Amy Pieters won the second stage of AJ Bell Women’s Tour, taking the victory from a group of 10 after a relentless day of attacking racing.
The Dutch champion found herself in a small group of 10 women who entered the final five kilometres of the race in Walsall with a lead of 50 seconds. With around 1500m to go Brit Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM) made a solo move and seemed to be on her way to victory, however, Pieters had team mate Demi Vollering in the group to close the gap.
Though she was forced to open her sprint early Pieters held to cross the line ahead of Clara Copponi and Sheyla Gutiérrez (Movistar).
Copponi is having a stellar week so far. Stage one’s third place was her best WorldTour finish, and this second place bettered that and propelled here into the overall lead ahead of Wednesday’s stage three time trial.
It’s the first time in the race’s eight year history the Women’s Tour has hosted a time trial, and organisers have stuck with the classic British format of a 10-mile test, providing the peloton with 16.6km around the Warwickshire town of Atherstone, a regular race host.
How it happened
For stage two the race headed to Walsall for a kermesse style 102.2km stage, which started and finished in the town centre but took on nine full laps of a lumpy 10km circuit in the countryside to the east.
Unlike stage one the race was active from the off, with a number of teams trying send riders up the road, though none were able to get a gap.
Despite repeated attempts only after 42km was any group able to get any sort of gap, with six women getting away, however, not al of them were contributing and they were caught by an angry peloton, stretched out behind them.
On each alternate lap after the fourth the race tackled an intermediate sprint and classified climb, and while different riders were targeting different classifications, none were allowed any space, competing at each prime before a stretched peloton would bring them back.
This made for fast and very aggressive racing, with a number of women being dropped or even abandoning the race as the rain fell and wind roared across on the West Midlands.
On the penultimate lap a group of 16 women, including the defending champion Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) got a gap of 25 seconds on the shattered peloton, however, not even they were able to build a conclusive lead and they were caught as the final lap began.
It was shortly after that, on the final lap, with 10km remaining that another group, this time of 10 women managed to g et a gap, and after hours of full gas racing they built a small lead.
Maaike Boogaard (Alé-BTC Ljubljana),Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM), Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Trek-Segafredo), Clara Copponi (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope), Demi Vollering and Amy Pieters (both SDWorx), Aude Biannic and Sheyla Gutiérrez (both Movistar), and Juliette Labous and Pfeiffer Georgi (both DSM) worked well to gain a lead of 50 seconds on the bunch, which, with so many teams represented, became unassailable.
Pfeiffer Georgi’s late attack looked to be bringing her a first WorldTour win, but she was caught with 150m to go.
Result AJ Bell Women’s Tour, stage 2: Walsall - Walsall Race, (102.2km)
1. Amy Pieters (Ned) SDWorx in 2-38-03
2. Clara Copponi (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope)
3. Sheyla Gutiérrez (Esp) Movstar
4. Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
5. Pfeiffer Georgi (Gbr) DSM
6. Elise Chabbey (Sui) Canyon-SRAM
7. Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Alé-BTC Ljubljana
8. Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar
9. Juliette Labous (Fra) DSM
10. Demi Vollering (Ned) SDWorx all at same time
General classification after stage two
1. Clara Copponi (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) in 6-22-34
2. Amy Pieters (Ned) SDWorx at same time
3. Sheyla Gutiérrez (Esp) Movistar at 06 sec
4. Demi Vollering (Ned) SDWorx at 09 sec
5. Juliette Labous (Fra) DSM at 10 sec
6. Elise Chabbey (Sui) Canyon-SRAM
7. Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar
8. Pfeiffer Georgi (Gbr) DSM all at same time
9. Nina Kessler (Ned) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank at 38 sec
10. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Alé-BTC Ljubljana at 40 sec
-
-
'If you can achieve something like this, then other things in life can seem quite easy': Local hero outlines the joy of ultra-endurance events
From Cumbria’s highest passes to motorway McDonalds stops - video showcases the rollercoaster reality of a 60-hour ride in all its unglamorous glory
-
Record rides: Tommy Godwin’s 75,065 miles in a year
vans Perhaps one of the most incredible records ever set on two wheels retold by Dave Barter.
-
Six Of The Best Women's WorldTour races of 2021
It’s been another fabulous year of women’s racing, most which we have been able to watch, here are our six favourites
-
No phones, limited food, minimal sleep: Hannah Barnes 'looking forward to the next year' with Uno-X after team bonding experience
After six seasons at Canyon-SRAM the former British champion is feeling positive about her new role at her new Norwegian squad
-
Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2022: everything you need to know
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race won't take place for the second year in a row in 2022
-
Women's WorldTour race days increase to 71 with Challenge by La Vuelta stage boost
With the addition of an extra stage in Spain, the Tour de France Femmes and the new Battle of the North, the calendar has grown substantially
-
WorldTour transfers 2022: All of the men's and women's new signings for the 2022 season
Who's changing teams for 2022 and who's retiring from the world of professional cycling
-
Porte and Dennis to ride Santos Festival of Cycling 2022
Confirmed teams and riders taking part in the 2022 Santos Festival of Cycling (January 23-29)
-
UCI announces teams for the 2022 WorldTour with six new women's teams joining the top tier
The women's top division of the sport is growing every year with yet more teams joining
-
UCI reveals it has refused Qhubeka-NextHash's WorldTour licence for 2022
The South African team has struggled with financial issues for the last few years
