Guarnier wins final stage, Johansson overall at Euskal Emakumeen XXIX Bira

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Megan Guarnier won the final stage and a 10 second time bonus Sunday at Euskal Emakumeen XXIX Bira, but it wasn't enough to lift the American past Emma Johansson's overall lead.

Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans) won the rain-soaked stage ahead of Anna Solovey (Parkhotel Valkenburg) and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervélo-Bigla). Johansson (Wiggle High5) crossed the line in fifth place on the wheel of teammate Elisa Longo Borghini to talke her second overall victory in the race.

Guarnier finished the race second overall, followed Moolman-Pasio in third.

“It was a hard stage, but also a really wet one, so it was really difficult to control,” Johansson said. “I just had really good legs, and I’m just so thankful for the work that the girls have put out to keep me in yellow, and it just shows that everyone wanted it today. I’m still going back to yesterday - that was the most impressive teamwork - and then today to pull off the win after yesterday’s work. Today everyone was still a bit smashed from yesterday, but still managed to stay in yellow.”

A group of 17 riders, including multiple GC threats, got away late in the race but Johansson's team was able to keep the group close enough for Johnasson and Longo Borghini to jump across.

"I think we did a really good job,” Johansson said. “It was quite tough and we were both pretty tired, and we didn’t have a lot left for the stage victory. Obviously the GC was most important, and Evelyn Stevens [Boels-Dolmans] had some big attacks, especially one where I was stuck in the group and I couldn’t get out until she had a pretty big gap."

Moolman’s third place and four-second bonus was enough to nudge Longo Borghini out of third place by the smallest of margins.

“It would have been really nice to have Elisa up there on the podium, but it just came down to a second or something with Ashleigh,” Johansson said. “But I’m just so thankful for this week, and for this wing, here where it all started for me more than 10 years ago.

“The fact that it’s my last season, to finish it off in yellow is just amazing.”

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