Aviva Women’s Tour Leaders Yellow Jersey changes hand for the third time in as many days! World Champion Lizzie Armitstead pulls on the Leaders Jersey going into Stage Four from Nottingham.
Aviva Women's Tour 2016 Stage Three, Ashbourne to Chesterfield 112.6Kms.
Lizzie Armitstead is the third rider to pull on the Yellow Jersey in the Aviva Women’s Tour 2016 on stage three from Ashbourne to Chesterfield after catching the breakaway over the top of the Bank Road, Matlock, Queen-of-the-Mountain climb then attacking on the final run into the finish with Moolman [Ashleigh], Spratt [Amanda] and Borghini [Elisa].
The shortest stage, but the toughest so far for the eighty-eight starters as the Tour ventured the furthest North so-far to Buxton through the Peak District before heading East to on their one-hundred-and-nine kilometer journey.
A decisive move on the run-up to the infamous Bank Road climb saw an eleven ride group with a one-forty-one lead from the bottom approach including Strava Queen-of-the-Mountain jersey holder American Katie Hall and Britain’s Hannah Barnes.
Moolman attacked from the bottom, with Borghini and Armitstead reacting from the chasing group.
Bridging across steadily in a controlled effort Armitstead joined towards the top of the climb where all three worked together to close-down the lead.
The fourteen-girl lead group didn’t last long before attacks started. Armitstead went drawing the strongest out Spratt, Borghini and Moolman. The four riders were left to contest the final few-hundred-meters over the cobbles in Chesterfield.
Vos back in the main group swept the breakaway up before reaching Chesterfield and took the bunch sprint, fighting for every second all the way to the line, some thirty-six-seconds back.
Stage Result Top Twenty
1 21 ARMITSTEAD Elizabeth 00″ DLT GBR B:10″
2 83 MOOLMAN-PASIO Ashleigh ‘ ‘ CBT RSA B:06″
3 15 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa ‘ ‘ WHT ITA B:04″
4 71 SPRATT Amanda 03″ OGE AUS
5 91 VOS Marianne 36″ RBW NED B:03″
6 23 *DIDERIKSEN Amalie ‘ ‘ DLT DEN
7 42 KIRCHMANN Leah ‘ ‘ TLP CAN B:02″
8 13 BRONZINI Giorgia ‘ ‘ WHT ITA
9 1 BRENNAUER Lisa ‘ ‘ LPR GER
10 16 PIETERS Amy ‘ ‘ WHT NED
11 26 MAJERUS Christine ‘ ‘ DLT LUX B:01″
12 154 KITCHEN Lauren ‘ ‘ HPU AUS
13 63 *DUVAL Eugénie ‘ ‘ FUT FRA
14 11 JOHANSSON Emma ‘ ‘ WHT SWE
15 34 JASINSKA Malgorzata ‘ ‘ ALE POL
16 14 KING Danielle ‘ ‘ WHT GBR
17 104 POST Jermaine ‘ ‘ PHV NED P:20″
18 43 *MACKAIJ Floortje ‘ ‘ TLP NED
19 3 *BARNES Hannah ‘ ‘ LPR GBR
20 155 HEINE Vita ‘ ‘
General Classification Top Twenty
1 21 ARMITSTEAD Elizabeth 00″ DLT GBR 9h55’59”
2 83 MOOLMAN-PASIO Ashleigh 05″ CBT RSA 9h56’04”
3 15 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa 07″ WHT ITA 9h56’06”
4 71 SPRATT Amanda 14″ OGE AUS 9h56’13”
5 91 VOS Marianne 27″ RBW NED 9h56’26”
6 26 MAJERUS Christine 32″ DLT LUX 9h56’31”
7 16 PIETERS Amy 37″ WHT NED 9h56’36”
8 42 KIRCHMANN Leah 41″ TLP CAN 9h56’40”
9 1 BRENNAUER Lisa ‘ ‘ LPR GER ‘ ‘
10 13 BRONZINI Giorgia 43″ WHT ITA 9h56’42”
11 72 ELVIN Gracie 44″ OGE AUS 9h56’43”
12 11 JOHANSSON Emma 47″ WHT SWE 9h56’46”
13 43 *MACKAIJ Floortje ‘ ‘ TLP NED ‘ ‘
14 5 CROMWELL Tiffany ‘ ‘ LPR AUS ‘ ‘
15 14 KING Danielle ‘ ‘ WHT GBR ‘ ‘
16 34 JASINSKA Malgorzata ‘ ‘ ALE POL ‘ ‘
17 24 VAN DIJK Ellen ‘ ‘ DLT NED ‘ ‘
18 4 CECCHINI Elena ‘ ‘ LPR ITA ‘ ‘
19 25 HARRIS Nikki ‘ ‘ DLT GBR ‘ ‘
20 2 AMIALIUSIK Alena ‘ ‘
Roll of Honor after Stage 3
General classification Aviva
21 ARMITSTEAD Elizabeth Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam GBR
Points Chain Reaction Cycles
91 VOS Marianne Raboliv Womencyclingteam NED
Queen of the mountain Strava
53 HALL Katharine Unitedhealthcare Pro Women Team USA
Best British Adnams
21 ARMITSTEAD Elizabeth Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam GBR
Best young Stoke-onTrent European City of Sports
43 MACKAIJ Floortje Team Liv – Plantur NED
Best Team Aviva Wiggle High
Race Reaction from the Stage Winner, Lizzie Armitstead
Armitstead: Going into the race our plan was we wanted a girl in the front group and I would jump across on that climb [Bank Road, Matlock].
We knew Moolman [Ashleigh] would probably be aggressive, cos she has been in previous races and shes got a kick. So we expected her to launch an attack. I didn’t expect it to go from the bottom! But she did.
I had a good lead-out from Ellen [Van Dyke] and Christine [Majerus] right into the bottom of the climb, so I was really well positioned.
I didn’t follow Ashleigh’s attack initially because I thought if I follow that acceleration, I’d blow-up.
I knew from peoples advice that it was a long steep climb, so I held them at twenty meters and crawled my way back up to them and got over the top with them. Then it was a bit of a slog to get up to the breakaway.
When I arrived, Chantal [Blaak] did some more work on the front and took us as far as she could.
I attacked them to bring the strongest girls in the race away, that was the idea!
Listen to the full post race interview with Lizzie on Cycling Shorts here.
Queen of the Mountains Katie Hall chats after stage three. Listen here on Cycling Shorts.
