The Women’s Tour 2021 – Stage 6 [Highlights] (ladies)

October 9, 2021

The Women’s Tour 2021 – Stage 6 WE – Haverhill – Felixstowe : 155,3 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) has won the 2021 edition of The Women’s Tour. Winning the stage 3 ITT, the Dutch allrounder took a commanding lead of 1:09 minutes in the general classification and was never in danger of losing the blue leader’s jersey on the last three flat stages.

Stage 6 came down to a bunch sprint after a break of five riders had been caught with 14.5 km to go and a few last-ditch attacks were neutralised. In the sprint, world champion Elisa Balsamo (Valcar-Travel & Service) could celebrate her first victory in the rainbow jersey, beating Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM) and Chloe Hosking (Trek-Segafredo) to the line.

How it unfolded

The final stage criss-crossed Suffolk, covering 155.3 km from Haverhill to Felixstowe including two QOM sprints and two intermediate sprints. The leaders of the QOM and sprints classification, Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM) and Nina Kessler (Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank), were unassailable and sure of winning the green QOM jersey and the red sprints jersey, respectively, if they finished the stage.

Wiebes won the first intermediate sprint ahead of Amy Pieters (Team SD Worx) and Clara Copponi (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) who were divided by only three seconds ahead of the stage and fighting for the overall podium.

After the sprint, Eugenia Bujak (Alé BTC Ljubljana) attacked from the peloton. Dani Christmas (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) and Ane Santesteban (Team BikeExchange) went on the chase, and Veronica Ewers (Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank) bridged to them. Finally, Sofia Bertizzolo (Liv Racing) also went off the front.

The five riders joined up with 77 km to go, and Team SD Worx were happy to control the gap at 2:25 minutes. This increased to 3:10 minutes when the break was briefly stopped by a level crossing – only for the peloton to stop at the same level crossing shortly afterwards.

On the final 50 kilometres, Team SD Worx and the sprinters’ Team DSM and Valcar-Travel & Service steadily reduced the gap to the breakaway, finally making the catch with just after the 15-kilometre mark.

This meant that several riders tried to anticipate a bunch sprint with late attacks, but none of them were successful, and the peloton got ready for another sprint finish. On the finishing straight, Balsamo came alongside Wiebes and passed the Dutch sprinter on the final metres to take her first victory in the rainbow jersey.

Vollering lost a few seconds due to splits in the peloton at the finish and wins the general classification 1:02 minutes ahead of Juliette Labous (Team DSM) and 1:05 minutes ahead of Copponi who is also the best U23 rider. Pieters in fourth place missed the overall podium by only two seconds. Wiebes takes home the light-blue points points jersey, Team SD Worx won the team classification.

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

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