Yara Kastelijn took her first first overall win in a WorldTour stage race on Sunday, winning the the closing stage of the four-day Vuelta a Burgos Feminas.
The Fenix-Premier Tech rider had escaped a group of general classification riders with Évita Muzic (FDJ United-SUEZ) early on the brutal final climb of Lagunas de Neila. She then allowed the French woman to lead for much of the climb, before attacking with 1.2km to go, soloing to victory.
Muzic finished second, while Usoa Ostolaza (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) was third, both taking the same positions on GC.
All three women had started the day as part of a group of 15 women all within 25 seconds, so the climb was always likely to decide the general classification. The day's breakaway was caught by a reduced bunch as the final climb began, the group further whittled down as Muzic's FDJ United-SUEZ team mates set the pace.
Muzic, who has been with the French squad her entire professional career, and won their first ever WorldTour race, then set the pace all the way up the climb, distancing all but Kastelijn, before the Dutchwoman made her race winning move.
"Muzic set a really high pace and I just tried to follow, I did the same last week in Itzulia with Neidermaier," Kastelijn said.
"I saw three kilometres and it looks quite short, but it's still quite long, so I waited until 2km when it was a bit less steep and I could go with more speed, and then I had a gap and it was full gas to the finish.
"I felt really strong last week and also yesterday and today and it was a long time ago that I won a race, so I really wanted to [win], I was so close last week, so it was extra motivation to take the win today.
"I was a bit disappointed yesterday that I couldn't follow when Bredewold went, but I knew that I could climb a bit stronger than her, so I just kept believing that I could make a gap."
The first three days of the race were dominated by SD Worx-Protime who, after a slightly dodgy classics season, seem to have nailed their stage racing strategy. Rather than challenging for the general classification, the Dutch squad sent their sprint team, led by Lorena Wiebes, hoping to home her form ahead of next week's Giro d'Italia Women. Wiebes duly delivered, winning the opening two stages with convincing sprints, making her the favourite to take the maglia rosa in Saluzzo next Saturday.
With two ascents of a steep climb around the finish town, stage 3 might have been slightly too tough for Wiebes who ended up third, leading home group of 14 of mainly GC riders, behind her team mate, Mischa Bredewold who took the victory.
After winning a stage of the Vuelta Femenina a fortnight ago and taking the GC at Itzulia Women last week, Bredewold won a two-up sprint after bridging from a small group to the lone leader.
RESULTS
VUELTA A BURGOS FEMINAS
1. Yara Kastelijn (Ned) Fenix-Premier Tech, in 13:20:14
2. Évita Muzic (Fra) FDJ UNited-SUEZ, +16s
3. Usoa Ostolaza (Esp) Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi, +24s
4. Mereia Benito (Esp) AG Insurance-Soudal, +34s
5. Mischa Bredewold (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, +39s
6. Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Lidl-Trek, +1:03
7. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Lidl-Trek, s.t.
8. Cédrine Kerbaol (Fra) EF Education-Oatley, +1:14
9. Nadia Gontova (Can) Liv AlUla Jayco, s.t.
10. Maud Oudeman (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike, +1:31