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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay first ever Welsh stage – won by Lotta Lepistö

Coryn Rivera wins 2018 OVO Energy Women’s Tour as Lotta Lepistö claims Welsh finale

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Overall Podium Winners

Team Sunweb’s Coryn Rivera became the fifth different winner of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour as she finished Sunday’s first-ever Welsh stage into Colwyn Bay – won by Lotta Lepistö (Cervélo-Bigla) – safely within the bunch.

Lepistö, who previously won the race’s final stage in 2016, out-sprinted Giorgia Broznini (Cylance Pro Cycling), overall runner-up Marianne Vos (WaowDeals Pro Cycling) and Marta Bastianelli (Alé Cipollini) on the Welsh seaside town’s Promenade.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Dani Rowe survives despite pain in her knee to finish the OVO WT and 3rd place overall.

Despite crashing heavily during Saturday’s fourth stage, Vos’ team-mate Dani Rowe finished the 122-kilometre stage in the front group to maintain her third place on GC. She trailed Rivera by 25 seconds, while Vos ended up being just 11 seconds shy of the overall victory.

“Being in the leader’s jersey is all about being in control, having everything cool and under control,” said Rivera following her first UCI Women’s WorldTour stage race victory. “The girls and I did really well at that. We set a really good pace on the climbs, there were a few attacks but eventually they came back.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – OVO Energy Winner 2018 Coryn Rivera

“I’m really proud to have taken the win, the jersey belongs to the whole team.”
Commenting on the victory for Team Sunweb, coach Hans Timmermans added: “We can be super proud of the team. What they showed today and through the whole week is out-standing. They controlled the whole race and paced on the climbs; they were so strong that no one could attack. It’s really amazing and the win can only be for the whole team, they were super strong and executed the plan to perfection in the end.”

The stage once again boiled down to a sprint, albeit from a significantly reduced peloton, with Finnish national champion Lepistö coming out on top.

A number of riders had tried to escape in early moves as the race headed through Gwynedd in overcast conditions but none were a significant threat to the overall lead of Rivera, as Team Sunweb continued to control the race.

Team WNT Rotor Pro Cycling’s Natalie Grinczer won the daily Combativity Award.

Lucinda Brand of the Dutch team led the race over the first SKODA Queen of the Mountains climb at Bwlch-y-Maen, while former World Road Race Champion Marta Bastianelli (Alé Cipollini) was first to the top of the day’s main climb at Nant Gwynant below Snowdon.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Stage Winner – Lotta Lepistö

A select group of five, containing Rivera, Sunweb team-mate Brand, Amy Pieters, last year’s winner Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM) and SKODA Queen of the Mountains Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle HIGH5) went clear with 20 kilometres remaining, but were reeled approaching Deganwy following the efforts of the WaowDeals team of Vos and Dani Rowe, who had missed the move.

“Today there was nothing to lose,” said Lepistö following her second OVO Energy Women’s Tour win – her previous victory came in 2016’s final stage into Kettering. “We gave everything on the road and ended up with the victory, so I’m even more happy than yesterday [when she finished second in Worcester] . There was a strong wind; it was a hectic final because no one really wanted to be in the front and use their best power.”

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay

Finishing third overall – her best-ever finishing position in the OVO Energy Women’s Tour – and the Adnams Best British Rider was Dani Rowe, whose WaowDeals Pro Cycling team also took the team prize in the race.

“I feel really proud to be a part of this team. It’s been a really special week,” said Rowe who was suffering the effects of injury following a late crash approaching Worcester during Stage Four on Saturday. “I was suffering out the saddle so I just tried to conserve as much energy as possible, riding on the drops up the climb to be as aero as possible and stay in contact with the bunch. After that I got more and more confident that I would be there at the finish. Marianne went for the intermediate sprint to help defend my third place from the two Boels [Dolmans] girls who were just three seconds behind me.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay- Adnams Best British Rider – Dani Rowe

“I had my doubts [getting over the two SKODA Queen of the Mountain climbs], but my team and team-mates didn’t. They believed in me. When I survived the two climbs there was a big chance that it would end in the sprint so I tried to focus on it and try my best.”

In addition to the overall title, Rivera also took the Eisberg Sprints Jersey, while Vos kept hold of the Breast Cancer Care Points Jersey that she took on Stage Four. Longo Borghini confirmed her hold on the SKODA Queen of the Mountains climbers’ jersey, with Maaike Boogaard (BTC City Ljubljana) taking the race’s Overall Combativity Award.

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Maaike Boogaard (BTC City Ljubljana) Combativity Award

Speaking after the stage finish, Councillor Louise Emery, Conwy County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development said: “What a fantastic finish to the UK’s leading international stage-race for women, congratulations to Lotta Lepistö on winning the Welsh stage, and to Coryn Rivera on winning the 2018 Tour.

“Today once again highlights Conwy County is the right environment for great events, which are a Corporate Priority as laid out in the Events Strategy 2018-2022.

Congratulations to race organisers SweetSpot again on the OVO Energy Women’s Tour and thank you for the worldwide media coverage.”

Words by Sweetspot, Images by Chris Maher

The Women’s Tour Official Site

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay Stage Winner Lotta Lepistö (Cervélo-Bigla)

Stage Winner 35 LEPISTÖ Lotta Pauliina Cervelo – Bigla Pro Cycling Team FIN

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Combativity Award Natalie Grinczer

Combativity award 124 GRINCZER Natalie Wnt Rotor Pro Cycling Team

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay, GC: 1st Coryn Rivera, 2nd Marianne Vos & 3rd Dani Rowe

General Classification Winner OVO ENERGY 21 RIVERA Coryn Team Sunweb USA

Second in General Classification 101 VOS Marianne Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team NED

Third in General Classification 105 ROWE Danielle Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team GBR

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Breast Cancer Care Points – Marianne Vos

Points BREAST CANCER CARE 101 VOS Marianne Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team NED

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Skoda Queen of the Mountains – Elisa Longo Borghini

Queen of the Mountains SKODA 55 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa Wiggle High5 ITA

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Eisberg Sprints Jersey, Coryn Rivera

Sprints EISBERG 21 RIVERA Coryn Team Sunweb USA

Best British ADNAMS 105 ROWE Danielle Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team GBR

Best Team OVO ENERGY Waowdeals Pro Cycling TeamWAD

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay Overall Combativity Award Maaike Boogaard (BTC City Ljubljana)

Overall Combativity 143 BOOGAARD Maaike Btc City Ljubljana

Stage 5 Top Thirty – 122.6Kms

1 35 LEPISTÖ Lotta Pauliina 00″ CBT FIN B:10″
2 61 BRONZINI Giorgia ‘ ‘ CPC ITA B:06″
3 101 VOS Marianne ‘ ‘ WAD NED B:06″
4 82 BASTIANELLI Marta ‘ ‘ ALE ITA
5 41 FOURNIER Roxane ‘ ‘ FDJ FRA
6 56 WILD Kirsten ‘ ‘ WHT NED
7 76 ROY Sarah ‘ ‘ MTS AUS
8 21 RIVERA Coryn ‘ ‘ SUN USA B:03″
9 14 MAJERUS Christine ‘ ‘ DLT LUX B:01″
10 6 *KLEIN Lisa ‘ ‘ CSR GER
11 22 BRAND Lucinda ‘ ‘ SUN NED
12 2 BARNES Hannah ‘ ‘ CSR GBR
13 141 BUJAK Eugenia ‘ ‘ BTC SLO
14 135 PENTON Sara ‘ ‘ TVC SWE
15 91 BUURMAN Eva ‘ ‘ DRP NED
16 116 HEINE Vita ‘ ‘ HPU NOR
17 105 ROWE Danielle ‘ ‘ WAD GBR
18 86 PALADIN Soraya ‘ ‘ ALE ITA
19 46 SLIK Rozanne ‘ ‘ FDJ NED
20 11 BLAAK Chantal ‘ ‘ DLT NED
21 62 *ERIC Jelena ‘ ‘ CPC SRB
22 55 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa ‘ ‘ WHT ITA
23 5 FERRAND PREVOT Pauline ‘ ‘ CSR FRA
24 33 HANSELMANN Nicole ‘ ‘ CBT SUI
25 145 *IAKOVENKO Anastasiia ‘ ‘ BTC RUS
26 94 *PARKINSON Abby-Mae ‘ ‘ DRP GBR
27 15 PIETERS Amy ‘ ‘ DLT NED
28 115 LORVIK Ingrid ‘ ‘ HPU NOR
29 106 STULTIENS Sabrina ‘ ‘ WAD NED
30 125 PILOTE-FORTIN Gabrielle ‘ ‘ WNT CAN
31 36 *LUDWIG Cecilie Uttrup ‘ ‘ DEN

General Classification after Stage 5

1 21 RIVERA Coryn 00″ SUN USA 17h52’36”
2 101 VOS Marianne 11″ WAD NED 17h52’47”
3 105 ROWE Danielle 25″ WAD GBR 17h53’01”
4 14 MAJERUS Christine 27″ DLT LUX 17h53’03”
5 15 PIETERS Amy 28″ DLT NED 17h53’04”
6 55 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa 32″ WHT ITA 17h53’08”
7 141 BUJAK Eugenia 33″ BTC SLO 17h53’09”
8 91 BUURMAN Eva 34″ DRP NED 17h53’10”
9 5 FERRAND PREVOT Pauline ‘ ‘ CSR FRA ‘ ‘
10 106 STULTIENS Sabrina ‘ ‘ WAD NED ‘ ‘
11 145 *IAKOVENKO Anastasiia ‘ ‘ BTC RUS ‘ ‘
12 26 VAN DIJK Ellen ‘ ‘ SUN NED ‘ ‘
13 86 PALADIN Soraya ‘ ‘ ALE ITA ‘ ‘
14 4 AMIALIUSIK Alena ‘ ‘ CSR BLR ‘ ‘
15 61 BRONZINI Giorgia 37″ CPC ITA 17h53’13”
16 76 ROY Sarah 39″ MTS AUS 17h53’15”
17 36 *LUDWIG Cecilie Uttrup 48″ CBT DEN 17h53’24”
18 41 FOURNIER Roxane 49″ FDJ FRA 17h53’25”
19 43 DUVAL Eugénie ‘ ‘ FDJ FRA ‘ ‘
20 1 NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna 50″ CSR POL 17h53’26”
21 11 BLAAK Chantal 51″ DLT NED 17h53’27”
22 142 BATAGELJ Polona ‘ ‘ BTC SLO ‘ ‘
23 64 RATTO Rossella ‘ ‘ CPC ITA ‘ ‘
24 83 ENSING Janneke ‘ ‘ ALE NED ‘ ‘
25 12 *DIDERIKSEN Amalie 57″ DLT DEN 17h53’33”
26 22 BRAND Lucinda 01’07” SUN NED 17h53’43”
27 6 *KLEIN Lisa ‘ ‘ CSR GER ‘ ‘
28 94 *PARKINSON Abby-Mae ‘ ‘ DRP GBR ‘ ‘
29 115 LORVIK Ingrid ‘ ‘ HPU NOR ‘ ‘
30 51 BRENNAUER Lisa 01’12

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Chasing Peloton arrives across the finish line.
Facts & Figures

Year – Overall – Distance – No Stages – Total ascent in M – Average speed Kmph

2018 678km 5 TBC –
2017 627.9km 5 7,920m 37.861km/h
2016 621.1km 5 7,391m 38.781km/h
2015 596.2km 5 0000m 39.577km/h
2014 498.9km 5 0000m 39.231km/h

82 girls completed the 2018 OVO Energy Women’s Tour out of 102 starters.

The OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey only changed hands twice, Jolien D’Hoore winning stage 1, with Coryn Rivera taking over in stage 2.

The race is a part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour for the third successive year and was one of the founding events of the new global calendar.

The UCI Women’s WorldTour visits 10 countries around the world, including 23 different events and 52 days of racing for the world’s top riders.

Two teams will be making their OVO Energy Women’s Tour debut in 2018 – Storey Racing and Valcar PBM.

The four former winners are – Kasie Niewiadoma (2017), Lizzie Deignan (2016), Lisa Brennauer (2015) and Marianne Vos (2014).

Keep up-to-date with the Women’s Tour Here

OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Kasia Niewiadoma
OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2018 | Stage 5 – Dolgellau to Colwyn Bay – Champage Podium for Marianne Vos, Coryn Rivera & Dani Rowe
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