Women's Tour: Balsamo takes her first win as World Champion on final stage

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Picture by Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com - 09/10/2021 - Cycling - AJ Bell Women's Tour of Britain - Stage Six: Haverhill to Felixstowe, England - Elisa Balsamo of Team Valcar Travel & Service celebrating her win on stage six — (Image credit: SWPix.com)

Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx) has won the 2021 edition of The Women's Tour. Winning the stage 3 ITT, the Dutch allrounder took a commanding lead of 1:09 minutes in the general classification and was never in danger of losing the blue leader's jersey on the last three flat stages.

The final stage criss-crossed Suffolk, covering 155.3 km from Haverhill to Felixstowe including two QOM sprints and two intermediate sprints. The leaders of the QOM and sprints classification, Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM) and Nina Kessler (Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank), were unassailable and sure of winning the green QOM jersey and the red sprints jersey, respectively, if they finished the stage.

Wiebes won the first intermediate sprint ahead of Amy Pieters (Team SD Worx) and Clara Copponi (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) who were divided by only three seconds ahead of the stage and fighting for the overall podium.

After the sprint, Eugenia Bujak (Alé BTC Ljubljana) attacked from the peloton. Dani Christmas (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) and Ane Santesteban (Team BikeExchange) went on the chase, and Veronica Ewers (Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank) bridged to them. Finally, Sofia Bertizzolo (Liv Racing) also went off the front.

The five riders joined up with 77 km to go, and Team SD Worx were happy to control the gap at 2:25 minutes. This increased to 3:10 minutes when the break was briefly stopped by a level crossing – only for the peloton to stop at the same level crossing shortly afterwards.

On the final 50 kilometres, Team SD Worx and the sprinters’ Team DSM and Valcar-Travel & Service steadily reduced the gap to the breakaway, finally making the catch with just after the 15-kilometre mark.

This meant that several riders tried to anticipate a bunch sprint with late attacks, but none of them were successful, and the peloton got ready for another sprint finish. On the finishing straight, Balsamo came alongside Wiebes and passed the Dutch sprinter on the final metres to take her first victory in the rainbow jersey.

Vollering lost a few seconds due to splits in the peloton at the finish and wins the general classification 1:02 minutes ahead of Juliette Labous (Team DSM) and 1:05 minutes ahead of Copponi who is also the best U23 rider. Pieters in fourth place missed the overall podium by only two seconds. Wiebes takes home the light-blue points points jersey, Team SD Worx won the team classification.

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Full Results
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	3:53:51
2	Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM
3	Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
4	Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women
5	Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
6	Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
7	Marjolein Van'T Geloof (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
8	Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange
9	Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale' BTC Ljubljana
10	Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
11	Josie Nelson (GBr) Team Coop Hitec Products
12	Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx
13	Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing	0:00:03
14	Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM
15	Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM
16	Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM
17	Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
18	Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
19	Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale' BTC Ljubljana
20	Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx
21	Lourdes Oyarbide Jimenez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
22	Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing	0:00:10
23	Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx
24	Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
25	Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service	0:00:11
26	Anna Shackley (GBr) Team SD Worx
27	Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
28	Abi Smith (GBr) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
29	Pien Limpens (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
30	Natalie Grinczer (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
31	April Tacey (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
32	Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx
33	Soraya Paladin (Ita) Liv Racing
34	Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx
35	Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
36	Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale' BTC Ljubljana
37	Sophie Wright (GBr) Ale' BTC Ljubljana
38	Hayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
39	Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women
40	Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
41	Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
42	Nicole Frain (Aus) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
43	Alice Towers (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	0:00:24
44	Emma Edwards (USA) CAMS-Tifosi
45	Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
46	Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
47	Alice Lethbridge (GBr) AWOL Oshea	0:00:30
48	Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange
49	Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
50	Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange
51	Anna Christian (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
52	Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
53	Veronica Ewers (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank	0:00:36
54	Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM	0:00:41
55	Mari Hole Mohr (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products	0:01:09
56	Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo	0:01:10
57	Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo	0:02:42
58	Connie Hayes (GBr) AWOL Oshea	0:02:48
59	Becky Storrie (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
60	Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing	0:02:55
61	Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing	0:02:44
62	Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo	0:03:07
63	Jessica Allen (Aus) Team BikeExchange	0:03:11
64	Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
65	Pernille Larsen Feldmann (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products	0:04:16
66	Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
67	Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women	0:04:20
68	Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange	0:04:41
69	Katie Scott (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi	0:05:38
70	Jessica Finney (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi
71	Kirstie van Haaften (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg	0:05:58
72	Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
73	Phoebe Martin (GBr) AWOL Oshea	0:07:13

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Abandon(s)
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
Row 0 - Cell 0	Francesca Morgans Slader (GBr) AWOL Oshea

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Points
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	15
2	Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM	12
3	Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo	9
4	Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women	7
5	Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg	6
6	Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	5
7	Marjolein Van'T Geloof (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	4
8	Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange	3
9	Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	2
10	Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing	1

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Mountain 1 - Skate's Hill, 31.7 km
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange	3
2	Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx	2
3	Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing	1

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Mountain 2- Clopton Hill, 114.9 km
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange	3
2	Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	2
3	Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	1

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Sprint 1- Long Melford, 38. km
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM	3
2	Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx	2
3	Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	1

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Sprint 2 - Needham Market, 91.2 km
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	3
2	Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing	2
3	Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	1

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Combativity
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Hayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi

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Teams
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Team DSM	11:41:39
2	Movistar Team
3	Team SD Worx	0:00:07
4	Valcar - Travel & Service	0:00:08
5	Ale BTC Ljubljana
6	Drops - Le Col s/b TEMPUR	0:00:15
7	Parkhotel Valkenburg	0:00:16
8	Team TIBCO - Silicon Valley Bank	0:00:27
9	CAMS - Basso	0:00:40
10	FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	0:00:42
11	Team BikeExchange	0:00:54
12	Canyon SRAM Racing	0:02:41
13	Trek - Segafredo	0:03:46
14	Team Coop - Hitec Products	0:05:19
15	AWOL O'Shea	0:10:25

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Final general classification
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx	15:54:38
2	Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM	0:01:02
3	Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	0:01:05
4	Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx	0:01:07
5	Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women	0:01:26
6	Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM	0:01:39
7	Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing	0:01:41
8	Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM	0:01:46
9	Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing	0:01:47
10	Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
11	Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx	0:01:53
12	Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women	0:01:55
13	Anna Shackley (GBr) Team SD Worx	0:02:09
14	Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx	0:02:10
15	Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange	0:02:16
16	Abi Smith (GBr) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank	0:02:32
17	Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	0:02:38
18	Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	0:02:43
19	Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	0:02:46
20	Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank	0:02:49
21	Hayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi	0:02:50
22	Lourdes Oyarbide Jimenez (Spa) Movistar Team Women	0:02:54
23	Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx	0:02:59
24	Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg	0:03:01
25	Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	0:03:07
26	Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	0:03:20
27	Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo	0:03:22
28	Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing	0:03:26
29	Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange	0:03:28
30	Soraya Paladin (Ita) Liv Racing	0:03:31
31	Natalie Grinczer (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi	0:03:34
32	Pien Limpens (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg	0:03:46
33	Josie Nelson (GBr) Team Coop Hitec Products	0:03:48
34	Veronica Ewers (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank	0:04:02
35	Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
36	Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	0:04:04
37	Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women	0:04:21
38	Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg	0:04:42
39	Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing	0:05:03
40	Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM	0:05:10
41	Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	0:05:11
42	Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	0:05:12
43	Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange	0:05:25
44	Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing	0:05:40
45	Sophie Wright (GBr) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	0:05:57
46	Nicole Frain (Aus) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank	0:06:02
47	April Tacey (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	0:07:02
48	Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo	0:07:31
49	Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM	0:07:45
50	Anna Christian (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	0:07:57
51	Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg	0:08:33
52	Alice Lethbridge (GBr) AWOL Oshea	0:08:43
53	Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service	0:08:52
54	Becky Storrie (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi	0:10:01
55	Marjolein Van'T Geloof (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	0:10:25
56	Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	0:10:49
57	Connie Hayes (GBr) AWOL Oshea	0:11:20
58	Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo	0:11:36
59	Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women	0:11:38
60	Mari Hole Mohr (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products	0:11:55
61	Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	0:13:24
62	Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange	0:13:57
63	Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women	0:15:28
64	Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo	0:15:33
65	Alice Towers (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	0:19:41
66	Emma Edwards (USA) CAMS-Tifosi	0:20:07
67	Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	0:20:45
68	Pernille Larsen Feldmann (Nor) Team Coop Hitec Products	0:21:58
69	Kirstie van Haaften (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg	0:26:41
70	Katie Scott (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi	0:32:07
71	Jessica Finney (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi	0:37:26
72	Jessica Allen (Aus) Team BikeExchange	0:41:40
73	Phoebe Martin (GBr) AWOL Oshea	0:43:39

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Points classification
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM	42
2	Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo	37
3	Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women	33
4	Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	32
5	Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	27
6	Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	23
7	Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx	20
8	Marjolein Van'T Geloof (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	19
9	Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx	16
10	Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing	14
11	Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	12
12	Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	12
13	Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing	11
14	Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM	10
15	Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM	8
16	Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange	7
17	Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg	7
18	Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo	7
19	Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM	6
20	Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx	6
21	Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing	6
22	Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing	5
23	Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Team SD Worx	5
24	Abi Smith (GBr) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank	4
25	Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	4
26	Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women	3
27	Josie Nelson (GBr) Team Coop Hitec Products	3
28	Veronica Ewers (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank	3
29	Anna Shackley (GBr) Team SD Worx	2

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Mountains classification
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing	20
2	Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange	14
3	Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx	11
4	Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange	6
5	Hayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi	6
6	Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM	6
7	Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	3
8	Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing	3
9	Alice Towers (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	3
10	Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	3
11	Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	2
12	Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women	2
13	Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange	2
14	Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	2
15	Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service	2
16	Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	1
17	Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx	1

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Sprints classification
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank	15
2	Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM	7
3	Hayley Simmonds (GBr) CAMS-Tifosi	6
4	Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing	6
5	Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange	6
6	Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx	5
7	Clara Copponi (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	4
8	Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	3
9	Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange	3
10	Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM	2
11	Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale' BTC Ljubljana	2
12	Connie Hayes (GBr) AWOL Oshea	2
13	Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx	1
14	Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur	1
15	Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange	1

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Teams classification
Pos.	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Team SD Worx	47:46:56
2	Team DSM	0:01:24
3	Movistar Team	0:03:17
4	Team TIBCO - Silicon Valley Bank	0:03:56
5	Canyon SRAM Racing	0:05:03
6	Ale BTC Ljubljana	0:05:14
7	FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope	0:06:15
8	Team BikeExchange	0:07:02
9	Valcar - Travel & Service	0:07:07
10	Parkhotel Valkenburg	0:08:27
11	Drops - Le Col s/b TEMPUR	0:09:27
12	CAMS - Basso	0:10:54
13	Trek - Segafredo	0:18:43
14	Team Coop - Hitec Products	0:22:28
15	AWOL O'Shea	0:55:54

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Lukas Knöfler started working in cycling communications in 2013 and has seen the inside of the scene from many angles. Having worked as press officer for teams and races and written for several online and print publications, he has been Cyclingnews’ Women’s WorldTour correspondent since 2018.