Simac Ladies Tour stage 4: Riejanne Markus soloes to stage win in Landgraaf

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This article originally appeared on Velo News

Riejanne Markus (Jumbo-Visma) won the queen stage of the Simac Ladies Tour after attacking a reduced peloton in the final 5km of the stage.

After a tough day of climbing on the roads of the Amstel Gold Race, the Dutch champion powered away on a flat section in the finale and held on until the line to take the win.

Behind, race leader Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM) sprinted to second to retain the race lead, with Karlijn Swinkels making it two in the top three for Jumbo-Visma.

How it happened

Stage 4 saw the Simac Ladies Tour head to roads and climbs best known for the Amstel Gold Race, taking in a hilly parcours around Landgraaf and Valkenburg. After three flat days, stage 4 looked like a chance for the more classics-suited riders in the bunch. Only two climbs -- the Cauberg and the Gulperberg -- were categorized, and only on the first and third laps, but the multiple uncategorized climbs packed into the three laps made for a tough day in the Netherlands.

When the racing got underway, Chloe Hosking (Trek-Segafredo) and Kirstie van Haaften (Parkhotel Valkenburg) were the first to successfully attack after 12km and built a 44-second lead. The weaker climber, Hosking was dropped by Van Haaften on the first climb -- the Cauberg -- and the Dutch rider went over the top alone whilst Hosking rejoined the peloton. From the bunch, race leader and mountains classification leader Wiebes won the sprint for more mountains points, extending her lead in the classification and showing her form ahead of a hilly day.

The peloton seemed happy to let a lone leader up the road, and Van Haaften's lead had grown to a minute and 20 seconds after 35km, taking maximum points on the second climb, the Gulperberg. Going over the Cauberg for the second time splits started in the peloton as some riders struggled to hold onto the high pace being set.

Between the Cauberg and the Gulperberg, Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) attacked from the peloton and bridged across to Van Haaften, making it two leaders at the front, which saw the gap start to grow again. However, Henderson posed a threat to the general classification, sitting only 24 seconds down on Wiebes, so the peloton did not want to allow the British rider to get too far up the road.

On the second ascent of the Gulperberg, Van Haaften took maximum points again, earning her enough to take the lead in the mountains classification. Despite Henderson's GC threat, the DSM team was not catching the leaders quickly and heading into the last 45km, Julie Van De Velde (Plantur-Pura) escaped the peloton to make it three at the front going into the final lap. DSM's efforts were not helped by the fact that Pfeiffer Georgi crashed and had to abandon the race before the last lap.

With 35km remaining, the trio had a 30-second advantage, though day-long attacker Van Haaften was struggling on the climbs and was dropped on the last ascent of the Cauberg. Behind, the peloton had shrunk significantly, with fewer than 50 riders able to hold on over the relentless circuit.

After Van Haaften was dropped, the next Parkhotel Valkenburg rider went on the offensive as Mischa Bredewold attacked out of the peloton, taking with her Nina Kessler (BikeExchange-Jayco) and Tamara Dronova (Roland Cogeas Edelweiss). With 20km to go, the chasers were 30 seconds behind the leaders and 45 seconds ahead of the peloton. However, on the Gulperberg, the peloton accelerated and caught the chasers, coming within 20 seconds of the two leaders up front.

In the ever-shrinking bunch, race leader Wiebes was working on the front, seemingly working for herself as she had no teammates left in the group. The two leaders were just holding on with 10km to go, but an injection of pace on one of the final climbs saw them caught by a small group that included Amanda Spratt (BikeExchange-Jayco) and Soraya Paladin (Canyon-SRAM). These six riders briefly had a slight gap, but the front of the race came back together with 7km to go.

Several riders tried to attack going into the last 5km, but it was Markus who timed her move well to attack from the back and ride away from the group on a rare flat section of the stage. Markus's time trialing strength, combined with the lack of an organized chase behind, allowed her to build up a solid advantage that she held all the way to the line.

The Dutch champion took victory on the stage, with Wiebes sprinting to second behind, just 14 seconds down and thus holding on to her race lead. Markus's teammate Swinkels took third, a few bike lengths down on Wiebes.

Wiebes' performance on the race's toughest stage sees her extend her overall lead, and she now leads the race by 20 seconds with a time trial and one road stage remaining. She also continues to lead the points classification, whilst Kirstie van Haaften takes over the polka dot climber's jersey.

Tomorrow, the peloton will take on a 17.8km individual time trial, one of only two ITTs on the WorldTour calendar this year. Set on a gently undulating but largely flat profile, the course suits the powerful riders and is long enough that it should start to put some decisive gaps in the general classification.

Simac Ladies Tour Stage 4 Results

1

MARKUS Riejanne

Team Jumbo-Visma

3:38:57

2

WIEBES Lorena

Team DSM

0:14

3

SWINKELS Karlijn

Team Jumbo-Visma

0:15

4

TOMASI Laura

UAE Team ADQ

0:15

5

SANGUINETI Ilaria

Valcar - Travel & Service

0:15

6

HENDERSON Anna

Team Jumbo-Visma

0:15

7

GASPARRINI Eleonora Camilla

Valcar - Travel & Service

0:15

8

PALADIN Soraya

Canyon//SRAM Racing

0:15

9

DRONOVA-BALABOLINA Tamara

Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad

0:15

10

JACKSON Alison

Liv Racing Xstra

0:15

11

ROSEMAN-GANNON Ruby

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

0:15

12

DE WILDE Julie

Plantur-Pura

0:16

13

BREDEWOLD Mischa

Parkhotel Valkenburg

0:16

14

CORDON-RAGOT Audrey

Trek - Segafredo

0:16

15

VAN DEN BROEK-BLAAK Chantal

Team SD Worx

0:16

16

KASPER Romy

Team Jumbo-Visma

0:16

17

BUJAK Eugenia

UAE Team ADQ

0:16

18

WRIGHT Sophie

UAE Team ADQ

0:17

19

GHEKIERE Justine

Plantur-Pura

0:17

20

SPRATT Amanda

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

0:17

21

VAN DE VELDE Julie

Plantur-Pura

0:34

22

DUVAL Eugenie

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

0:44

23

HARRIS Ella

Canyon//SRAM Racing

0:44

24

SCHOENS Quinty

Parkhotel Valkenburg

0:44

25

PLUIMERS Ilse

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

0:44

26

SMULDERS Silke

Liv Racing Xstra

0:44

27

KESSLER Nina

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

3:05

28

CANT Sanne

Plantur-Pura

3:05

29

CIPRESSI Carlotta

Valcar - Travel & Service

3:05

30

LUTRO Amalie

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

3:05

31

DE VRIES Femke

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

3:05

32

GROSSETETE Maelle

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

3:05

33

KOREVAAR Jeanne

Liv Racing Xstra

4:11

34

HANSON Lauretta

Trek - Segafredo

4:11

35

BAKS Marissa

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

5:25

36

DIJKSTRA Anneke

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

5:25

37

PATUELLI Alessia

UAE Team ADQ

5:25

38

LUNDMARK Clara

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

5:25

39

VAN ROOIJEN Eline

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

5:25

40

BACKSTEDT Elynor

Trek - Segafredo

5:25

41

BARNES Alice

Canyon//SRAM Racing

5:25

42

CAMPBELL Teniel

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

5:26

43

UIJEN Elise

Team DSM

5:26

44

VAN HAAFTEN Kirstie

Parkhotel Valkenburg

5:26

45

KIRCHMANN Leah

Team DSM

5:26

46

SCHWEINBERGER Christina

Plantur-Pura

8:22

47

BAKER Georgia

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

11:59

48

ZANETTI Linda

UAE Team ADQ

12:22

49

AHTOSALO Anniina

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

12:22

50

BUURMAN Eva

Liv Racing Xstra

12:22

51

HENGEVELD Daniek

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

12:22

52

RUEGG Noemi

Team Jumbo-Visma

12:22

53

KOCH Franziska

Team DSM

12:22

54

RIJNBEEK Maud

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

12:22

55

KLEIN Lisa

Canyon//SRAM Racing

12:22

56

FOURNIER Roxane

Team SD Worx

12:23

57

UNEKEN Lonneke

Team SD Worx

12:23

58

HOSKING Chloe

Trek - Segafredo

12:23

59

KOOL Charlotte

Team DSM

13:50

60

PIRRONE Elena

Valcar - Travel & Service

13:50

61

CONSONNI Chiara

Valcar - Travel & Service

13:50

1

WIEBES Lorena

Team DSM

13:07:41

2

SWINKELS Karlijn

Team Jumbo-Visma

0:20

3

CORDON-RAGOT Audrey

Trek - Segafredo

0:27

4

JACKSON Alison

Liv Racing Xstra

0:29

5

HENDERSON Anna

Team Jumbo-Visma

0:30

6

PALADIN Soraya

Canyon//SRAM Racing

0:33

7

DUVAL Eugenie

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

0:33

8

GASPARRINI Eleonora Camilla

Valcar - Travel & Service

0:33

9

BREDEWOLD Mischa

Parkhotel Valkenburg

0:33

10

KASPER Romy

Team Jumbo-Visma

0:33

11

ROSEMAN-GANNON Ruby

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

0:33

12

VAN DEN BROEK-BLAAK Chantal

Team SD Worx

0:33

13

MARKUS Riejanne

Team Jumbo-Visma

0:58

14

SMULDERS Silke

Liv Racing Xstra

1:03

15

TOMASI Laura

UAE Team ADQ

1:16

16

DRONOVA-BALABOLINA Tamara

Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad

1:19

17

GHEKIERE Justine

Plantur-Pura

1:21

18

DE WILDE Julie

Plantur-Pura

1:22

19

BUJAK Eugenia

UAE Team ADQ

1:22

20

SANGUINETI Ilaria

Valcar - Travel & Service

1:22

21

SPRATT Amanda

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

1:22

22

WRIGHT Sophie

UAE Team ADQ

1:22

23

PLUIMERS Ilse

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

1:52

24

HARRIS Ella

Canyon//SRAM Racing

1:52

25

SCHOENS Quinty

Parkhotel Valkenburg

1:52

26

GROSSETETE Maelle

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

4:13

27

KESSLER Nina

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

4:13

28

KOREVAAR Jeanne

Liv Racing Xstra

4:30

29

HANSON Lauretta

Trek - Segafredo

4:30

30

LUTRO Amalie

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

4:38

31

CANT Sanne

Plantur-Pura

4:51

32

BACKSTEDT Elynor

Trek - Segafredo

5:44

33

PATUELLI Alessia

UAE Team ADQ

6:33

34

BARNES Alice

Canyon//SRAM Racing

6:33

35

LUNDMARK Clara

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

6:33

36

CAMPBELL Teniel

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

6:33

37

KIRCHMANN Leah

Team DSM

6:33

38

DIJKSTRA Anneke

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

6:47

39

SCHWEINBERGER Christina

Plantur-Pura

9:30

40

VAN DE VELDE Julie

Plantur-Pura

10:27

41

VAN ROOIJEN Eline

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

10:51

42

CIPRESSI Carlotta

Valcar - Travel & Service

12:04

43

DE VRIES Femke

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

12:05

44

UIJEN Elise

Team DSM

12:33

45

UNEKEN Lonneke

Team SD Worx

12:37

46

BAKER Georgia

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

13:01

47

HENGEVELD Daniek

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

13:28

48

AHTOSALO Anniina

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

13:30

49

RIJNBEEK Maud

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

13:30

50

HOSKING Chloe

Trek - Segafredo

13:30

51

KLEIN Lisa

Canyon//SRAM Racing

13:30

52

FOURNIER Roxane

Team SD Worx

13:30

53

KOOL Charlotte

Team DSM

13:59

54

KOCH Franziska

Team DSM

14:02

55

VAN HAAFTEN Kirstie

Parkhotel Valkenburg

14:24

56

BAKS Marissa

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

14:38

57

CONSONNI Chiara

Valcar - Travel & Service

14:58

58

PIRRONE Elena

Valcar - Travel & Service

14:58

59

RUEGG Noemi

Team Jumbo-Visma

15:26

60

ZANETTI Linda

UAE Team ADQ

21:21

61

BUURMAN Eva

Liv Racing Xstra

36:30

1

WIEBES Lorena

Team DSM

90

2

SWINKELS Karlijn

Team Jumbo-Visma

53

3

TOMASI Laura

UAE Team ADQ

39

4

JACKSON Alison

Liv Racing Xstra

28

5

DRONOVA-BALABOLINA Tamara

Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad

28

6

PALADIN Soraya

Canyon//SRAM Racing

27

7

MARKUS Riejanne

Team Jumbo-Visma

25

8

CORDON-RAGOT Audrey

Trek - Segafredo

18

9

HENDERSON Anna

Team Jumbo-Visma

17

10

GASPARRINI Eleonora Camilla

Valcar - Travel & Service

17

11

DUVAL Eugenie

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

16

12

ROSEMAN-GANNON Ruby

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

15

13

SANGUINETI Ilaria

Valcar - Travel & Service

12

14

BREDEWOLD Mischa

Parkhotel Valkenburg

6

15

KOREVAAR Jeanne

Liv Racing Xstra

6

16

DE WILDE Julie

Plantur-Pura

5

17

KASPER Romy

Team Jumbo-Visma

2

18

VAN DEN BROEK-BLAAK Chantal

Team SD Worx

1

1

GASPARRINI Eleonora Camilla

Valcar - Travel & Service

13:08:14

2

BREDEWOLD Mischa

Parkhotel Valkenburg

0:00

3

SMULDERS Silke

Liv Racing Xstra

0:30

4

DE WILDE Julie

Plantur-Pura

0:49

5

PLUIMERS Ilse

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

1:19

6

LUTRO Amalie

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

4:05

7

BACKSTEDT Elynor

Trek - Segafredo

5:11

8

PATUELLI Alessia

UAE Team ADQ

6:00

9

VAN ROOIJEN Eline

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

10:18

10

CIPRESSI Carlotta

Valcar - Travel & Service

11:31

11

UIJEN Elise

Team DSM

12:00

12

UNEKEN Lonneke

Team SD Worx

12:04

13

HENGEVELD Daniek

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

12:55

14

AHTOSALO Anniina

Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

12:57

15

RIJNBEEK Maud

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

12:57

16

KOCH Franziska

Team DSM

13:29

17

RUEGG Noemi

Team Jumbo-Visma

14:53

18

ZANETTI Linda

UAE Team ADQ

20:48

1

VAN HAAFTEN Kirstie

Parkhotel Valkenburg

16

2

WIEBES Lorena

Team DSM

12

3

GROSSETETE Maelle

FDJ - SUEZ - Futuroscope

12

4

HENDERSON Anna

Team Jumbo-Visma

7

5

SWINKELS Karlijn

Team Jumbo-Visma

6

6

VAN DE VELDE Julie

Plantur-Pura

5

7

CORDON-RAGOT Audrey

Trek - Segafredo

3

8

PLUIMERS Ilse

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

1

1

Team Jumbo-Visma

39:24:28

2

UAE Team ADQ

2:41

3

Plantur-Pura

3:01

4

Liv Racing Xstra

4:41

5

Valcar - Travel & Service

4:43

6

Team BikeExchange - Jayco

4:43

7

Canyon//SRAM Racing

7:33

8

Parkhotel Valkenburg

7:33

9

Trek - Segafredo

9:22

10

Team DSM

10:36

11

GT Krush Tunap Pro Cycling

15:54

12

AG Insurance - NXTG Team

20:30

13

Team SD Worx

25:19

Results provided by ProCyclingStats.

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