Lotta Lepistö made an already good week in Internationale Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen even better for Bigla Pro Cycling Team by sprinting to victory on Stage 4.
The Finnish Champion has been in the top ten of every stage and narrowly missed out on victory on the opening day after placing second.
The stage saw the peloton negotiating the Dörtendorfer Berg three times. Lepistö explains how she had to ride within herself on the climb.
“I had good legs today but I was suffering on this climb we did three times but I was recovering pretty fast,” the Finnish champion said.
“The last 3km’s were going up all the time and then 700 metres to go there was a right turn. I was worried about the road going up but Iris [Slappendel] was helping me in the front and was keeping me calm. Velocio were making a leadout train and Orica had three on their wheels. Amy Pieters then opened her sprint on the right and I went onto her wheels and just continued my sprint and was in the front.”
The result saw Lepistö move up to third in the overall standings. Joëlle Numainvile also placed well on the stage placing sixth and moving up to eleventh.
“We are still placed well on GC with Joëlle and I and we will keep trying to do well overall,” Lepistö concluded.
Three stages remain in the German race. Tomorrow’s stage will be another long one over 118 kilometres.
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