The Movistar Team is sweet in this final stretch of the season. And it is that there are nine triumphs that the telephone group adds between the months of September and October: five in the account of the female squad and four in the male. The last of all, only 24 hours after the fantastic performance by Iván García Cortina in Gran Piemonte, It came in the first stage of the Tour de Romandie, the last stop on the Women World Tour calendar. In Swiss lands, the Cuban Arlenis Sierra extended the streak of the Navarrese team by getting the victory, which was decided in a reduced sprint of favorites, and the leader’s jersey.
The first assault in Romandía took place on a route in the purest classical style, where they had to ascend five ports categorized during the 134 km stage. A real ‘leg breaker’ that with the passing of the kilometers wreaked havoc on the peloton, which left the leading group in just over twenty units in the last flat section that led to the finish line. There was no lack of any of the runners who are called to fight for the general of the race, so Demi Vollering, Marta Cavalli, Elisa Longo Borghini, Juliette Labous and, the great favorite, Annemiek van Vleuten, arrived in the same time as the winner. “Annemiek helped me a lot at the end and I am proud that, in addition to sharing a team with her, she helped me achieve victory. Tomorrow we will fight to win again and close the season beautifully”, explained Arlenis in gratitude to the world champion.
The Spanish also did the same mavi garcia (12th) and Ane Santesteban (23rd), who this Saturday will start with their options intact in a second stage that will decide the general classification. the fearsome final high of Thyon 2000, with its 17.3 km at 6.6% average, will pass judgment, its peak being the highest (2,090 m.) that runners have faced in the history of the Women World Tour. Big words…
Results 1st stage Tour de Romandie
1st Arlenis Sierra (Movistar) – 3h 36:49
2nd Liane Lippert (DSM) – mt
3rd Demi Vollering (SD Worx) – mt
General ranking
1st Arlenis Sierra (Movistar) – 3h 36:39
2nd Liane Lippert (DSM) – at 4″
3rd Demi Vollering (SD Worx) – 6″
12th mavi garcia (UAE ADQ) – 10″