The Volta a Portugal Feminina ended on a high note for the Liv AlUla Jayco Continental Team, with a stage win for Hélène Hesters and second place for Emma Jeffers.
In the fifth and final stage, a rider was solo at the front of the stage for a long time. With 15 kilometres to go, her lead was still over 2:30 minutes, but in the closing kilometres, the sprinters’ teams pressed on.
This set the stage for a bunch sprint. Liv AlUla Jayco was well positioned at the front for Hesters’ lead-out.
The finale was disrupted by two crashes, causing a small group to separate from the peloton. The 21-year-old Hesters was in superb form and claimed victory. Jeffers took second place, making the team’s success even bigger.
Liv AlUla Jayco also performed exceptionally well in the various classifications.
Matilde Vitillo finished fourth in the general classification, while Sidney Swierenga placed fifth and won the young riders’ classification.
In the team classification, the talented squad led by sports director Przemysław Kasperkiewicz, finished first.
Hélène Hesters
“It’s my first elite victory, so this day means a lot to me. We rode this Volta a Portugal incredibly strongly as a team, but major successes didn’t come our way. Fortunately, luck was on our side today. In the final, the team did everything they could to catch the solo breakaway rider and to position me well for the sprint. I’m happy that I was able to finish it off and that we have more than just the stage win to celebrate. Sidney is the best young rider, and Matilde and Sidney finished third and fourth in the general classification. It says everything about the form of this group and it only makes us even more hungry for the next races.”
Volta a Portugal Feminina stage 5 – results
1. Hélène Hesters (Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team) 02:18:38
2. Emma Jeffers (Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team) st
3. Valeria Valgonen st
Volta a Portugal Feminina GC – results
1. Victoire Bertau
2. Maite Urteaga + 0:04
3. Annelies Nijssen + 0:08
4. Matilde Vitillo (Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team) + 0:30
5. Sidney Swierenga (Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team) + 0:34
Photo: Volta a Portugal
