Ruby Roseman-Gannon won stage four of the Tour of Britain Women in confusing circumstances, as she out-sprinted three SD Worx-Protime riders to victory.
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) came fourth on the stage to win overall, but had victory at the race within her grasp, before sitting up, seemingly to gift a win to her teammate Christine Majerus, but it was not to be. The fastest sprinter in the peloton, Lorena Wiebes, came third.
In seriously inclement weather, Lizzie Deignan (Great Britain) animated the day, with a long-range attack, but it ultimately came down to a reduced sprint in Leigh.
Anna Henderson (Great Britain) came second overall, with Majerus moving up to third on GC thanks to bonus seconds claimed on the final stage.
The seemingly strange decision for Kopecky to sit up with a final stage win in her grasp was due to the team working for Majerus, according to the overall winner.
"We made the choice to go today for Christine Majerus in the sprint," Kopecky said. "We did it perfectly until the gap in the last corner, which was a bit too big for me. I wasn't going to take the win, I saw Christine coming, but we made this deal and she was going to win it. Maybe a stupid mistake, I don't know, but I would always have done the same.
"It was pretty cold," she said of the final day. "Luckily, it only rained on the last day so it's ok, we had three good ones. It was hectic, some nice steep climbs. Lizzie Deignan was very strong, but so was SD Worx-Protime. In the end, we were alway in control and yeah, in the end, it was sad that it ended like this, but it also could have been a very nice day for Christine Majerus."
For Roseman-Gannon, the victory in bizarre circumstances was her first WorldTour win, and was unexpected. Her team leader at the start of the day, Letizia Paternoster, punctured with just over 4km to go, leaving her free to exploit the finish.
"I just can't believe it," she said. "Today the plan was to go for Letizia (Paternoster), to race aggressively and try and take some seconds back and try and go for GC. We had a really good team ride, with Teniel absolutely smashing that first climb, I was actually struggling. It was full commitment into the next climb where the selection was made.
"We really wanted to get Letizia up there, but it ended up being a full bunch sprint, and she got a puncture. It didn't go to plan, I asked whether I should go back, but I got told to focus on the finish instead. I still can't believe I won that, it's crazy, it's my first European win."
"I think I really just didn't expect it," Paternoster continued. "Some races you come in as a leader and you know what you can do, and other races it all just works out. I was pretty nervous about the rain, I was nervous about crashing. I wasn't in the mindset of trying to win."
How it happened
A short 99km stage meant that many riders were warming up pre-race, knowing that the action would be on from the start. Add in some seriously inclement weather, and despite being short, every metre of road would prove difficult.
Given it was the last stage of the race, there was a serious battle to form an early break. Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis–200° Coffee-Hargreaves Contracting), the most combative rider on stage three, was an early attacker, but her lead did not last. Krista Doebel-Hickok (Human Powered Health) gained an 18-second lead into the bottom of the first climb of the day, Grains Bar, a category one climb, but was caught.
First over the top was Lizzie Deignan (Great Britain), securing her lead in the queen of the mountain’s jersey. The Briton pushed on over the top, building an advantage of over a minute at one point.
Behind, Liv AlUla Jayco and SD Worx Protime pulled, the latter defending Lotte Kopecky’s lead in the general classification.
Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich PostNL) attacked out of the peloton, seemingly to act as a launchpad for her teammate Pfeiffer Georgi. However, she did not last long, soon caught by the peloton.
Into the second category one climb of the day, the Ramsbottom Rake, Deignan still pushed on, as dsm-firmenich PostNL continued their control at the front of the bunch. The sole leader took the maximum points at the top of the climb again, with her GB teammate Anna Henderson taking second on the climb.
A select group including Kopecky, Georgi, Henderson and Letizia Paternoster (Liv AlUla Jayco) briefly went clear, but their numbers soon swelled, as Kopecky was joined by teammates Lorena Wiebes and Christine Majerus.
With just over 50km to go, the peloton had become chasing groups, with the race split over the road thanks to the Ramsbottom Rake. Deignan remained out front.
Just as the race passed 40km to go, Deignan was caught, and Majerus immediately moved to the front to try and put the pressure on. Henderson was next to attack, but she was tracked by Kopecky.
Amber Pate (Liv AlUla Jayco) attempted to jump clear, but was reeled in. Further behind, St Michel-Mavic-Auber93 were pulling, trying to defend Victoire Guilman’s eighth place overall.
They achieved this with 31km to go, as the front group swelled to around 25, with the full complement of GB riders in there.
The intermediate sprint was a close battle between Majerus and Paternoster, with the former coming out on top.
With 22km to go, it was Deignan who attempted to move off the front once again, followed by Majerus, but this came to nothing.
Henderson was the next to attack, with the GB team knowing that they would need to do something in order to change how the day would finish. She was caught, and then Georgi tried to force a split, followed by Kopecky and Paternoster. The top four overall rose to the top on an uncategorised climb. The quartet established a lead of around 18 seconds with 19km to go, but it was unclear what they would work together for, given they were the top four already.
Behind, Eline Jansen (VolkerWessels), fifth overall, attempted to lead the chase, knowing her GC position was in doubt.
Wiebes attacked from the chasing group, with Paternoster going off the front of the race with the knowledge that their numbers might soon grow. This was shut down, but Georgi was next to attack, with 15km to go, again unable to gap her fellow leaders.
With just under 10km to go, the front group came back together, with the front four caught.
Franziska Koch (dsm-firmenich PostNL) launched from this group, dragging Elena Cecchini (SD Worx-Protime) and Flora Perkins (Great Britain) with her, with Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv AlUla Jayco) shortly following. They were caught with around 4km to go.
Paternoster, third overall, suffered a rear wheel puncture at the worst possible moment, as the race was on at the front.
Results
Tour of Britain Women 2024 stage four: Manchester > Leigh (99km)
1. Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Aus) Liv ALUla Jayco, in 2:37:51
2. Christine Majerus (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
3. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
4. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime
5. Eline Jansen (Ned) Volker Wessels
6. Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) dsm-firmenich PostNL
7. Flora Perkins (GBr) Great Britain
8. Elinor Barker (GBr) Great Britain
9. Josie Talbot (Aus) Cofidis
10 Anna Henderson (GBr) Great Britain
General Classification after stage four
1. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime, in 10:25:49
2. Anna Henderson (GBr) Great Britain, +17s
3. Christine Majerus (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, +34s
4. Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) dsm-firmenich PostNL, +38s
5. Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Liv ALUla Jayco, +40s
6. Eline Jansen (Ned) Volker Wessels, +43s
7. Lizzie Deignan (GBr) Great Britain Cycling team, +46s
8. Victorie Guilman (Fra) St Michel-Mavic-Auber 93, at same time
9. Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Aus) Liv ALUla Jayco, +2:50
10. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime, +4:14
