When Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) couldn’t hold the tempo up the final climb and Demi Vollering (SD Worx) crashed out yesterday it was all set for Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ) on the queen stage of Tour of Scandinavia.
But the Danish champion got a tough fight with the German champion Liane Lippert (Team DSM) for the victory and the yellow jersey.
With a 10 km climb averaging about .6,5 km to the finish this was set to be the queen stage. It was also the penultimate day of the 6 days Tour of Scandinavia and Uttrup Ludwig is now in a perfect position for taking home the GC.
– This is what we came for, she says and shows her new yellow jersey.
The peloton was compact hitting the final climb despite a good try from Sophie Wright (UAE). The young Brittsh rider had two and a half minute on the group behind, but it was eaten up before it started to go up.
FDJ was setting the tempo. First with Emilia Fahlin and then Stine Borgli. Halfway up the climb the yellow jersey got problems. Marianne Vos got to nearly a full stop and even though she tried she never came back to the leaders.
12 riders were left in the front group with 4 km to go. The first real attack came from Neve Bradbury, but it was to optimistic from the young Australien in Canyon SRAM. Instead Lippert made a counterattack and only Uttrup Ludwig had the speed to follow. Anouska Koster (Jumbo-Visma) tried, but was just to late to get contact.
The two-rider-sprint was lead out by Ludwig and Lippert was not able to challenge the Dane who is now sitting with 17 seconds advantage in front of Sundays final stage between Lillestrøm and Halden. It’s the race longest stage, 154 km compared to Saturdays’ 127 km.
Third on the stage was Julie Van De Velde (Pantur-Pura) who also moved up to third overall.
Allison Jackson (Liv Racing) and Amber Kraak (Jumbo-Visma) looks to secure the points jersey respectively the climbers jersery. But Neve Bradbury took over the white jersey as best U23-rider from Shari Bossuyt (Canyon SRAM).
Katrine Aalerud (Movistar) was the best Norwegian rider on the stage.
