In pursuit of the yellow jersey, Kasia Niewiadoma nonetheless has all eyes on Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) on the midway level of the Tour de France Femmes, even with Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) profitable the three-up dash into Liège and ending stage 4 between her and the defending champion within the high three total.
The Polish rider wasn’t conscious Pieterse had received as she dried off from a soaking moist stage, warmed down and spoke to reporters together with Cyclingnews, however she was fast to not underestimate the multi-discipline star when advised that she had bested Vollering in a photograph end.
“Oh, she received? She owes me one, I did a great lead-out for her,” joked the Canyon-SRAM rider. “I imply, in fact, we all know that she’s a extremely proficient rider. I do know her from Classics racing,” stated Niewiadoma, earlier than admitting that she thinks the incoming excessive mountains could possibly be Pieterse’s undoing within the normal classification.
“I’ve by no means seen her racing on the longer climbs, so possibly as a result of she is a mountain biker then she can be lacking a bit extra endurance than what we roadies have. Of course, I take her into consideration as a result of she’s very proficient and powerful.
“But I nonetheless focus primarily on beating Demi [Vollering].”
Niewiadoma has been adamant about her purpose of not settling for the rostrum, a feat she’s managed within the earlier and solely two editions of the Tour de France Femmes. Instead, she’s chasing absolutely for yellow, with a laser give attention to the defending champion Vollering. However, she knew she had little likelihood within the dash à trois last after the trio proved strongest over the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons with 13km to go.
“I feel the ultimate 10kms, we have been all working equally so it was very nice that Demi [Vollering[ and Puck [Pieterse] have been dedicated to present the identical quantity of labor,” stated Niewiadoma.
“As we have been approaching the ultimate kilometres, I knew that Demi was the quickest so if I needed to win, it was simply from an early assault and I do know that in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, an assault virtually paid off so I had related ideas in thoughts.”
In April on the one-day race, Niewiadoma made her transfer with 1.2km to exit of a bigger group and was rapidly shut down by Elisa Longo Borghini, ultimately ending up fifth. Today she performed the ultimate in addition to she may, launching from the again of the trio with the shock ingredient and solely being handed by Pieterse and Vollering inside the ultimate 200m.
“I simply waited till Demi [Vollering] was within the entrance in order that it will be more durable to react and I went for it. In the top, I received caught, I don’t know, 150 metres to go – so this time a bit nearer than Liège so hopefully, subsequent time it really works out,” stated Niewiadoma.
“The solely factor you are able to do within the final metres is do your finest, go all out. You simply want that second of hesitation from others. In my thoughts I used to be like ‘I simply have to do the toughest 1k and see what occurs’.”
And whereas she misplaced out on victory, Niewiadoma did make robust GC good points on all different rivals, leaping from forty sixth to 3rd total simply 34 seconds down on Vollering – primarily because of the stage 3 time trial – and with a stable buffer of twenty-two and 47 seconds respectively over GC rivals Juliette Labous (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) and Evita Muzic (FDJ-Suez).
“To be sincere, it’s just the start of the Tour. I felt good right this moment, so it’s good understanding that you simply approached a tough stage race in fine condition,” stated the Polish rider. “If we completed on the climb and I misplaced that might be a bit extra hurtful than dropping the dash. I really feel like I’m used to dropping sprints in some methods,” she laughed.
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