Villumsen heads GreenEdge-AIS 1-2 finish in time trial

Linda Villumsen took her first time trial win of the season as she powered to victory in the third stage of Emakumeen Euskal Bira. Posting a time of 18:21 over the 13.4km course, the silver medalist at the 2012 time trial world championships finished three seconds faster than teammate and reigning time trial world champion Judith Arndt. Ellen Van Dijk (Specialized-lululemon) rounded out the podium, six seconds behind Villumsen.

"It's difficult to make a plan for a time trial," said Villumsen, when asked how she moderated her efforts on the undulating course. "You just go as fast as you can. I don't think about how other people will ride the course. It makes no difference. It only matters how I ride. I go as fast I can from start to finish."

The time trial tightened an already close battle for general classification supremacy as overnight leader Emma Pooley (AA Drink-Leontien.nl), fourth on the stage, now holds just a slender one second lead over Arndt. Emma Johansson (Hitec Products-Mistral Home) is third overall at eight seconds.

Only one stage remains, Sunday's 116km parcours from Orduña to Iurreta, featuring three classified climbs. The summit of the final climb, the category 2-rated Alto Duna, is situated just nine kilometres from the finish. From the summit of the Alto Duna the peloton will then descend to the finish in Iurreta.

"We'll have a team meeting tonight and make our plan," said Villumsen. "We'll come up with something good, I'm sure. We are in a position to challenge for the overall now, and that has always been our goal."