Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Linda Villumsen finished the Thüringen-Rundfahrt in fifth place overall after finishing seventh in the seventh and final stage, in Zeulenroda-Triebes. Despite trying to escape the peloton on several occasions, the New Zealander was just unable to take back the few seconds she needed to make the final podium, and finished just one minute, 36 seconds behind race winner Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS).
The final stage, which was fought out over four laps of a 23.9km circuit, based on the climb of the Hanka-Berg – named after local rider, former cyclocross and time trial World champion Hanka Kupfernagel – was subject to numerous attacks, but none of the riders at the top of the general classification was able to get clear. It was won by Tatiana Guderzo (MCipollini-Giordana), who escaped on the final ascent of the climb and managed to hold off the 13-rider chase group to the finish.
“They gave it a good go today to try to force a split, but nothing would go really,” Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif said of the black and orange team. “Nothing would go that we wanted to go. We were trying to put people up the road all day, and it just wouldn’t happen. They did what they could, and it just didn’t pan out.
“Linda gave it a couple of goes near the end,” he added. “She actually went away with Guderzo, but Guderzo got away from her in the end. They let her go and then just controlled the group behind, down into the sprint.”
“She’s stayed fifth on GC. Just lost a few seconds on the intermediate sprints, and at the finish there,” said Cope. “It would have been nice to get on the podium, that was the goal, but we didn’t quite achieve it. But that’s just bike racing isn’t it.
“I think it was a good week,” he concluded. “We’ve taken some good points. Emily Collins had a couple of good sprints, and Linda was consistent every day. But you’ve got to remember that she’s only been racing since the Giro this year, so she’s going pretty well.
“Hopefully she’ll get better and better as the rest of the season goes on.”
Result
1. Tatiana Guderzo (MCipollini-Giordana)
2. Lisa Brennauer (Specialized-lululemon)
3. Anna van der Breggen (Sengers Ladies)
7. Linda Villumsen (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
Final General Classification
1. Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS)
2. Shara Gillow (Orica-AIS)
3. Lisa Brennauer (Specialized-lululemon)
5. Linda Villumsen (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
