Vos gets revenge on Kool after day of heavy crosswinds

Marianne Vos won the third stage of La Vuelta Femenina after kicking past Stage 2 winner Charlotte Kool with 100 metres remaining in what was a wild and windy day.

Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) celebrates winning Stage 3 of La Vuelta Femenina ahead of Charlotte Kool (Team DSM) Source: Getty

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Tail-crosswinds and echelons dominated the 157.8-kilometre stage, the longest of the Vuelta and one without any classified climbs for the peloton.

Nevertheless, the GC battle brought about some significant time gaps when Movistar capitalised with 97 kilometres to go, leaving only 55 riders in the first group.

Vos’ Jumbo-Visma, SD Worx and Kool’s Team DSM kept the incredible pace of the race up until the front group again split with 48 kilometres remaining.

Evita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) and Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) were among the riders to fall behind, and Ane Santesteban (Team Jayco-AlUla) soon joined them inside the final 18 kilometres.

Only 29 riders remained in the lead group as the race reached its finale and it was Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) who first led out the sprint with Emma Norsgaard (Movistar) on her wheel along with Clara Copponi (FDJ-SUEZ), Riejanne Markus (Jumbo-Visma), Kool and Vos.

Vos and Kool launched their respective attacks roughly 250 metres from the finish line, before the Dutchwoman pulled away inside the last 100 metres to win the stage ahead of Kool and Chloe Dygert (Canyon-SRAM).

Raced at an average speed of 45.6 kilometres per hour, Vos’ victory came amid the fastest Women’s WorldTour stage ever – something the general classification leader acknowledged would not have been possible without the help of her team.

“We were not so far off yesterday and knew there would be another chance today,” Vos said after the race.

“But it was quite a hard day with the crosswinds. I am grateful to my team for bringing me into this position and happy that I could finish it off in the final.

“We were well-prepared for the crosswinds, but you still need to focus constantly.

“In the beginning it was quite relaxed, actually, because there was not much going on, and suddenly you need to switch on and get ready for the action.

“And from then on it was constantly a high-speed race, trying to stay in the first echelon.”

Watch Stage 4 of La Vuelta Femenina tonight via SBS On Demand, with LIVE coverage commencing from 11:30pm (AEST).