Words by Owen Rogers
American team Specialized-Lululemon lit up the final kilometres of today’s third stage of the Women’s Tour into Clacton, but came away without the desired result.
With around 20 kilometres to race, German champion Trixi Worrack escaped with two others and, when they were caught, it was time for Australian Tiffany Cromwell to go it alone.
“We’d been setting it up for Trixi, but when her break got caught we kept attacking and I managed to get away,” Cromwell told Cycling Weekly at the finish.
“Ronny, my DS said don’t look back, but I looked down, no one was on my wheel, so I kept going. I gave it everything, but they came past me with a kilometre to go. Obviously you can't do much more after that, but I’m happy, I tried.”
“We wanted to be active today because we don't have a pure sprinter here and we have to look for our opportunities,” she told us. It was thought those opportunities might come from the high winds which greeted the peloton, but they never materialised.
“It was hard, some sections were quite protected with changes of direction all the time. We tried to play echelons but we’d change direction too quickly and then it comes back together. When Trixi’s break went we felt sure that would stick, but then Rabo chased it back. I think Vos wanted it back for the sprint.”
Cromwell has been an ever present in the American squad’s 2014 World Cup teams after joining from Orica-AIS at the beginning of the season.
Marianne Vos takes control in Women's Tour
Stage win and overall lead for Marianne Vos as the Friends Life Women's Tour hits Clacton-on-Sea
-
-
Rigoberto Urán obliterates Tour de Suisse competition with stunning time trial win
Colombian Urán way ahead of the rest of the field in the Swiss mountains, moving up to second in GC
By Chris Marshall-Bell •
-
Who speaks for the riders?
The formation of two riders’ unions on both the women’s and men’s sides of the sport could be about to change the shape of top level cycling. Paul Knott investigates further
By Paul Knott •
-
Strava survey shows majority of female riders feel there are no barriers to cycling
Sixty per cent of women surveyed by Strava believe there are no barriers to entry for women who want to cycle
By Stuart Clarke •
-
Aviva Women's Tour route revealed with Peak District making first appearance
The Aviva Women's Tour heads to the hills in 2016, with a stage in the Peak District providing possibly the toughest edition of the race to date
By Stuart Clarke •
-
Women's Tour spectator numbers up 22%, report Northamptonshire Council
Crowds of 67,500 turned out to watch stage three of the Aviva Women's Tour in Northamptonshire, generating £1m for the county's economy
By Stuart Clarke •
-
Aviva Women's Tour and RideLondon included in new UCI Women's WorldTour
16 events plus the World Championships will make-up the new professional women's top tier
By Richard Windsor •
-
Meet the race doctor who treated Lizzie Armitstead after her Women's Tour crash
Doctor Will Mangar talks to Maria David about providing medical support during the Women’s Tour
By Nigel Wynn •
-
Brennauer wins Women's Tour as Hannah Barnes takes final stage
Lisa Brennauer wins the Aviva Women's Tour after a fourth-place finish on the final stage behind winner Hannah Barnes
By Owen Rogers •
-
Lisa Brennauer wins Women's Tour stage in Stevenage to regain race lead
Longo-Borghini’s escape is all for nothing as Lisa Brennauer wins Aviva Women's Tour stage four in Stevenage and regains race lead
By Owen Rogers •
-
Majerus wins, but Brits take the stage three plaudits at the Women’s Tour
By Owen Rogers •
