Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) won stage 2 of the Itzulia Women, taking the first WorldTour victory of her career.
She just held off Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime) who sprinted from the chasing group and just passed Włodarczyk's late attack companion Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) to take second place and defend the leader's jersey.
After the peloton was split on the Aretxabalgane climb, a group of 24 riders started the last unclassified climb together. Van Anrooij launched the decisive attack 6.9km from the finish, and Włodarczyk jumped after her. The 25-year-old Polish rider briefly dropped Van Anrooij over the top of the climb, but the 24-year-old Dutchwoman returned very quickly, and they then traded turns until the finishing straight.
With the chase group closing quickly and Bredewold going for a long sprint, Włodarczyk just held off the yellow jersey to win the stage.
"I really wanted to perform well in the Ardennes Classics but caught a virus. So I came here with only one and a half weeks of training. I am really happy and surprised by my shape right now. Today, I had nothing to lose. I tried and I won, and I still cannot believe it," said Włodarczyk at the finish.
"I had in my mind that there is an uncategorised climb 7km from the finish line. I wanted to try there. Then, on the left side, I saw Shirin starting to attack and was like, 'OK, now or never'. I followed her wheel, and then suddenly I had really good legs. I had no idea where they came from because I had crashed early on the stage."
Włodarczyk moved up to sixth overall but would not make any commitments regarding the GC.
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