On her return to racing at the Itzulia Women, Ella Wyllie (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) won the blue jersey for the best U23 rider. Starting the final stage with the same time as five other riders, Wyllie snatched two bonus seconds to move into the lead even though the group she was in was caught by a reduced peloton in the final.
“It’s a big confidence boost, particularly after a couple quiet months for me with injury. As always, it’s a huge team effort and I’m happy with today,” the 21-year-old told Cyclingnews.
The stage came down to the Mendizorrotz climb where the strongest riders pulled away, mixing with the breakaway that was caught on the steep slopes. Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) went off for a solo victory, but behind her, a fight for the remaining GC spots and the blue jersey emerged.
“The start of the climb was pretty chaotic because of the town in the lead-in and the narrow roads, but pretty quickly it was determined by who had the legs. I was feeling good,” Wyllie explained.
Wyllie and 18-year-old Isabella Holmgren (Lidl-Trek) were part of a group of nine chasing behind Vollering, and although it turned out that the Dutch champion was gone for good, the group worked together in an effort to gain time on the rest of the race.
“There was cooperation, but we also had two of Demi’s teammates with us. The best thing for the team and me was for me to get the remaining bonus seconds in the intermediate sprint to put me on the front foot in the GC and young rider category,” said Wyllie.
The day’s last intermediate sprint, 12km from the finish, offered bonus seconds to the first three riders, and these time bonifications could be crucial.
“I knew it would be important today to try for the intermediate sprints, it’s always helpful going into the final with bonus seconds. The first sprint was decided in the breakaway, but the final one was one I could go for, even with Demi up the road. A few girls tried but I made sure to take it,” Wyllie said.
With the two-second bonification, she had the upper hand on Holmgren as well as Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek), Marion Bunel (St Michel-Mavic-Auber 93), and Julie Bego (Cofidis) when the latter three reeled in the chasing nine with two kilometres to go, and at the podium ceremony, Wyllie could exchange her New Zealand champion’s jersey for the Itzulia blue jersey of the best U23 rider.
