Roxane Fournier 11th at Vårgårda road race
18 August 2019

UCI Women's WorldTour

Frenchwoman from Movistar Team fights to contender final sprint, after attacks from Aude Biannic and most notably Sheyla Gutiérrez into early, 14-rider move.

Italian champion Marta Bastianelli (TVC) notched up Sunday’s win in the 14th edition of the Postnord Vårgårda WestSweden road race, the traditional Swedish event of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, over a slightly revamped 145km course where the six climbs of Hägrunga (1km at 4%) interlocked with a total eight gravel road sections, three of which inside the final circuit.

Sheyla Gutiérrez was part of the big, early break. (c) Velofocus

The Movistar Team tried to feature in all main moves and sent early in the race Sheyla Gutiérrez into a dangerous, 14-woman attempt, alongside the likes of Anna van der Breggen (DLT), Coryn Rivera (SUN), Demi Vollering (PHV) or Bastianelli herself. The bunch, however, took that move down and all significant breaks during the second half of the race, including a solo move by Moniek Tenniglo (MTS) caught with just 4km left. Aude Biannic, solid all race, also tried to follow those moves near the end.

Roxane Fournier, well tucked before the sprint and supported by Oyarbide, Rodríguez and Mavi García, was just short (11th) of a second top-ten finish for the Movistar Team on Swedish soil, after their 10th spot on Saturday’s team time trial. Coming up next week, another race for the Blues in Scandinavia with the Ladies Tour of Norway (Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th).

Carlos Verona, into the escape on the final stage of the BinckBank Tour. (c) Dion Kerckhoffs / BettiniPhoto

BinckBank Tour: De Plus wins GC; Verona into final break attempts

three-man escape together with Oliver Naesen (ALM), winner of the seventh and final stage around Geraardsbergen, and Greg van Avermaet (CCC), 2nd at the tough Kapelmuur / Bosberg circuit, rewarded Laurens De Plus (TJV) with the overall victory in the 2019 BinckBank Tour, ahead of the overnight green jersey holder Tim Wellens (LTS). In turn, Carlos Verona offered the Movistar Team some TV time again with a breakaway caught at the second of the Grammont climbs (-50km). The Madrilian was able to stay with the GC favourites until the last twenty-five kilometers of the stage, together with German Jasha Sütterlin.

Stage 7 and GC results – 2019 BinckBank Tour

Cover picture (c): Velofocus