Tiffany Cromwell doubles up at FNLD GRVL as Markus Pajur topples favourites in males’s race

Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM) lined up as defending champion on the second version of FNLD GRVL and as soon as once more flew solo to victory within the 177km ladies’s race, shaking a decided try by Klara Sofie Skovgård Hansen to remain agency on her wheel on the ultimate climb.

The final ascent earlier than the Lahti end line was additionally a pivotal level for the lads’s race, with the now retired WorldTour dash powerhouse André Greipel dropped from the main group. Multi-discipline Estonian rider Markus Pajur then triumphed within the tight cost to the road among the many group of seven, with Tobias Kongstad third and Frederik Rassmann third.

Next within the dash on the Finnish race was Slim Kiskonen, then Greg van Avermaet, Asbjørn Hellemose and Petr Vakoč, whereas round a minute later dropped riders Antti-Jussi Juntunen and Greipel came to visit the road.

In the ladies’s race, which performed out a course that wound previous freshwater lakes and thru dense forests, Cromwell carved out a hard-earned hole of 40 seconds to her nearest rival, Skovgård Hansen, who was adopted over the road by her PAS Racing teammate Mie Pedersen a little bit over three minutes later.

“I needed to dig deep all the best way to the end as Klara by no means gave up the battle for the win,” stated Cromwell in an Instagram submit. “I bought a spot on the primary a part of the climb, however she bridged again to me because it flattened off. Then I managed to get a spot once more on the final a part of the steepest climb and went all in.

“Still scorching on my heels she chased exhausting, however happily I had simply sufficient nonetheless within the legs to carry on to the end and take the victory. It was a enjoyable battle and chapeau to Klara for by no means giving up.”

The occasion with a 20,000 Euro prize purse is run via a partnership between SBT GRVL co-founder and proprietor Amy Charity, F1 driver Valtteri Bottas and Women’s WorldTour rider Tiffany Cromwell. Around 700 riders took half within the second version throughout the three distances.