Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling took the Most Aggressive Rider prize for the second straight day in the Thüringen-Rundfahrt, as Anna-Bianca Schnitzmeier initiated the main breakaway of the second stage in Hermsdorf. The 22-year-old German escaped the peloton after around 49km of the 121.4km stage, and was joined by Chloe McConville of the Australian National Team.
The two riders managed to get more than three and a half minutes clear of the peloton, before they were finally caught with less than ten kilometres to go.
“The idea was to put pressure on Orica-AIS, to try and make them chase and use the up a bit, and then Linda would hit them late on,” explained Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope. “The problem was that they were away for so long that when Orica-AIS decided to chase Anna and the other girl were on their knees anyway.
“So they didn’t have to do much chasing really!” he joked. “They were sort of bringing themselves back, because the terrain got a bit heavy, so the chasers didn’t have to press on the pedals that hard.
“But at least she got away, and we got the Aggressive jersey again,” Cope added. “So that was all good.”
With the two fugitives caught the stage ended in a bunch sprint, which was won by Carmen Small (Specialized-lululemon), ahead of Marta Tagliaferro (MCipollini-Giordana) and stage one winner Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS). New Zealander Emily Collins was Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s best finisher in tenth place.
Johansson held on to her Yellow Jersey but, finishing safely in the peloton, Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Charlotte Becker remains in seventh place in the general classification.
“It was a bit surprising that it was a bunch sprint really,” said Cope. “The terrain wasn’t that difficult, but it wasn’t flat. Tomorrow looks like a much harder profile.
“Morale’s good, so we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
Result
1. Carmen Small (Specialized-lululemon)
2. Marta Tagliaferro (MCipollini-Giordana)
3. Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS)
10. Emily Collins (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
