photo credits @ UCI and Cylance Pro Cycling
The UCI Women’s WorldTour welcomed another new individual classification leader after Annemiek van Vleuten won the Boels Ladies Tour in the Netherlands. The UCI Time Trial World Champion won the prologue, the final day individual time trial and the race’s first road stage, despite briefly going off course.
The Dutch Mitchelton Scott rider didn’t have it all her own way, however, with home squad Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam winning the three remaining stages.
Former UCI Road World Champion Amalie Dideriksen won two of those: stage three after being led out by Grand Prix de Plouay-Lorient Agglomération WNT winner Amy Pieters, and stage four after surfing the wheels before the bunch sprint.
Current UCI Road World Champion Chantal Blaak then signed off her time in the rainbow jersey by winning stage five solo at the Tom Dumoulin Bike Park in Sittard.
After racing aggressively in the Netherlands, Sofia Betizzolo (Astana Women’s Team) continues to lead the Youth standings.
Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam’s lead in the team classification has been eroded to 429 points with Van Vleuten’s Mitchelton Scott closing in.
What’s next? –
Saturday, September 15 – Sunday, September 16, Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta (Spain)
– Focus on Omer Shapira –
Israeli Road Race Champion Omer Shapira stole the Boels Ladies Tour headlines after a courageous solo breakaway. Hoping others would come with her, the 23-year-old escaped very early on stage four and was only caught after riding alone for 103km.
After starting her international career in 2014, last year Shapira raced with Giusfredi Bianchi, finishing 36th in general classification at the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile at her first attempt.
Since joining Cylance Pro Cycling for the 2018 season, she has recorded several top ten results. In June Shapira became Israeli National Road Race Champion for the second consecutive year, and last week she again showcased her talent with a national time trial silver medal.
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