THE Ovo Energy Women’s Tour swept through Worcestershire on Saturday, taking the scenic route from Evesham, brushing past Redditch, on to Droitwich before a dramatic sprint finish in Worcester.
Assembled in the peloton of more than 100 riders were the cream of women’s cycling including the current World Road Race Champion, Chantal Blaak from The Netherlands and countless former and current Olympic champions, including Britain’s own track gold medallist Dani Rowe.
Large crowds gathered to see the tour roll out of Evesham as the riders heads out on testing roads which took in the heights of Snowshill before descending to Honeybourne, Bidford, Broom, Dunnington and Harvington before climbing again to The Lenches, a sprint through Inkberrow, on to Feckenham before hurtling out along the old Saltway to Droitwich before the eventual climb from the Commandery, past Worcester Cathedral, New Road Cricket Ground, around Cripplegate Park to finish on Hylton Road.
The tour’s timing was perfect too, arriving in Inkberrow at about 1.15pm – shortly after guests had assembled for a wedding at the village’s St Peter’s Church and adding a real dash of colour to the nuptials.
The event was stage 4 of the five stage Ovo Energy Women’s Tour and had started in Evesham, racing to Worcester via Snowshill, Honeybourne, Bidford, Dunnington, Harvington, The Lenches, Inkberrow, Feckenham, Droitwich.
The sprint in Inkberrow was won by Danish rider Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig with the stage itself clinched by her countrywoman, Amalie Dideriksen.
Race leader Coryn Rivera retained the leader’s green jersey and on Sunday went on to successfully defend her lead to take her first ever stage race win.
In addition to the overall title, Rivera also took the Eisberg Sprints Jersey.
Marianna Vos took the Breast Cancer Care Points Jersey, Longo Borghini the Skoda Queen of the Mountains climbers’ jersey, with Maaike Boogaard taking the race’s overall Combativity Award.
Dani Rowe, who finished third overall, won the Best British Rider’s jersey.
