{"id":7892,"date":"2019-06-10T22:15:53","date_gmt":"2019-06-10T22:15:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chrismaher.co.uk\/?p=7892"},"modified":"2019-06-10T23:35:09","modified_gmt":"2019-06-10T23:35:09","slug":"ovo-energy-womens-tour-2019-stage-1-beccles-to-stowmarket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrismaher.co.uk\/?p=7892","title":{"rendered":"OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1 Beccles to Stowmarket"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jolien D\u2019hoore wins Suffolk opener for OVO Energy Women\u2019s Tour<\/h3>\n
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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1, Beccles to Stowmarket. 157Kms… Stage Winner & OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey Wearer, Jolien D’Hoore, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Belgian rider Jolien D\u2019hoore sprinted to victory on the opening day of the OVO Energy Women\u2019s Tour in Suffolk for the second year running, leading a Boels Dolmans Cycling Team one-two across the line after a testing day in gruelling conditions.<\/p>\n

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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1, Beccles to Stowmarket. 157Kms… Stage Winner & OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey Wearer, Jolien D’Hoore, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

D\u2019hoore, winner in Southwold 12 month ago, led home Dutch team-mate Amy Pieters in Stowmarket to take the first OVO Energy green jersey of this year\u2019s race.<\/p>\n

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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1, Beccles to Stowmarket. 157Kms… Stage Winner & OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey Wearer, Jolien D’Hoore, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The pair were at the head of the peloton that chased down British rider Abby-Mae Parkinson (Drops) who held a one and a half minute lead as the race passed through Stowmarket for the first time, with WNT ROTOR\u2019S Lisa Brennauer taking third.<\/p>\n

Parkinson\u2019s reward for her efforts that brought the finish crowds in Stowmarket to life on a rain soaked stage was the first Wahooligan Combativity Award of the week. The Drops rider crossed the finish line 67th, while team-mate Ellie Dickinson was the leading British rider on the stage, finishing 12th.<\/p>\n

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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1, Beccles to Stowmarket. 157Kms… Stage Winner & OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey Wearer, Jolien D’Hoore, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking afterwards, D\u2019hoore said, \u201cIt was a pretty good day for us, I\u2019m feeling alright, I did Bira two weeks ago and then straight after Th\u00fcringen, it\u2019s pretty hard but now I\u2019m feeling pretty good and it was pretty hard and I\u2019m happy I could show it today with the stage win. The team was really strong, and they brought me actually to the perfect position going into the sprint and they dropped me off at 150 to go and Amy Pieters got second herself, so it really proves that we are a strong team here.\u201d<\/p>\n

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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1, Beccles to Stowmarket. 157Kms… Stage Winner & OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey Wearer, Jolien D’Hoore, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having now taken three of her four stage wins in the OVO Energy Women\u2019s Tour in the East of England, the Belgian continued, \u201cI think I like Suffolk now. It\u2019s really nice and also last year was the first stage so there\u2019s the advantage of having all the jerseys now, so I really like it and today a bunch sprint was expected and I am happy it was this way.\u201d<\/p>\n

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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1, Beccles to Stowmarket. 157Kms… Stage Winner & OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey Wearer, Jolien D’Hoore, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In addition to the race lead, D\u2019hoore also takes the initial lead in the Breast Cancer Care Points Jersey, while Boels Dolmans team-mate Christine Majerus leads the SKODA Queen of the Mountains Jersey.<\/p>\n

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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1, Beccles to Stowmarket. 157Kms… Stage Winner & OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey Wearer, Jolien D’Hoore, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Defending champion Coryn Rivera (Team Sunweb) began her campaign by taking the Eisberg Sprints jersey on day one and with it six seconds of time bonuses.<\/p>\n

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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1, Beccles to Stowmarket. 157Kms… Stage Winner & OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey Wearer, Jolien D’Hoore, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stage Winner 23 D’HOORE Jolien Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
\nCombativity award Wahooligan 85 PARKINSON Abby-Mae Drops
\nGeneral Classification OVO ENERGY 23 D’HOORE Jolien Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
\nPoints BREAST CANCER CARE 23 D’HOORE Jolien Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
\nQueen of the Mountains SKODA 25 MAJERUS Christine Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
\nSprints EISBERG 1 RIVERA Coryn Team Sunweb
\nBest British HSBC UK British Cycling 82 DICKINSON Eleanor Drops
\nBest Team OVO ENERGY Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam<\/p>\n

Once more the OVO Energy Women\u2019s Tour will offer prize money parity with the men\u2019s Tour of Britain, thanks to award winning independent energy supplier OVO Energy, the title sponsors for a third edition of the race.<\/p>\n

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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1, Beccles to Stowmarket. 157Kms… Stage Winner & OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey Wearer, Jolien D’Hoore, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Highlights of Stage One will be shown on ITV4 at 20:00 on Monday 10 June with a repeat at 06:25 on Tuesday 11 June on the same channel. Programmes will be available on demand via the ITV Hub catch up service and via Eurosport in the UK and around the world.<\/p>\n

Cyclopark will make OVO Energy Women\u2019s Tour history this June as it hosts the race\u2019s first-ever Kent stage.<\/p>\n

Outlining the race\u2019s support for existing cycle infrastructure in Great Britain, the world\u2019s best riders will tackle a 62.5-kilometre (25-lap) kermesse around the Gravesend circuit on Tuesday 11 June \u2013 day two of the 2019 race.<\/p>\n

This stage will see Kent play host to its biggest international sporting event since the 2007 Tour de France Grand Depart, which was delivered in part by SweetSpot Group,<\/p>\n

Words by Sweetspot, Images by Chris Maher<\/p>\n

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OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019 | Stage 1, Beccles to Stowmarket. 157Kms… Stage Winner & OVO Energy Green Leaders Jersey Wearer, Jolien D’Hoore, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Stages<\/strong><\/p>\n