21-year-old Blanka Vas won the final sprint of a thinned-out field in Weinfelden. The rider from Team SD Worx put the icing on an exemplary team performance capturing the Yellow Jersey of the Tour de Suisse Women. Her team colleagues Demi Vollering and Marlen Reusser were able to catch up with Elise Chabbey, long time race leader, three kilometres before the finish.
The circuit race around Weinfelden was reminiscent of an elimination race. Only about 20 female riders reached the finishing straight together, and due to the high speed, they resembled a string of pearls. The Hungarian Blanka Vas, an extremely successful cyclo-cross and MTB rider, had the best legs at the end: “It was a great team performance and the victory feels a bit surreal. The whole team worked for me because I have the best finish in such short races,” she said. The stage victory gives her the overall lead of the Tour de Suisse Women 2023, while Marlen Reusser is the best Swiss in eighth place.
Solo Breakaway for Switzerland’s Elise Chabbey
total of 112 riders lined up at the start of the Tour de Suisse Women – and it was an animated start. Switzerland’s Elise Chabbey (Canyon/SRAM Racing) attacked on the first QOM after Weerswilen and was able to break away immediately before anyone could respond. Her lead was at times over a minute – despite several counter attacks and chasing actions from the peloton. With about three kilometres to the finish she was caught by the peloton, and the leading riders came together on the finishing straight.
Time Trial on the same Course as Tour de Suisse Men
After the “opening criterium” on Saturday evening there is little recovery time. The first competitor rolls off the ramp at 10 am in St. Gallen. The Time Trial covers exactly the same distance as the men’s race and is relatively long at 25.7 kilometres. In addition, there are 400 metres of altitude to negotiate. Larger time gaps are expected, which will be significant for the overall classification. From a Swiss perspective, the focus is on the performance of Marlen Reusser. The Bernese cyclist has already won several medals at major events in this discipline.
