Photo Credit: Cor Vos
Rounding out an incredible week of racing at the Simac Ladies Tour, Lorena Wiebes and Team DSM secured the GC title today after a hilly and challenging final stage in and around Arnhem.
Controlling the day from the start with Charlotte Kool and Elise Uijen, a flurry of attacks then exploded the race over the early hills. Leah Kirchmann and Franziska Koch rode superbly to shut down several more moves, with Wiebes herself following and closing down those who were closest to her on GC. Once onto the local circuits the day calmed down and a dangerous trio were eventually brought back in the finale, before the stage winning move went clear. With the gap small and after Kirchmann and Koch had spent themselves after their tireless efforts, Wiebes played the tactical game and didn’t pull through - allowing the attackers to take the first bonus seconds away from the GC opposition. Coming into the final straight Wiebes did unleash her trademark sprint to ‘win’ the sprint from the peloton in third and with it secure the GC title; rounding out an incredible week of racing for Team DSM with three stage wins, two second places and one third place to go alongside the overall crown.
Click here for quotes and reaction from Wiebes and coaching staff. |