A second podium for Lidl-Trek Women as Shirin van Anrooij takes third place after a tough stage.
A rainy second stage of Itzulia Women saw a lone early breakaway caught with 58 kilometres to go. Czech rider Noskova (Cofidis Women Team) made a brave attempt to stay clear, but the peloton kept her within two minutes throughout the 138-kilometre stage.
With 40 kilometres remaining, the race exploded with a flurry of attacks. No rider could escape a rapidly thinning peloton, setting the scene for a dramatic finale.
On the final climb it was Shirin who launched the attack, with Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) jumping onto her wheel. Van Anrooij fought hard to hold Włodarczyk’s pace on the climb and managed to hang on.
Heading into the finish, the sprint unfolded with the peloton closing fast behind the two leaders. Shirin had to settle for second in the sprint, unable to match Włodarczyk. GC leader Mischa Bredewold then bridged the gap in the final metres, overtaking Shirin in the last five metres of the race.
Heading into the final kilometer, the peloton was closing down fast on the two leaders. Włodarczyk opened the sprint and proved too strong for Shirin, taking the stage win. In the closing metres, GC leader Mischa Bredewold bridged the gap in the sprint from the chasing group and took second from Shirin right on the line.
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Shirin’s perspective of the finale:
“I think it was another hard day today. Yesterday was a really good day with Rianne. Today, Loes and me actually had the plan to try and be in the break. So, we tried all day, but then nothing really got away, and then I felt a really good moment with 7K to go. And I just tried to go all out.”
“I got away with Dominika and managed to stay away until the end, but I just wasn’t strong enough in the sprint. For me, I did a good sprint, but in the end she’s just a better sprinter. I am looking forward to tomorrow. It’s another nice stage to try to go in the break and also to protect Riejanne as well for her third place in the general Classification.”
“For me personally, I think it was just really nice to feel good on the bike again. It was a hard classic season, and I kept trying to find back a good feeling on the bike and today I finally found it after a long time. From here it can only go up I guess, so step by step.”
