Emma Norsgaard wins Festival Elsy Jacobs

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Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) secured her second consecutive win and the overall title at Festival Elsy Jacobs on Sunday. Norsgaard won the stage 2 reduced bunch sprint ahead of Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team) and Sofia Bertizzolo (Liv Racing) in Garnich.

Norsgaard went into the three-day race having numerous podium performances through this season, but no victories. It was a successful event for the Danish sprinter, who not only won two stages and the overall title, but also won the points classification and the best young rider classification.

"I’m so happy for this overall victory! I’m so happy to have chosen to join this team last year, and they are working so good for me since the very start of the season, it’s so impressive. I’m so, so proud, both of myself and the whole team," Norsgaard said.

How it unfolded

Stage 2 closed out the Festival Elsy Jacobs with a 105.3-kilometre race that started and finished in Garnich on Sunday. The peloton began on a 61.3-kilometre loop, followed by five laps of an 8.8-kilometre circuit in Garnich. There were also four GPM ascents for points during the race which made for an explosive finale to the three-day event.

Over the first mountain at Avenue de Mersch (1.4km at 7.3 per cent) it was Thalita de Jong (Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire) who took full points ahead of Kathrin Hammes (Ceratizit-WNT), both who were part of the previous day’s decisive move, and then with Julie van de Velde (Jumbo-Visma) taking third.

Over the second mountain pass at Croisement Rue de Nospelt (1.6km at 4.4 per cent) it was Mischa Bredewold (Parkhotel Valkenburg), who had broken away from the peloton. The next over the top were De Jong and then Hammes for the remaining points.

Bredewold pushed her lead out to 30 seconds as she entered the local 8.8km finish circuits in Garnich. As she approached the circuit’s climb, with four laps to go, she looked back and could see the main field looming behind.

A reduced front group formed with De Jong picking up full points on the third mountain ascent ahead of Mikayla Harvey (Canyon-SRAM) and Naimh Fisher-Black (SD Worx). The field split into four separate groups with the decisive leader group of about 20 riders opening a gap of 30 seconds with three local laps to go.

Over the fourth and final climb for points, De Jong reached the top first ahead of Christine Majerus (SD Worx) and Riejanne Markus (Jumbo-Visma). Those points secured De Jong as the winner of the mountain classification at Festival Elsy Jacobs.

With two laps remaining, 18km to go, the lead groups reunited with overall leader Norsgaard in that bunch. A flurry of attacks set off on the final circuit but Norsgaard was strong enough to position herself near the front of the bunch over the punchy terrain with help from her teammate Leah Thomas.

"I was together with Leah the whole day, and when we went in the break together, she really supported me the whole way, especially in the climbs - wherever was a gap, she closed it down and made things easier for me. Leah is a big part of today's victory," Norsgaard said.

"I felt super-great today, even better than yesterday, so I just felt like I was on top of the race - and then, I had the best teammates ever! So I had no doubt I would make it into the climbs and going into the break."

Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM) attacked several times and although she built a small gap, Norsgaard moved to the front to close down the dangerous move on a twisty descent.

Tayler Wiles (Trek-Segafredo) was the next to go with 5km to go but she was followed bu SD Worx. Ruth Winder (Trek-Segafredo) counter attacked but she wasn’t strong enough to clear the field. Wiles went again with 4km to go but the reduced peloton was quick to react.

A relentless Wiles attacked again over a small riser with 3km to go but again Norsgaard was able to reconnect with her over the top, and the field remained intact for the final two kilometres.

Confalonieri started her sprint under 200 metres go go but Norsgaard was perfectly positioned to come around the Italian to take the stage 2 win and secure the overall title at Festival Elsy Jacobs.