After another aggressive and frantic stage of the Ovo Energy Women’s Tour, Jolien D’Hoore (Wiggle-High5) sprinted to victory on London’s Regent Street.
The former Belgian champion was imperious in the sprint, beating British champion Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) to the line. Christine Majerus (Boels-Dolmans) sprinted to third.
D’Hoore’s victory ensured different teams had won each of the race’s five stages, though it was the winner on the opening day into Kettering, Kasia Niewiadoma who topped the general classification.
Jolien D'Hoore wins the final stage of the 2017 Women's Tour (SWPix)
(Image credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
Essentially a criterium, covering 62km through London’s West End, the race was electrifying from start to finish.
Early on the first 6.2km lap a group of nine - including five of the Boels-Dolmans team - forged clear. The Dutch team’s intention there to gain bonus seconds from the two intermediate sprints to secure Majerus’s second place overall.
With that done, they dropped back , though the race continued in aggressive style throughout, with groups forming and being caught. Eventually a group of 57 of the 76 starters formed and decided the race.
On the final lap Boels-Dolmans attacked repeatedly, though nothing stuck and the race ended in the sprint finish.
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The Women's Tour peloton in Piccadilly Circus (SWPix)
While the victory was Wiggle-High5’s and D’Hoore’s first of the race, she has had a good season to date. The Belgian won two stages and the general classification at the Tour of Chongming Island as well as a number of less significant victories.
Despite a number of teams attempting to challenge Niewiadoma’s advantage throughout the race, her lone break on the opening stage, where she gained an advantage of 1-46 was enough to secure overall victory for the Polish champion.
Even the absence of team mate Marianne Vos when she was challenged on Saturday’s queen stage in Chesterfield, was not enough to depose Niewiadoma, though she benefited from other teams’ efforts there.
Lizzie Deignan on the final stage of the 2017 Women's Tour (SWPix)
The next round of the Women’s WorldTour is the Giro d’Italia Femminile starting near Venice between June 30 and July 9.
Results
Ovo Energy Women’s Tour, stage five: London - London (62km)
1. Jolien D’hoore (Bel) Wiggle-High5 1-28-23
2. Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM
3. Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels-Dolmans
4. Roxane Fournier (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futurscope
5. Katie Archibald (GBr) WNT
6. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Alé-Cipollini
7. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle-High5
8. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Boels-Dolmans
9. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon-SRAM
10. Alice Arzuffi (Ita) Lensworld-Kuota all at same time
Final general classification
1. Kasia Niewiadoma (Pol) WM3 Enegie, in 16-34-53
2. Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels-Dolmans at 1-18
3. Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM at 1-30
4. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Sunweb at 1-36
5. Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Sunweb at 1-39
6. Alice Barnes (GBr) Drops at 1-47
7. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Cervélo-Bigla at 1-53
8. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) Cervélo-Bigla at 1-59
9. Dani King (GBr) Cylance at 2-00
10. Elisa Longo-Borghini (Ita) Wiggle-High5 at 2-01
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Owen Rogers is an experienced journalist, covering professional cycling and specialising in women's road racing. He has followed races such as the Women's Tour and Giro d'Italia Donne, live-tweeting from Women's WorldTour events as well as providing race reports, interviews, analysis and news stories. He has also worked for race teams, to provide post race reports and communications.
