
Alexandra Manly (BikeExchange-Jayco) was the first to beat Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) in the first edition of Tour of Scandinavia.
The 26 year old Australian won a sprint from a 5 rider strong group who just managed to hold off the chasing peloton. Marianne Vos is still the race leader.
The 4th stage was 119 km in undulating terrain between the twincities Askim and Mysen, about 65 km south east of Oslo.
Despite attacks nearly all the way and warm conditions it was a compact group coming into the final 20 kilometers. But an attack from Alice Barnes (Canyon/SRAM) just like the day before shook up thing.
Barnes was joined by Manly and they were pending 10-20 seconds ahead of the peloton.
– I thought we were going to be caught, but then three other riders came up and we held the gap till the final, says Manly who earlier this year won the Thüringen Ladies Tour in Germany after 4 stagewins.
In the uphill finish it was the two Australians Manly and Chloe Hsoking (Trek-Segafredo) who was fighting for the victory. Manly managed to win by a few centimeters with italien Laura Tomasi (UAE Team ADQ) in third.
The peloton came up quickly and Marinna Vos in 6th place got the same time as the stage winner. But she is still in a solid lead in front of Saturdays mountain stage.
Vos will not say how big chance she has to keep the lead up the 10 km long climb to the finish at Norefjell on Saturday. Her main rivals will probably be Tour de France Femmes runner-up Demi Vollering (SD Worx) and Danish champion and TdFF stagewinner Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ).
Alison Jackson (Liv Racing) kept the green jersey ahead of Vos while Amber Kraak (Jumbo-Visma) is in a good lead in the mountains competition. Shari Bossuyt (Canyon/SRAM) kept the white jersey as the best U23-rider.