Dutch rider Silke Smulders showed her great class and determination today, making a brave solo move with 39km to go on the final stage of the Simac Ladies Tour, only to be caught agonisingly close to the finish line with less than five metres to go.
It was heartbreak for the Liv AlUla Jayco rider in what proved to be a thrilling final stage as she crossed the line in fourth place, having held off a fierce chase by team SD Works until the very final moments.
With 250 metres to go, it appeared as though the rider from the Netherlands had done enough to secure the win. However, as Lorena Wiebes injected the pace in the final dash for the line to lead out her teammate Lotte Kopecky, it was the final nail in the coffin for Smulders, denying the 23-year-old her first WorldTour victory at her home race by a question of metres.
As compensation for her daring ride, the Liv AlUla Jayco rider was still able to enjoy a trip to the podium having claimed the most combative award and the overall victory in the Queen of the Mountains classification alongside teammate Jeanne Korevaar, after the duo finished equal points in the ranking after consistent riding all week.
Despite not claiming today’s final stage win, Smulders and the team walk away happy with their performances across the tough six days of racing where the squad picked up top 10 placings on each and every stage, the Queen of the Mountains overall victory plus seventh place on the general classification for Smulders to conclude a busy but successful 2024 season.
Silke Smulders
“I am proud of my effort, I think I was super strong and I almost, almost made it so I have to be really happy with that. When I was solo, I was thinking ‘please someone join me and what did I start’ but then when you are in it there’s no way back, so I just went as hard as possible to the finish and thought ‘I will see how it ends.’
It was hovering at 30 and 40 seconds for a long time and in the end, I thought I could make it when I came through the last corner. On the line they caught me, but I actually didn’t think I could go so far alone when I started it so I am really proud of my effort and also the team. We wanted to really make it hard and go for it, this is the way we want to race.”
Jeanne Korevaar
Since I got the Queen of the Mountains jersey it became a goal to keep it and it felt really special that the girls wanted to help me with it. I think it is a prize for the whole team, we rode really aggressively, and we can be proud. We of course wished that Silke could have won today but it was so close and we are all incredibly proud of her today.”
2024 Simac Ladies Tour – Stage 6 results:
1. Lotte Kopecky 3:44:49
2. Lorena Wiebes ST
3. Marta Truyen ST
4. Silke SmuldersST
2024 Simac Ladies Tour – Overall general classification:
1. Lotte Kopecky 17:25:53
7. Silke Smulders (Liv AlUla Jayco) +2:01
Liv AlUla Jayco results:
5th – Stage 1 – Silke Smulders
10th – Stage 2 – Letizia Paternoster
6th – Stage 3 – Ruby Roseman-Gannon
5th – Stage 4 – Silke Smulders + Teniel Campbell Most Combative
9th – Stage 5 – Quinty Ton
4th – Stage 6 – Silke Smulders + Most Combative
1st – Mountains Classification – Jeanne Korevaar
Photo: Sprint Cycling
