Big week of Basque women's cycling off on Monday

Spanish allrounder from Movistar Team into crucial 10-woman move including winner Lucy Kennedy (MTS); Ali takes Rushes classification in Bizkaia.

It was a one-two finish for Mitchelton-Scott at the end of the 2019 Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria, a UCI 1.2 event over 113km on Basque soil, including five ascents to Miota Gane and two tougher, decisive climbs to Goiuria. Lucy Kennedy took a solo victory ahead of team-mate Amanda Spratt and Soraya Paladin (ALE), all part of a ten-rider escape including Alicia González (Movistar Team).

The Asturian youngster, at the front of the race from about 45km in over a peloton with no big squads interested in bringing the move back, fought for and conquered the Sprints classification before getting dropped into ther penultimate climb, with a six-woman selection ahead including late attacker Kennedy.

Despite several attempts to leave her group behind in Goiuria, the faster likes of Jolien D’Hoore (DLT), Lotti Becker (FDJ) and Elena Cecchini (CSR) overtook Alicia, 10th in a race which puts an end to five days of good, hard work from the Viella native, a crucial factor for the Movistar Team’s successful Vuelta a Burgos.

Cover picture (c): Velofocus