A look back at The Women’s Tour through the lens of our incredible photographer Jojo Harper.
Stage One
Just one day after the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes, Lizzie Deignan, Elisa Longo Borghini, Audrey Cordon-Ragot and Trixi Worrack headed to the start line of The Women’s Tour.
Spirits were high after an outstanding performance from Lizzie which saw her crowned Queen of the Cobbles with her Elisa also on the podium after finishing in third place.
Elisa Longo Borghini was an unfortunate abandonment during Stage 1 after she never fully recovered from a grueling Paris-Roubaix Femmes two days ago. In Paris-Roubaix, she crashed numerous times and fought back to finish in third place but paid the price for that incredible effort. Rest up, Elisa!
Despite the lack of recovery time, the team was ready to support Chloe Hosking at the British six-day stage race and on the opening stage, the Australian sprinter took second place on the line in Banbury.
Our incredibly talented photographer Jojo Harper also capturing the men’s edition of the race for us, so she only joined us at The Women’s Tour from stage two onwards. But you can take a look through her amazing Paris-Roubaix Femmes gallery and re-live a very special day.
Stage Two
It might come as a surprise since we’re racing in the UK but the only rainy day of the race was stage two.
The heavens opened early on the circuit race around Walsall, which was expected to, once again, come down to a bunch sprint.
However, a late attack heading into the final five kilometers of the day saw a group of around ten-riders drawn out at the front of the race with Audrey there to fight for the win for Trek-Segafredo.
A tricky run into the line saw gaps opening up before the final sprint and in the end, the former French national champion and current French TT champion, settled for fourth.
🔈 We got the @CordonRagot lowdown following #WomensTour stage 2️⃣
Watch 👇👇 to find out more about today’s stage and hear her reaction on taking fourth place. pic.twitter.com/6PTPr7HJvp
— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) October 5, 2021
Stage Three
This was meant to be the day when Ellen van Dijk raced for the first time after her victory at the World Championships but we will have to wait a little longer to see her in those beautiful rainbow stripes as she was forced to withdraw from The Women’s Tour as a result of a concussion she sustained in a crash at Paris – Roubaix Femmes.
We were still able to put on a good show with Audrey setting an early benchmark.
#WomensTour @CordonRagot stopped the clock at 25’27”, which saw her initially set the time to beat.
She’s now sitting in provisional fourth place. Here’s ⬇️ her immediate reaction to her effort 👊 pic.twitter.com/lW9a9m3HJP
— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) October 6, 2021
Stage Four
The team had a special visitor on stage 4 when former Trek-Segafredo rider Abi Van Twisk and her little man Atlas arrived in Shoeburyness. Obviously we had to put Abi to work in one of the feed zones too!
Despite having only four riders at The Women’s Tour, the teamwork has been impeccable in placing Chloe into good positions for the finish, but a downhill run to the line on this stage made for a complicated ending.
In a sprint where you had to find gaps that didn’t exist, Chloe finished third.
Stage Five
Another bunch sprint along the seafront on the penultimate day of the race meant another opportunity for Chloe.
Our photographer Jojo also launched a charity auction during the stage. She is auctioning an exclusively signed print of Lizzie from Paris-Roubaix Femmes over on her Instagram, with all proceeds going to Women’s Aid.
Stage Six
At the beginning of the final stage we celebrated the amazing career of Trixi Worrack, who is leaving the peloton after an illustrious career that has seen her win 47 races.
Today we’re celebrating an amazing teammate and rider who has had an incredible career!
Congratulations @trixiworrack 🥳, we will miss you ❤️@CordonRagot @lizziedeignan @chloe_hosking @thewomenstour #WomensTour #UCIWWT pic.twitter.com/NUIGtKd9Eu
— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) October 9, 2021
In the race it was business as usual however with a final fast and furious bunch sprint predicted. A five-rider breakaway tried to disrupt the game plan but in the end, everything came back together.
Audrey, Lizzie and Trixi did all they could to deliver Chloe into the right position heading onto the long seafront finishing straight with our Australian sprinter, securing her third podium-place finish of this year’s The Women’s Tour.
