The girls had there first races on our new bikes.
Looking back at the Thuringen Ladies Tour with our team leader Bart Faes:
“Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour, you were beautiful again.
One of my personal goals was to have the team race worthy of Parkhotel Valkenburg again.
How great it is to see that the riders have fully lived up to this. Every day attentive and offensive in the race.
On day three I even did “a Mischaatje” (Attack that fails just before the finish). Got to pick up the fighting spirit jersey three times after the stage with 3 different riders.
3 top 10 results in the stages and 2 top 20 places in the GC.But above all a group of riders who rode as a team. Who went through fire for each other. Super proud of the team that we were allowed to take the fighting spirit jersey with us on the last day. A jersey for the whole team.
Also a part of our team was in in England for Ride london. Nicole tells :
“I personally wasn’t planning originally to do this tour (Ride London) after having a break and starting to build back up, but I had the opportunity and I’m super glad I got to work with these girls, some of which I haven’t raced with before.
The stages were three days, the first two more rolling and the last a city criterium style race in the Center of London.
We went in hoping for a top 15 GC with Kirstie as well as some opportunities to work for our sprinters in the finals or breakaway chances.Over the three days I think we really came together as a team and worked really well and cohesively and kept each other motivated and out of trouble.
Stage 1 we saw Scarlett get in the breakaway, her personal goal. Stage 2 really being a highlight for our teamwork and paid off with Kirstie making the front split and taking 11th place, so she can be really proud of that.
Stage 3 in the city was a really hectic race and we navigated it as best we could. Sofie made it into the breakaway of the day, and the speed really picked up two laps to go when they chased the breakaway back causing the bunch to split. I tried to help Kirstie in the final for the best possible position. I started my leadout for her a bit out of 1km to go to try and drop her off into better wheels to follow in a hectic finish but unfortunately it was super chaotic and we lost each other so I hung on and I’m really happy to take a place 20 in a sprinters race and use this race as motivation for upcoming races and training.
Kirstie moved up to 18th GC just outside of our goal but I think we can be really happy with how Ride London went!”