Kasia Niewiadoma kept the podium performances coming for CANYON//SRAM Racing when she finished third on today’s stage at the Simac Ladies Tour. Zoe Bäckstedt was ninth on the stage, winning the Most Aggressive Rider award and retaining her lead in the youth classification.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The 131km course around the Limburg area was always set to create an exciting stage, with riders using every opportunity to break away. Maike van der Duin and Tiffany Cromwell were present in several moves though none gained more than around 30-40 seconds advantage on an attentive peloton. Kasia and Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM) created a dangerous duo with 50km remaining on the stage, leading until after the first Cauberg ascent. Maike and Zoe were the next to be in breakaways, with Zoe’s move only caught on the penultimate Cauberg climb.

Despite the earlier effort, Kasia launched a blistering attack from the bottom of the Cauberg in the final. Only Lotte Kopecky and Lorena Wiebes (SDW) could hold her wheel. Kopecky overtook Kasia in the final few hundred metres to win the stage and retain the general classification lead.

Zoe is now fifth in the overall at +46 seconds, with Kasia jumping to sixth at +48 seconds after today’s third place. Zoe leads the youth classification by 18 seconds before tomorrow’s final stage in Arnhem.

RIDER REACTIONS

Kasia Niewiadoma: “I’m happy with the way we raced. I’m happy the race was aggressive, and we could be involved in different moves from the start. I like racing here, where it’s not all about waiting until the final time up the Cauberg. The team tried to be in control all day. I went all out on the last climb. I was hoping to win the stage as I love this climb. But I had to bow down to Lotte and Wiebes. I moved up in GC, and Zoe kept her GC place and the Young Rider jersey. It was a positive day.”

“I think we need to be prepared for a big battle tomorrow! The course is selective and difficult, and we cannot lose focus or concentration. I think everything is possible in tomorrow’s stage, and we should try to bring a GC podium home.”

Zoe Bäckstedt: “The stage was savage! I really went deep in the final. It helped to be in a breakaway the second last time up the Cauberg. It made it slightly easier. I’m happy to keep the white jersey and see Kasia get a top three.”

HOW TO WATCH

The final stage of the Simac Ladies Tour starts at 12:15CEST and can be followed on X with #SLT2023. A live broadcast is on GCN and Eurosport, starting at 14:25CEST.

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