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Lizzie Deignan won the Ovo Energy Women’s Tour in 2016, but after more than a season away from competition came into this year’s edition with no expectations for a repeat, and low hopes for even a stage victory. However, with a strong, cohesive team believing and supporting her, Deignan was able to defend her narrow one-second advantage coming into the final stage, and even added to it with a third place in the intermediate sprint, to take home her most significant victory this season.
Reactions from Lizzie Deignan:
On the win: “I think the last time I came here I was probably one of the favorites to win the race and this time I wasn’t a favorite. It was a different experience, and totally a team performance. I was not as strong as Elisa (Longo Borghini) and Ellen (van Dijk) this week, they were phenomenal, and Anna (Plichta) and Abi (Van Twisk) worked liked horses. We lost Trixi (Worrack) [to a crash] but her fighting spirit lived on, so we did it with her too.”
“Grit and determination helped me, I am away from my daughter for a reason, I am here to do a job, and I have a fantastic team around me that I did not want to let down.”
“It was hard today, it was tactical, we rode defensively, and everyone fulfilled their job perfectly. I really have to say thank you to Abi and Anna – they rode phenomenally today and all week.”
On saying she did not have a pre-race goal to win: “I was not bluffing; I did not expect this. Incredibly surprised and grateful to my teammates. I am really overwhelmed with all the support [from fans] we received this week. I was here really to consolidate the first block of training and racing I have done, and my expectations were potentially if I got a good opportunity to go for a stage, but thought that wouldn’t happen.”
“Yesterday was the first time I thought I had a chance for the GC. The whole race has been pretty open because of the bonus seconds, which made it hard to predict.”
On her first win as a mother: “I am delighted really. I just can’t wait to see Orla at home, I am really proud – of myself and my family for all the help they have given me to be here.”
“The perspective you gain from having a year out of professional sport is amazing. My attitude is just about enjoying it, I never had that attitude before, and it’s paying dividends. I feel I am in the best team in the world from a support perspective, and all these awesome women around me lift me up.”
On today’s race: “It was hectic all day long, you couldn’t lose focus, and obviously we only had one second on Kasia. My main concern was Black Mountain, and then we were hoping the breakaway would stay away through the intermediate sprint, but it didn’t, and I had to get my sprinting legs on again. Once I had that second and were up two seconds, it was a good position for us.”
On the finish: “The priority was to beat Kasia and not have any gaps, especially in a final like this with so many corners and that you have not seen before. I positioned myself with the help of Ellen and Elisa onto the back of the Boels-Dolmans' train, and there’s no coming around those girls! So I was happy to be where I was.”
On what’s next: “Time for some time off, and I will head to Ireland to visit family and enjoy this victory.”
Photo credit: Velofocus
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