CANYON//SRAM Racing’s Shari Bossuyt continued her strong show of form with fourth place on today’s third stage of the Women’s Tour in Gloucester. In wet conditions, the stage finished in the third consecutive bunch sprint with Lorena Wiebes (DSM) taking honours.

After climbing with the best of the peloton, Shari was in a 17-rider group with just 15km to go with CANYON//SRAM Racing teammates Kasia Niewiadoma and Elise Chabbey also present. Teams chased hard behind and the leading group swelled to close to 50 riders with less than 5km before the line. Shari was supported by her teammates but left to her own in the final kilometre and was able to position herself in the final corner to sprint to fourth.

“Our goal was going full gas on the last climb. Kasia and Elise rode strongly and I was able to still be there. But unfortunately, our group didn’t work so well and a lot of teams were chasing hard behind us. Eventually, it came back together,” explained Shari.

“We were too early in the front and I had to find my own way for a while but I was quick to find a good wheel in that of (Lorena) Wiebes. Even though it was a tough stage today I wanted a stage win. I climbed well and I did my best so I have to accept my fourth place,” added Shari.

Teammate Elise picked up more mountain points to finish the stage in second in the classification at the halfway mark of the tour. Shari is fifth in the overall, +16 seconds behind Wiebes, Elise is seventh at +17 and Kasia is further down in seventeenth but just +20 seconds.

Tomorrow the peloton will hit the first of two hilly stages of the tour as it moves to Wales. The fourth stage includes two classified climbs but over 2100m elevation for the 144km undulating course.

HOW TO FOLLOW

The Women’s Tour can be followed on Twitter with #WomensTour. Each stage is broadcast live on SBS, GCN and Eurosport Player with details below.

Stage 4 | Thursday 9 June | 144.7km | Wrexham – Welshpool | Race start 11:00BST | Broadcast 12:30-15:30BST.

Stage 5 | Friday 10 June | 106.6km | Pembery Country Park – Black Mountain | Race start 11:00BST | Broadcast 11:30-14:40BST.

Stage 6 | Saturday 11 June | 142.9km | Chipping Norton – Oxford | Race start 11:00BST | Broadcast 10:55-15:15BST.

Facebook

Twitter