Tour of Britain Women 2024 - Stage 4: Well-intentioned fit of arrogance: SD Worx gives away victory

A lot of things got mixed up in the constant rain in Leigh near Manchester. On the way to certain victory, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx - Protime) put her legs up 150 metres before the finish. In the tight and slippery bends, the plan was for her to take the sprint for Lorena Wiebes, as she has always done recently. Kopecky powered through the bends, tore a hole and could have easily taken her third win of the day.

But she didn't do it. And Wiebes didn't want to win either. The two stars of the team wanted to give the victory to their loyal helper Christine Majerus. Over the last 70 metres, Wiebes shouted from behind for her to pull away. And the 37-year-old Luxembourger was supposedly on her way to her first victory on the international stage in more than two years. She was already celebrating - but it was too soon. Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv Jayco AlUla) took advantage of the lax handling of the competition and pushed her bike past everyone else in the very last few metres - especially to the annoyance of Kopecky, who was still grumbling on the home straight.

But Kopecky, who had already won the first two stages - Wiebes the third - will be able to get over it, because the overall victory was still out of her reach. Second place went to Anna Henderson from the British national team, while Majerus, who was embarrassed at the award ceremony for exactly this position, came third thanks to the bonus seconds. Finally, SD Worx's fabulous run of six consecutive stage wins in World Tour races this season on the island came to an end. Already the RideLondon Classique had been won outright by the Dutch team.

It was Roseman-Gannon's first victory on the international stage. The 25-year-old had previously only won the Australian Road Championships at professional level this year.

>> All stages of the 2024 Women's Tour of Britain at a glance

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Tour of Britain Women 2024 - Results: the top 10 of stage 4

1. Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv Jayco AlUla) 2:37:51
2. Christine Majerus (Team SD Worx - Protime) +0:00
3. Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx - Protime) +0:00
4. Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx - Protime) +0:00
5. Eline Jansen (VolkerWessels Women's Pro Cycling Team) +0:00
6. Pfeiffer Georgi (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) +0:00
7. Flora Perkins (Great Britain) +0:00
8. Elinor Barker (Great Britain) +0:00
9. Josie Talbot (Cofidis) +0:00
10. Anna Henderson (Great Britain) +0:00

The overall standings

1. Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx - Protime) 13:03:40
2. Anna Henderson (Great Britain) +0:17
3. Christine Majerus (Team SD Worx - Protime) +0:34
4. Pfeiffer Georgi (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) +0:38
5. Letizia Paternoster (Liv AlUla Jayco) +0:40
6. Eline Jansen (VolkerWessels Women's Pro Cycling Team) +0:43
7. Elizabeth Deignan (Great Britain) +0:46
8. Victorie Guilman (St Michel - Mavic - Auber93 WE) +0:46
9. Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv AlUla Jayco) +2:50
10. Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx - Protime) +4:14

This is how the 4th stage of the Tour of Britain Women went

After several unsuccessful attacks in the early stages by the protagonists of the previous days' early stages, Elizabeth Deignan (Great Britain) was interested in the mountain points, which were up for grabs after 16 kilometres on a category 1 climb. Deignan attacked, secured the points and thus clarified her lead in the corresponding special classification. However, she did not allow herself to be caught and continued on.

Until the second climb of the day, which after 42 kilometres was again in the 1st category. Here she managed to get over the crest with a few seconds advantage over the field. At the back, the riders really stepped up the pace, as the climb was supposedly the last chance for changes in the overall standings. In the now pouring rain, seven riders broke away from the field to take up the fight. Lotte Kopecky, Lorena Wiebes, her helper Christine Majerus, as well as Anna Henderson, Pfeiffer Georgi and Letizia Paternoster broke away.

Attacks at the 20-kilometre mark

Meanwhile, Deignan extended her small lead on the flat. The chasing group grew to twelve riders, with Franziska Koch (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) also making the return. Deignan was then caught 40 kilometres from the finish. A short time later, another chasing group caught up with the favourites from behind.

There was another attack around the 20-kilometre mark. Kopecky, Paternoster, Henderson and Georgi built up a half-minute lead. Wiebes followed suit and closed the gap again around ten kilometres later - but the escapees were caught again shortly afterwards. Another quartet around Koch and Roseman-Gannon was brought back about five kilometres before the finish after gaining a few seconds.

And so it was onto the final, winding kilometre. Kopecky led the field into the final 200 metres and took more risks in the wet bends than anyone else. With 200 metres to go, the world champion had a gap that would easily have been enough for victory. But then she put her legs up. She and Wiebes, who also did not sprint, had obviously decided to give away the victory to Majerus. She was in front and raised her arm in celebration - but too soon, as Roseman-Gannon overtook the Luxembourger in the final metres.