OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 | Stage 5

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 | Stage 5, London – Boels Dolmans Express into Central London.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 Stage 5, London – Victory for Wiggle High5’s Jolien D’Hoore

Words by SweetSpot, Images by Chris Maher

Jolien D’hoore sprinted to victory on the streets of London as Katarzyna Niewiadoma held onto the OVO Energy Green Jersey to claim the overall victory in the OVO Energy Women’s Tour as it finished at the heart of the capital.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 | Stage 5, London – Final Sign-On for Kasia Niewiadoma!

The Polish National Champion won the opening stage in Northamptonshire, and has held the race lead ever since, finishing ahead of Luxembourg champion Christine Majerus and British Champion Hannah Barnes, who moved up to third overall thanks to bonus seconds on the final day.

“I’m super happy. I think that’s the only word that can describe my feelings,” said Niewiadoma after the race.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 | Stage 5, London – Race Start…

“At our first team meeting we said that we wanted to have a good race and that we wanted to fight for a good result. We knew that the first day was good for a bunch sprint; our strong bullet for it was Marianne [Vos]. All of us had opportunities; we could do whatever we wanted if felt we could. In that moment when I attacked I saw a small hill in front of me. I tried, nobody followed – I wanted somebody to join me – but I had no choice but to keep pushing!

In addition to her overall victory Niewiadoma also moved into the lead of the UCI Women’s WorldTour following the OVO Energy Women’s Tour, overtaking erstwhile leader Olympic Champion Anna van der Breggen.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 | Stage 5, London, Early breakaway with Boels Dolmans dominating.

Runner-up Christine Majerus added the Eisberg Sprints Jersey to the Wiggle Points Jersey, clinching the former after her and three Boels Dolmans team took the race by storm in London, forcing an eight-rider group clear that contested both intermediate Eisberg Sprints, handing Majerus the jersey and Barnes third overall.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 | Stage 5, London – The chase is on from Orica – Scott

That also gave Hannah the Adnams Best British Rider Jersey, at the end of a week long battle with her younger sister Alice, and coming 18-months on from a prolonged injury lay-off with a broken leg.

“It’s been a really hard week. Unfortunately we lost Ale [Alena Amialiusik] to a really bad crash on Stage Three so we only had five riders and yesterday’s stage was really hard, but it came back together, which helped us. I knew I pretty much had to win both intermediate sprints and place well in the sprint to finish on the podium today and I managed to do that.

“I’ve been working really hard and this was one of the big targets of the year for me. I’m pleased I came into it strongly. The first day I didn’t feel great, it felt like it was going to be a really bad five days. But it helps that I can ride into a stage race and I think my training going into the race has paid off.”

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 | Stage 5, London – All back together…

With an eye on the finish, Wiggle HIGH5 worked to bring the group back, reuniting the field with three laps to go and setting up a thrilling finish on Regent Street St James, with D’hoore heading home Barnes and Majerus.

“Every time it’s a bunch sprint there’s pressure on me. I had to deal with it; I think I can handle the expectation pretty well. We also had Giorgia Bronzini there for us; at the end of the stage she said the team were going for me. It’s great to win,” said Jolien D’hoore afterwards.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 | Stage 5, London – Lap Two

“The hammer went down from the start. We weren’t there in the move as a team so we had to chase it down. The girls did a lot of work, everybody was on their limit. Luckily we closed it down and it was up to me in the sprint.”

Audrey Cordon-Ragot won the SKODA Queen of the Mountains climb while Team Sunweb took the Team Classification, with their rider Lucinda Brand claiming the week’s combativity prize.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 | Stage 5, London – Breast Cancer Care Pink Ribbon Ride

Earlier in the day the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan had joined Breast Cancer Care ambassador Denise Lewis to wave away the Pink Ribbon Tour, which saw over 800-women riding 25-kilometres to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Breast Cancer Care’s pink ribbon.

Race Top Twenty stage 5

1 24 D’HOORE Jolien 00″ WHT BEL B:10″
2 73 BARNES Hannah ‘ ‘ LPR GBR B:12″
3 4 MAJERUS Christine ‘ ‘ DLT LUX B:08″
4 114 FOURNIER Roxane ‘ ‘ FDJ FRA
5 161 ARCHIBALD Katie ‘ ‘ WNT GBR
6 62 BASTIANELLI Marta ‘ ‘ ALE ITA
7 22 BRONZINI Giorgia ‘ ‘ WHT ITA
8 6 VAN DER BREGGEN Anna ‘ ‘ DLT NED
9 74 CECCHINI Elena ‘ ‘ LPR ITA
10 142 ARZUFFI Alice ‘ ‘ LWK ITA
11 104 MOBERG Emilie ‘ ‘ HPU NOR
12 61 HOSKING Chloe ‘ ‘ ALE AUS
13 134 INGHELBRECHT Sarah ‘ ‘ LWD BEL
14 25 FAHLIN Emilia ‘ ‘ WHT SWE
15 55 VAN DIJK Ellen ‘ ‘ SUN NED
16 52 KIRCHMANN Leah ‘ ‘ SUN CAN B:01″
17 91 KING Danielle ‘ ‘ CPC GBR
18 46 ROY Sarah ‘ ‘ ORS AUS
19 75 CROMWELL Tiffany ‘ ‘ LPR AUS
20 11 MOOLMAN-PASIO Ashleigh

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2017 | Stage 5, London, Adnams Best British, Hannah Barnes

General Classification after stage 5

1 34 NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna 00″ WM3 POL 16h34’53”
2 4 MAJERUS Christine 01’18” DLT LUX 16h36’11”
3 73 BARNES Hannah 01’30” LPR GBR 16h36’23”
4 52 KIRCHMANN Leah 01’36” SUN CAN 16h36’29”
5 55 VAN DIJK Ellen 01’39” SUN NED 16h36’32”
6 81 *BARNES Alice 01’47” DRP GBR 16h36’40”
7 11 MOOLMAN-PASIO Ashleigh 01’53” CBT RSA 16h36’46”
8 13 *LUDWIG Cecilie Uttrup 01’59” CBT DEN 16h36’52”
9 91 KING Danielle 02’00” CPC GBR 16h36’53”
10 21 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa 02’01” WHT ITA 16h36’54”
11 75 CROMWELL Tiffany 02’03” LPR AUS 16h36’56”
12 6 VAN DER BREGGEN Anna 02’07” DLT NED 16h37’00”
13 53 *MACKAIJ Floortje ‘ ‘ SUN NED ‘ ‘
14 14 *KLEIN Lisa 02’08” CBT GER 16h37’01”
15 133 DE VUYST Sofie 02’11” LWD BEL 16h37’04”
16 105 HEINE Vita ‘ ‘ HPU NOR ‘ ‘
17 63 ENSING Janneke ‘ ‘ ALE NED ‘ ‘
18 161 ARCHIBALD Katie 02’15” WNT GBR 16h37’08”
19 111 GILLOW Shara ‘ ‘ FDJ AUS ‘ ‘
20 93 JASINSKA Malgorzata 02’17” CPC POL 16h37’10”
21 5 PIETERS Amy 02’24” DLT NED 16h37’17”
22 71 BRENNAUER Lisa 02’35” LPR GER 16h37’28”
23 166 GRINCZER Natalie 02’42” WNT GBR 16h37’35”
24 2 BLAAK Chantal 02’46” DLT NED 16h37’39”
25 23 CORDON RAGOT Audrey 02’47” WHT FRA 16h37’40”
26 44 *MANLY Alexandra 03’09” ORS AUS 16h38’02”
27 26 LICHTENBERG Claudia 03’43” WHT GER 16h38’36”
28 41 ELVIN Gracie 03’49” ORS AUS 16h38’42”
29 76 WORRACK Trixi 03’53” LPR GER 16h38’46”
30 74 CECCHINI Elena 04’07”