The opening stage of the Vuelta a Burgos Féminas didn’t appear like it might present any GC motion earlier than the punchy uphill dash end – however a quick descent beginning 44km out led to an surprising breakaway and a high-speed chase on the roads to Poza de la Sal.
Elisa Longo Borghini and her UAE Crew ADQ teammate Paula Blasi have been two of the eleven riders within the breakaway, with Longo Borghini telling Cyclingnews how the group shaped alongside the unsuspecting flatter remaining part of the 125km race.
“SD Worx-Protime was chasing the breakaway, after which they began hammering down the downhill. Earlier than the stage, I didn’t actually anticipate to have such a damaged peloton on the finish of the downhill, however in the course of the downhill, I instantly understood that there was a transparent intention to interrupt the peloton into items,” mentioned the Italian Champion.
Along with Longo Borghini and Blasi, there have been Lotte Kopecky, Lorena Wiebes, and Barbara Guarischi from SD Worx-Protime and 6 riders from six totally different groups: Célia Gery (FDJ-Suez), Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto), Aude Biannic (Movistar), Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Fenix-Deceuninck), Franziska Koch (Picnic PostNL), and Kathrin Schweinberger (Human Powered Well being). Mirre Knaven (EF Training-Oatly) had additionally been a part of the transfer at first however shortly determined to drop again to the chasing peloton.
In contrast to Kopecky, Longo Borghini, Niedermaier, or Wiebes, GC hopefuls like Marlen Reusser (Movistar) and sprinters like Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) had missed the transfer, and a high-speed chase ensued.
“Sadly, solely 4 of us, Kopecky, Wiebes, Paula, and me, have been contributing to maintain the break alive, and behind there was Movistar and Lidl-Trek actually hammering it to get again,” mentioned Longo Borghini.
Blasi was one in all 4 riders who couldn’t sustain with the tempo over the Alto de La Varga. As an alternative, ten riders bridged to the entrance simply earlier than the highest of the climb, however there was no extra cooperation, and the group was reeled in after the descent.
After that, Gery and Steffi Häberlin (SD Worx-Protime) went on a extra typical breakaway that was caught on the penultimate kilometre, simply in time for the uphill dash received by Wiebes, partly, because of rival Longo Borghini, who she mentioned launched an early bid on the uphill finale.
“In the previous few hundred metres, with Lotte Kopecky and I, we had two good playing cards to play. We knew the final 300 metres have been the hardest. It was robust all the way in which to the end,” Wiebes mentioned.
“Earlier than the final nook, I believed I used to be locked in, however because of a transfer by Elisa Longo Borghini, area opened up. I adopted her on the surface bend after which got here alongside Elisa Balsamo. After I noticed Balsamo recover from Lotte, I additionally arrange my dash & it labored out properly for the win.”
