Argos Shimano rider Kirsten Wild continued her superb run of form in the Energiewacht Tour yesterday, clocking up her fourth sprint win in the race.
Her success came out of a nine man breakaway group, with her team-mate Charlotte Becker involved in shaping the move. She got clear approximately forty kilometres from the finish with Jolien D’Hoore (Lotto Belisol Ladies), Lucinda Brand (Rabobank Liv Giant), Tatiana Antoshina (Mcipollini Giordana) and Liz Armitstead (Boels Dolmans). Wild, race leader Ellen van Dijk (Specialized lululemon), Adrie Visser (Dolmans-Boels) and Loes Gunnewijk (Orica-Ais) then bridged across some ten kilometres later.
While concerns about Wild’s superb form meant that some of the others tried to get clear before the finish, Becker helped to keep things together and to pave the way for yet another win by her team-mate.
“Even after four wins it is still very special to win,” said Wild, who has now taken four out of the five stages run thus far. “I knew I was in good shape, but I didn’t think it was this good. At the moment I am in a flow, everything works and falls into place.
“It isn’t that I don’t have to work for it, or that is doesn’t hurt, but when it goes like this, hurting is not that bad and you are able to keep on going. The team did an amazing job today, the girls in the bunch kept pressure from the back and Charlotte countered all the attacks and did a great lead out for me in the final kilometre.”
Wild led the race until Friday morning’s time trial, where Van Dijk swooped to take over at the top.
The race concludes today with a 99.9 kilometre race to Groningen.
Energiewacht Tour, Netherlands (2.2)
Stage 4, Eemsmond to Uithuizen:
1, Kirsten Wild (Argos Shimano) 134.6 kilometres in 3 hours 36 mins 43 secs
2, Ellen Van Dijk (Specialized lululemon)
3, Adrie Visser (Boels Dolmans)
4, Jolien d’Hoore (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
5, Lucinda Brand (Rabobank Liv Giant)
6, Loes Gunnewijk (Orica-Ais)
7, Tatiana Antoshina (Mcipollini Giordana) at 3 secs
8, Elizabeth Armitstead (Boels Dolmans)
9, Charlotte Becker (Argos Shimano) at 13 secs
10, Anna Van der Breggen (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team) at 38 secs
Overall classification:
1, Ellen Van Dijk (Specialized lululemon) 11 hours 52 mins 10 secs
2, Loes Gunnewijk (Orica AIS) at 1 min 22 secs
3, Kirsten Wild (Argos Shimano) at 1 min 25 secs
4, Lisa Brennauer (Specialized lululemon) at 1 min 51 secs
5, Adrie Visser (Boels Dolmans) at 2 mins 46 secs
6, Gracie Elvin (Orica AIS) at 2 mins 48 secs
7, Elisabeth Armitstead (Boels Dolmans) at 3 mins 9 secs
8, Irish Slappendel (Rabobank Liv Giant) at 3 mins 40 secs
9, Anna van der Breggen (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team) at 4 mins 8 secs
10, Lucinda Brand (Rabobank Liv Giant) at 4 mins 32 secs