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Gennep, The Netherlands - 6 September, 2015 - Lisa Brennauer has kept the leaders jersey at Boels Rental Ladies Tour after winning Stage 5 yesterday in Gennep, The Netherlands. Brennauer won in a bunch sprint from Kirsten Wild (Hitec Products) and Julien D'Hoore (Wiggle Honda).
The 126.2 kilometre course was again in tough conditions. After the first intermediate sprint it was Lucinda Brand (Rabo-Liv) who was virtual leader on the road. An early break with Rabo-Liv and Boels-Dolman represented was allowed to gain an advantage, but it was the work of several teams, including Velocio-SRAM and Wiggle Honda that brought the break eventually back to the field. A four-rider break then went, but again it was brought back preparing the peloton for a certain bunch sprint.
Velocio-SRAM's last lead-out rider Trixi Worrack summarised the race. "Again we had wet conditions. There was a group away but none from GC and so we did close it a little bit but there were other teams also helping with this. The last kilometres were really fast. As a team we were all around each other and protecting Lisa. At 2.5 kilometres to go there was a cross-wind section and we recognised it immediately. Our team was on the front and we controlled the lead-out from that moment. We put all of the other sprinters and their trains in the gutter, and kept Lisa protected. Lisa opened the sprint around 300m to go and Wild actually went passed her. But Lisa was too strong and then came back over the top to win."
Brennauer goes into the final stage with +8 second lead over Brand, and +15 second lead over van Dijk (Boels-Dolman). Today's stage from Bunde to Valkenburg is set to be the toughest stage and an exciting finish for the general classification is expected.
Sports Director Ronny Lauke is expecting a tough final stage. "The general classification is still very close and there will be a lot of teams active from the beginning of today's stage. After the girls' efforts in the ITT stage, and then again in the race yesterday, they can take a lot of confidence in being able to bring home the jersey today."
Team mate Tayler Wiles continues to hold onto the pink leaders jersey in Tour Feminin De l'Ardeche. Finishing ninth on yesterday's stage, Wiles maintains a 27 second advantage over Lauren Stephens (Team Tibco-SVB) with just two days to go.
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