| Marta Bastianelli ended the penultimate stage (Chesterfield - Chesterfield, 133 km) after the very important Chloe Hosking’s victory yesterday. Marta finished just a few seconds behind the stage winner Sarah Roy, Christine Majerus and Leah Kirchmann, but she could win the sprint of a small group that anticipated the main bunch by five seconds. The Dutch Janneke Ensing, the best athlete of the Team Alè - Cipollini - Galassia in the GC, obtained a very good 17th place.
The Stage 4 of the Women’s Tour was truly tough: the athletes of Fortunato Lacquaniti could maintain a high motivation and concentration also due to Chloe’s victory 24 yours ago: Ensing came in the first positions with Romy Kasper and Marta Bastianelli. A breakaway of four athlete began at 40 kms from the finish and it reached a 1’50’’ gap. The peloton accelerated at 25 kms to go for a bunch sprint, but the trio in the front resisted. The group arrives 17’’ behind and Bastianelli won the main bunch sprint.
Fortunato Lacquaniti’s declarations: “We couldn’t close the gap but we are satisfied for this fourth place by Marta, who raced magnificiently with her teammates. That’s also good looking at the Italian Championship and the Giro Rosa. We want to win tomorrow in London to end this Women’s Tour in the best way.
RESULTS STAGE 4 WOMEN’S TOUR:
1. Sarah Roy 2. Christine Majerus 3. Leah Kirchmann 4. Marta BASTIANELLI 17. Janneke ENSING 28. Romy KASPER 73. Chloe HOSKING DNF Anna TREVISI DNF Daiva TUSLAITE
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 4:
1. Katarzyna Niewiadoma 2. Christine Majerus 3. Leah Kirchmann 17. Janneke ENSING 38. Marta BASTIANELLI 40. Romy KASPER 58. Chloe HOSKING
Photo (c) Anton Vos
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