Marianne Vos takes overall Women’s Tour lead after winning stage two at the Kent Cyclopark

Unaffected by a late bike change, Marianne Vos won the second stage of the Women’s Tour, propelling herself into the overall leader’s jersey. The former multiple world champion’s sprint was far too powerful with clear air between her and her rivals as she crossed the line.

Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) proved the snap she had been missing in her legs is on its way back by finishing second, with Australian Sarah Roy (Mitchelton-Scott) finishing third.

The closing lap had been chaotic, with many riders vying for position as they tackled the technical closing kilometre, and Vos found herself in the right place to open her sprint late on. With a technical finish and another bunch likely on stage three the gap she created when she opened up will doubtless put fear into her rivals as the race develops. 

Both Vos and Deignan had been active earlier in the 65km criterium style stage at the Kent Cyclopark. Both had raced for the bonus seconds which were available from the three intermediate sprints over the length of the 25 lap event.

The bonuses the pair collected in the stage not only pushed Vos into the race lead, but also saw Deignan finish the day in second overall, making up more than the four seconds she lost on Monday’s opening stage.

How it happened

Despite the stage’s unusual criterium format, the race relaxed into the the event’s time honoured routine, with those riders hoping for overall victory competing for the bonus seconds.

The moment the race began Canyon-SRAM are on the front with first Alice Barnes, then Elena Cecchini attacking. The Italian battled hard and was off the front for some time though she was caught as the laps ticked down to the first of three intermediate sprints.

Vos won that one, with Deignan hot on her heels. Though the Dutchwoman did not feature in the remaining sprints, partly due to a puncture, Deignan bagged two more seconds in the final intermediate to add to the six she earned from her stage placing.

With the middle sprint won by Movistar’s former Spanish champion Shayla Gutierrez, the entire stage was based the primes which came after 10, 15 and 20 laps, and no escapes  were allowed to get away, despite the odd attempt.

The race was far from negative though, the average speed of just under 40kmh skewed downwards by the low pace in the opening laps when Cecchini was up the road.

The race now heads to Oxfordshire for the first time in its six year history. Stage three begins in Henley-on-Thames taking in two early classified  climbs before heading north to Blenheim Palace where a technical finish could well suit Vos once again.

Result

OVO Energy Women’s Tour, stage two Kent Cyclopark (65km)

1. Marianne Vos (Ned) CCC-Liv, in 1-34-17

2. Lizzie Deignan (Gbr) Trek-Segafredo

3. Sarah Roy (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott

4. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon-SRAM

5. Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Virtu

6. Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Valcar-Cylance

7. Coryn Rivera (USA) Sunweb

8. Roxanne Fournier (Fra) Movistar

9. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Trek-Segafredo

10. Liane Lippert (Ger) Sunweb, all at same time

General classification after stage two

1. Marianne Vos (Ned) CCC-Liv, in 5-34—14

2. Lizzie Deignan (Gbr) Trek-Segafredo, at 9 seconds

3. Amy Pieters (Ned) Boels-Dolmans, at same time

4. Coryn Rivera (USA) Sunweb, at 10 seconds

5. Sarah Roy (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at 11 seconds

6. Lisa Brennauer (Ger) WNT-Rotor, at same time

7. Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Valcar-Cylance, at 15 seconds

8. Roxanne Fournier (Fra) Movistar

9. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon-SRAM

10. Liane Lippert (Ger) Sunweb, all at same time