Johansson wins stage 2 at Euskal Emakumeen Bira

Image 1 of 26

Emma Johansson (Wiggle High5) won her second consecutive stage at the Emakumeen Bira, this time winning stage 2 ahead of Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans) and Elisa Longo-Borgini (Wiggle High5). 

“It’s all a blur!” Johansson said in a team press release. “It was just aggressive racing for the last seven or eight K, and I was first around that last corner. You could feel that everyone was hurting, and I just thought I’d give my all up to the finish line and, if anyone came past me they’d have to be faster than me!

“Nobody came past, and Elisa was third. That was really important for the bonus seconds, but it also means that she’s third on GC too."

Johansson's victory bumped her up into the overall lead heading into the third stage, a 109.4km race in Berrialtua. Guarnier sits in second at 20 seconds back and Longo Borghini is 24 seconds back. Overnight leader Carmen Small (Cervélo-Bigla) finishing a group 28 seconds back.

Stage 2 offered the field a relatively flat 109km stage from Etxarri to Urkiola. There were, however, two climbs at the end of the stage that proved to be decisive. Johansson managed to gain a small gap on Guarnier over the last steep hill to the finish line.

Full Results