Thüringen Ladies Tour 2021 – Stage 1 [Highlights]

May 25, 2021

Thüringen Ladies Tour 2021 – Stage 1 WE – Schmölln – Schmölln : 88,9 km

The 2021 Thüringen Ladies Tour (known as the Internationale LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour for sponsorship reasons) is the 32nd edition of the Thüringen Ladies Tour, a women’s road cycling stage race being held between 25 and 30 May 2021 in the state of Thuringia in central Germany. Given the cancellation of the 2020 edition, this edition is the first since its promotion after the 2019 season to a category 2.Pro event in the UCI Women’s ProSeries.

Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) won the opening stage and claimed the first leader’s jersey of the Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour. The Danish champion won the breakaway sprint ahead of Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) and Lotte Kopecky (Belgium National Team) in Schmölln.

Norsgaard, Brand and Kopecky were part of a large and decisive breakaway that had formed earlier in the race, and that contested the closing kilometres of the circuit-style opening stage.

The 17-rider front group split apart in the final three kilometres with Norsgaard securing the stage win and the event’s first leader’s jersey.

“This team is unbelievable. Yes, I know I say it every time I win, but this team is crazy good. I’m so proud to be a part of this, and today it was incredible, really. The way they worked, to get us back into contention after that early break so I could bridge back, was so good, I’m just so, so happy,” Norsgaard said in a post-race interview.

“Once I got through that final QOM, the last kilometer was mostly downhill, on cobblestones, and to be honest, I was so scared with that finish. With 1k to go I just took the front, thinking: ‘Ok, hopefully nobody will pass me’. In the end, it paid off!

“I don’t know if it’s easier to win or not now that I’ve got those Luxembourg victories behind me, but as a team, we have such a great spirit and we’re willing to sacrifice everything for each other. This is what makes the victory easier, from my point of view.

“Now that we have the leader’s jersey, of course we have to defend it and work hard, but with this team, everything is possible. I feel like this is the best team I could have, so I’m not nervous at all.”

The Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour continues at stage 2 on Wednesday with a 125km race in Gera.

How it unfolded

The opening stage of the Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour offered the peloton an 88.9km on three large circuits that started and finished in Schmölln. There were two ascents of the Zum Wasserturn (600 metres at 7.5 per cent) and two intermediate sprints on laps 1 and 2 of the circuits.

Early crashes and mechanicals marred the beginning of the race but the field was intact heading into the first climb over Zum Wasserturn at the 24km into the stage.

Defending champion Kathrin Hammes (Ceratizit-WNT) took full points atop the climb followed by Liane Lippert (Team DSM) and Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo), who has just returning to racing after struggling with illness all spring.

Following the first climb, a group of 11 riders cleared the main field to include Hammes, Deignan and Lippert, along with Amy Pieters (SD Worx), Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), Emilia Fahlin (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Kristen Faulkner (TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank), Alexis Ryan (Canyon-SRAM), Clara Kloppenburg (Germany), and Valerie Demey (Belgium).

Deignan picked up full points at the first intermediate sprint at the 27km mark, followed by Fahlin and Henderson.

The peloton rounded the second lap and hit the next ascent at Zum Wasserturn at 54km into the stage with Lippert picking up full points from the breakaway ahead of Deignan and Pieters.

The main field crested the climb, just 30 seconds behind the breakaway, and at a blistering pace that caused many riders to lose contact and fall off the back with just 30km to the finish.

Up in the breakaway, Pieters crossed the line first in the second and final intermediate sprint ahead of Henderson and Deignan. Significant attacks came from the main field, which allowed riders to bridge across and the breakaway to grow to 17 riders.

New additions to the front group were Norsgaard and Brand, along with Christine Majerus (SD Worx), Audrey Cordon Ragot (Trek-Segafredo), Romy Kasper (Jumbo-Visma), and Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM).

The large front group entered the final 20km with 30 seconds in hand, and the increased their lead to 40 seconds with 10km from the finish line. However, with the pace so high, gaps started to open among the leaders and inside the final 3km there were only nine riders left to contest the downhill sprint won by Norsgaard.

Results :
1 Emma Norsgaard (Den) Movistar Team Women 2:17:42
2 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
3 Lotte Kopecky (Bel) Belgium
4 Anna Henderson (GBr) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
5 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx
6 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-SRAM Racing
7 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM
8 Kristen Faulkner (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:00:04
9 Kathrin Hammes (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
10 Emilia Fahlin (Swe) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:07
11 Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo
12 Romy Kasper (Ger) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:00:13
13 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx
14 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-SRAM Racing
15 Valerie Demey (Bel) Belgium
16 Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
17 Clara Koppenburg (Ger) Germany
18 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM 0:01:02
19 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx
20 Ingvild Gåskjenn (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products
21 Franziska Koch (Ger) Team DSM
22 Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
23 Lucie Jounier (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team 0:01:05
24 Anne Dorthe Ysland (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products
25 Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Team SD Worx
26 Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team DSM
27 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
28 Léa Curinier (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
29 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM
30 Lisa Klein (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing
31 Carolin Schiff (Ger) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
32 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
33 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing
34 Neve Bradbury (Aus) Canyon-SRAM Racing
35 Sandra Levenez (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
36 Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
37 Marta Cavalli (Ita) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
38 Hannah Ludwig (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing
39 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Netherlands 0:01:11
40 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:18
41 Amalie Lutro (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products
42 Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
43 Laura Süßemilch (Ger) Germany
44 Charlotte Becker (Ger) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
45 Katharina Hechler (Ger) Germany
46 Lourdes Oyarbide Jimenez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
47 Clara Honsinger (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
48 Lone Meertens (Bel) Belgium
49 Gladys Verhulst (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
50 Sara Van De Vel (Bel) Belgium
51 Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
52 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx
53 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
54 Susanne Andersen (Nor) Team DSM
55 Jip van den Bos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
56 Shari Bossuyt (Bel) Belgium 0:02:15
57 Julie Leth (Den) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
58 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:03:20
59 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:06:21
60 Friederike Stern (Ger) Germany
61 Katharina Fox (Ger) RSG Gießen Biehle
62 Helena Bieber (Ger) RSG Gießen Biehle
63 Ilse Pluimers (Ned) Netherlands
64 Thalita De Jong (Ned) Netherlands
65 Tanja Erath (Ger) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
66 Typhaine Laurance (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team 0:06:25
67 Jolien D’Hoore (Bel) Team SD Worx
68 Eline van Rooijen (Ned) Netherlands
69 Caroline Andersson (Swe) Team Coop Hitec Products
70 Svenja Betz (Ger) Germany 0:10:03
71 Lydia Ventker (Ger) RSG Gießen Biehle
72 Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women
73 Alba Teruel Ribes (Spa) Movistar Team Women
74 Ann-Sophie Duyck (Bel) Belgium
75 Aafke Soet (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
76 Sandra Weiss (Swi) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
77 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women
78 Mieke Kröger (Ger) Team Coop Hitec Products
79 Georgia Danford (NZl) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
80 Lea Lin Teutenberg (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
81 Christa Riffel (Ger) Team Coop Hitec Products
82 Beate Zanner (Ger) Maxx-Solar Lindig
83 Lena Charlotte Reißner (Ger) Germany
84 Lisa Fischer (Ger) Maxx-Solar Lindig
85 Ilse Grit (Ned) Netherlands
86 Bianca Bernhard (Ger) RSG Gießen Biehle
87 Franziska Brauße (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
88 Rozemarijn Ammerlaan (Ned) Netherlands
89 Adelheid Schütz (Ger) RSG Gießen Biehle
90 Lisa Müllenberg (Ned) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch 0:17:53
91 Olivia Schoppe (Ger) Maxx-Solar Lindig
92 Zsófia Szabó (Hun) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
93 Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:18:00
94 Hannah Fandel (Ger) Maxx-Solar Lindig 0:23:43
95 Amélie Hild (Ned) RSG Gießen Biehle 0:26:47
DNF Mia Berg (Lux) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
DNF Katharina Julia Hinz (Ger) Maxx-Solar Lindig

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Emma Norsgaard (Den) Movistar Team Women 2:17:32
2 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:04
3 Lotte Kopecky (Bel) Belgium 0:00:06
4 Anna Henderson (GBr) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:00:07
5 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx
6 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:00:10
7 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM
8 Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:13
9 Kristen Faulkner (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:00:14
10 Kathrin Hammes (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
11 Emilia Fahlin (Swe) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:15
12 Romy Kasper (Ger) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:00:23
13 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx
14 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-SRAM Racing
15 Valerie Demey (Bel) Belgium
16 Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
17 Clara Koppenburg (Ger) Germany
18 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM 0:01:12
19 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx
20 Ingvild Gåskjenn (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products
21 Franziska Koch (Ger) Team DSM
22 Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
23 Lucie Jounier (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team 0:01:15
24 Anne Dorthe Ysland (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products
25 Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Team SD Worx
26 Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team DSM
27 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
28 Léa Curinier (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
29 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM
30 Lisa Klein (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing
31 Carolin Schiff (Ger) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
32 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
33 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing
34 Neve Bradbury (Aus) Canyon-SRAM Racing
35 Sandra Levenez (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
36 Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
37 Marta Cavalli (Ita) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
38 Hannah Ludwig (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing
39 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Netherlands 0:01:21
40 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:28
41 Amalie Lutro (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products
42 Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
43 Laura Süßemilch (Ger) Germany
44 Charlotte Becker (Ger) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
45 Katharina Hechler (Ger) Germany
46 Lourdes Oyarbide Jimenez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
47 Clara Honsinger (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
48 Lone Meertens (Bel) Belgium
49 Gladys Verhulst (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
50 Sara Van De Vel (Bel) Belgium
51 Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
52 Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx
53 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
54 Susanne Andersen (Nor) Team DSM
55 Jip van den Bos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
56 Shari Bossuyt (Bel) Belgium 0:02:25
57 Julie Leth (Den) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
58 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:03:30
59 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:06:31
60 Friederike Stern (Ger) Germany
61 Katharina Fox (Ger) RSG Gießen Biehle
62 Helena Bieber (Ger) RSG Gießen Biehle
63 Ilse Pluimers (Ned) Netherlands
64 Thalita De Jong (Ned) Netherlands
65 Tanja Erath (Ger) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
66 Typhaine Laurance (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team 0:06:35
67 Jolien D’Hoore (Bel) Team SD Worx
68 Eline van Rooijen (Ned) Netherlands
69 Caroline Andersson (Swe) Team Coop Hitec Products
70 Svenja Betz (Ger) Germany 0:10:13
71 Lydia Ventker (Ger) RSG Gießen Biehle
72 Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women
73 Alba Teruel Ribes (Spa) Movistar Team Women
74 Ann-Sophie Duyck (Bel) Belgium
75 Aafke Soet (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
76 Sandra Weiss (Swi) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
77 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women
78 Mieke Kröger (Ger) Team Coop Hitec Products
79 Georgia Danford (NZl) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
80 Lea Lin Teutenberg (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
81 Christa Riffel (Ger) Team Coop Hitec Products
82 Beate Zanner (Ger) Maxx-Solar Lindig
83 Lena Charlotte Reißner (Ger) Germany
84 Lisa Fischer (Ger) Maxx-Solar Lindig
85 Ilse Grit (Ned) Netherlands
86 Bianca Bernhard (Ger) RSG Gießen Biehle
87 Franziska Brauße (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
88 Rozemarijn Ammerlaan (Ned) Netherlands
89 Adelheid Schütz (Ger) RSG Gießen Biehle
90 Lisa Müllenberg (Ned) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch 0:18:03
91 Olivia Schoppe (Ger) Maxx-Solar Lindig
92 Zsófia Szabó (Hun) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
93 Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:18:10
94 Hannah Fandel (Ger) Maxx-Solar Lindig 0:23:53
95 Amélie Hild (Ned) RSG Gießen Biehle 0:26:57