UAE Tour Women 2024: Wiebes wins two stages in a row for the first time in a year and a half

Were they one day before While there was still a two bike length difference to the runner-up, the competition had halved the gap this time. However, it was not dsm sprinter Rachele Barbieri who once again finished well ahead. While the Italian in the service of the Dutch team played no role in the final this time, Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ) was best behind Wiebes, ahead of Clara Copponi (Lidl-Trek).

A little curious statistic in passing: it was the first time in a year and a half, since the Simac Ladies Tour in August 2022, that Wiebes had won two consecutive stages. With a tally of 73 victories in just six years, this is quite surprising for the best female sprinter of recent years.

Headwind makes timing difficult in the final

The route was also curious at times, with not a single bend on the last ten kilometres. "This finishing straight made it a bit difficult today," said the winner, who also extended her lead in the overall standings. "The sprint was difficult to time," said Wiebes, who also blamed the headwind for this. "I opened my sprint quite early, but it was still enough."

Apart from the last few metres, however, the wind had less influence than expected. The forecast wind edges did not materialise - with one exception. Towards the middle of the race, a group of four SD-Worx riders broke away via a wind gap. However, the gap remained too small for it to become really dangerous. A defect in Lotte Kopecky's bike put an end to the outing.

The day that is decisive for the overall standings awaits tomorrow on stage 3. The stage ends on Jebel Hafeet.

>> In detail: This is the route of the UAE Tour Women 2024

UAE Tour Women 2024 - Results: The top 10 of stage 2

1. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx - Protime) 2:28:08
2. Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ) +0:00
3. Clara Copponi (Lidl-Trek) +0:00
4. Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco) +0:00
5. Martina Fidanza (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling) +0:00
6. Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ-Suez) +0:00
7. Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Uno-X Mobility) +0:00
8. Anniina Ahtosalo (Uno-X Mobility) +0:00
9. Gladys Verhulst-Wild (FDJ-Suez) +0:00
10. Daria Pikulik (Human Powered Health) +0:00

The overall standings after the 2nd stage

1. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx - Protime) 5:26:57
2. Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ) +0:12
3. Rachele Barbieri (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) +0:16
4. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx - Protime) +0:17
5. Clara Copponi (Lidl-Trek) +0:18
6. Loes Adegeest (FDJ-Suez) +0:18
7. Daria Pikulik (Human Powered Health) +0:19
8. Yanina Kuskova (Tashkent City Women Professional Cycling Team) +0:19
9. Alice Palazzo (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) +0:19
10. Gaia Segato (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) +0:20

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How the 2nd stage of the UAE Tour Women 2024 went

20 degrees and strong crosswinds - under these conditions, 114 female riders set off on the 113-kilometre route between Al Mirfa on the coast of the Persian Gulf towards the interior of the country to Madinat Zayed.

As on stage 1, the peloton stayed together for a long time. Nothing happened for almost 40 kilometres, but then the wind caused a break in the peloton. Eleven riders were part of the first relay, including a quartet around the previous day's winner Wiebes and world champion Kopecky from SD Worx - Protime, yesterday's runner-up, Rachele Barbieri (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Emma Norsgard (Movistar) and Romy Kasper (Human Powered Health). The spook continued for about ten kilometres, then SD Worx stopped working at the front, as Kopecky had dropped back due to a flat tyre.

Everything was back together at the first intermediate sprint, where Daria Pikulik (Human Powered Health) secured the most bonus points. 41 kilometres before the finish, it was Yanina Kuskova (Tashkent City Women Professional Cycling Team) who tried to go solo, as she had done the day before. She didn't make it to the second intermediate sprint 27 kilometres from the finish, where Kopecky won ahead of Wiebes and with it three bonus seconds.

Nothing more happened until the final. And there were no more surprises there either. On the ten kilometre long finishing straight with a headwind, the sprinters held back for a long time due to the nevertheless high pace. Around 150 metres before the finish line, it was Wiebes, who was once again attacked by Kopecky, who was the first to leave the saddle. Her powerful acceleration quickly opened up a gap that no rival was able to close, even though Consonni had closed the gap to one bike length at the line with a high final speed.