:17
26 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
27 Lourdes Oyarbide Jimenez (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:02:18
28 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:02:21
29 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:02:22
30 Anna Christian (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:02:23
31 Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange 0:02:25
32 Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:02:26
33 Nicole Frain (Aus) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:02:29
34 Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange 0:02:33
35 Alice Towers (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:02:41
36 Becky Storrie (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:02:43
37 Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:02:44
38 Soraya Paladin (Ita) Liv Racing 0:02:47
39 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:48
40 Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing 0:02:49
41 Natalie Grinczer (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:02:50
42 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
43 Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:02:52
44 Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:02:56
45 Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:02:57
46 Pien Limpens (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:03:02
47 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo 0:03:03
48 Megan Jastrab (USA) Team DSM 0:03:07
49 Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:03:09
50 Josie Nelson (GBr) Team Coop Hitec Products 0:03:15
51 April Tacey (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:03:16
52 Evita Muzic (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
53 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women 0:03:21
54 Kirstie van Haaften (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:03:23
55 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM 0:03:24
56 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:03:28
57 Connie Hayes (GBr) AWOL Oshea 0:03:32
58 Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:03:33
59 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:03:37
60 Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:03:38
61 Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:03:43
62 Sophie Wright (GBr) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:03:45
63 Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo 0:03:46
64 Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:03:53
65 Alice Lethbridge (GBr) AWOL Oshea 0:03:56
66 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM 0:03:58
67 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:03:59
68 Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:04:01
69 Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:04:07
70 Marjolein Van’T Geloof (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:04:18
71 Jessica Allen (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:04:34
72 Pernille Larsen Feldmann (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products 0:04:39
73 Francesca Morgans Slader (GBr) AWOL Oshea 0:05:07
74 Katie Scott (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
75 Phoebe Martin (GBr) AWOL Oshea 0:05:09
76 Jessica Finney (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:05:25
77 Emma Edwards (USA) CAMS-Tifosi 0:05:26
78 Mari Hole Mohr (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products 0:05:49

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx 6:46:01
2 Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM 0:01:09
3 Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:01:19
4 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:01:22
5 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women 0:01:33
6 Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:01:47
7 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM 0:01:48
8 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:01:51
9 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:01:52
10 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM 0:01:53
11 Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:01:54
12 Abi Smith (GBr) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:02:03
13 Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:02:05
14 Anna Shackley (GBr) Team SD Worx 0:02:08
15 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:02:10
16 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx 0:02:17
17 Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:02:26
18 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:02:29
19 Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:02:48
20 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:02:53
21 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
22 Hayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:02:55
23 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx 0:02:58
24 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:03:00
25 Lourdes Oyarbide Jimenez (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:03:01
26 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:03:04
27 Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange 0:03:08
28 Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:03:09
29 Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing 0:03:28
30 Soraya Paladin (Ita) Liv Racing 0:03:30
31 Natalie Grinczer (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:03:33
32 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
33 Veronica Ewers (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:03:36
34 Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:03:39
35 Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:03:40
36 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
37 Pien Limpens (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:03:45
38 Josie Nelson (GBr) Team Coop Hitec Products 0:03:58
39 Evita Muzic (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:03:59
40 Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:04:02
41 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women 0:04:04
42 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM 0:04:07
43 Megan Jastrab (USA) Team DSM 0:04:27
44 Sophie Wright (GBr) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:04:28
45 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange 0:04:31
46 Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:04:36
47 Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:04:50
48 Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:04:52
49 Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo 0:04:55
50 Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:05:27
51 Nicole Frain (Aus) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:05:45
52 Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
53 Connie Hayes (GBr) AWOL Oshea 0:06:00
54 Anna Christian (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:06:09
55 Becky Storrie (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:06:29
56 Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:06:33
57 April Tacey (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:07:01
58 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo 0:07:07
59 Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:07:22
60 Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:07:23
61 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:07:28
62 Alice Lethbridge (GBr) AWOL Oshea 0:07:42
63 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:07:59
64 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM 0:08:28
65 Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange 0:09:05
66 Mari Hole Mohr (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products 0:09:49
67 Marjolein Van’T Geloof (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:10:39
68 Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:12:39
69 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:16:28
70 Pernille Larsen Feldmann (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products 0:17:52
71 Alice Towers (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:17:59
72 Emma Edwards (USA) CAMS-Tifosi 0:18:14
73 Kirstie van Haaften (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:19:28
74 Katie Scott (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:25:00
75 Phoebe Martin (GBr) AWOL Oshea 0:30:11
76 Francesca Morgans Slader (GBr) AWOL Oshea 0:30:12
77 Jessica Finney (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi 0:30:30
78 Jessica Allen (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:38:04