Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), who’s presently main the mountains and younger rider classifications, missed out on an opportunity to maneuver into the yellow jersey after being concerned in a mass crash inside 6km to go on stage 5 on the Tour de France Femmes in Amnéville.
After successful the day past’s stage into Liège, Pieterse began the day in second place total, 22 seconds behind Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime), who was additionally concerned within the crash, however Pieterse was shortly again on her bike, unable to shut the hole to the small lead group that cut up off the entrance and sprinted for the day’s victory.
Pieterse appeared to have abrasions on her chin, proper elbow and knee however completed the stage within the second group that completed 28 seconds behind the day’s winner Blank Vas (SD Worx-Protime).
She has now dropped to 3rd place however continues to be 22 seconds again on new yellow jersey Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM).
The workforce acknowledged that Pieterse sustained just a few “bumps and bruises” however was in any other case wholesome and can begin on stage 6 in Remiremont on Friday.
“Stage 5 from Bastogne to Amnéville on the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was marred by a large crash with many riders hitting the deck. Despite the setback, Puck Pieterse stayed sturdy and stored each the white jersey and the polka dot jersey,” Fenix-Deceuninck stated following the stage.
For Fenix-Deceuninck, Pieterse’s victory on stage 4 marked their second on the Tour de France Femmes after Yara Kastelijn received the stage into Rodez final yr. The two victories and Pieterse’s success in main a number of particular classifications this week cement their place on the prime of ladies’s biking.
Kastelijn informed Cyclingnews forward of the race that the workforce didn’t have a objective to race for the general classification however somewhat was going for stage wins and different alternatives within the particular classifications.
Initially, she aimed for the mountains jersey however is happy that Pieterse presently holds each the polka dot jersey and the white younger rider jersey.
“It continues to be a objective for me, nevertheless it’s actually cool that Puck has it now. We are a workforce, and it does not matter who has it so long as it’s with our workforce,” Kastelijn stated.
Pieterse stated she was trying ahead to climbing Alpe d’Huez on Sunday, the ultimate stage of the Tour de France Femmes. She is aware of the climbing, having ridden up on August 3 and completed with a time of 52:20, the third quickest time on Strava behind Illi Gardner and Emma Pooley.
“I’m trying ahead to that stage,” she stated after her stage win on Wednesday. “If I had good legs right here, then who is aware of?”
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