🇨🇭 Tour de Suisse Women (2.WWT) | 🗻 S5: Villars-sur-Ollon - Villars-sur-Ollon (100 km)
Final showdown on the Vaudoise Alps with the queen stage of Tour de Suisse. Peloton immediately faced a tough uphill section towards Col de la Croix (4 km at 8.8%), where the first selection was made. Over the following descent German champion Franziska Koch broke away from the pack, chased down by a group of six. Riders than headed uphill again with the full ascent of Col de la Croix (19km at 7%). Entering the town of Villars-sur-Ollon stage 1 winner Femke De Vries accelerated, followed by Marlen Reusser, Kasia Niewiadoma, Cédrine Kerbaol and a surprising Megan Arens!
Those five riders crested the climb with a 1'20" lead over Longo Borghini, Häberlin, Berthet, Le Court and Buijsman, with Russer sprinting for the QOM points. On the following long descent Arens got dropped. The very young Dutch rider, junior world champion in ITT last year, was later caught and dropped also by the chasing group.
One kilometer into the final climb, towards Villars-sur-Ollon (9.6km at 8%) Niewiadoma accelerated, with Reusser on her wheel. Kerbaol didn't crack, always remaining in touch with the leading duo and eventually rejoining inside the final km. With 700m remaining, yellow jersey Marlen Reusser launched a powerful progression on the saddle, flying towards the stage win. Second place at 7" for Kerbaol ahead of Niewiadoma. Amazing final climb for Kim Le Court, who climbed faster than the leaders and closed only 37" down. One minute gap for De Vries.
Double triumph on home soil for the Movistar leader who also claimed the general classification by 1'31" over Kerbaol and 2'02" ahead of Niewiadoma.
👕 JERSEYS:
🟡 GC: 🇨🇭 Marlen Reusser (MOV)
🔵 Pts: 🇨🇭 Marlen Reusser (MOV)
🟢 QOM: 🇳🇱 Femke de Vries (TVL)
⚪️ U25: 🇨🇵 Cédrine Kerbaol (EFO)
📸 Eurosport
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