Demi Vollering secured overall victory in the Women’s Tour of Britain to claim her first World Tour stage race.
The Dutchwoman, 24, of SD Worx, went in to the sixth and final stage with a commanding lead and finished safely within the peloton in Felixstowe.
World champion Elisa Balsamo, of Italy, won the stage – her first in the rainbow jersey – beating Lorena Wiebes and Chloe Hosking in a sprint finish.
Vollering had held the lead since winning stage three’s time trial.
Her overall race advantage of one minute and nine seconds was never in any real danger.
Eugenia Bujak broke clear early on and established a three-minute lead but the peloton worked well together to bring the Lithuanian back, despite being interrupted by a level crossing with about 56km of the race remaining.
And Balsamo’s Valcar – Travel & Service team set her up perfectly for the stage victory.
“My team did a really great lead-out for me,” said Balsamo.
“We knew we were strong in the sprints but today was perfect. It’s wonderful. This was my first time at this race but I will definitely come here again.”
Results – stage six
1. Elisa Balsamo (Ita/Valcar-Travel & Service) 3hrs 53mins 51secs
2. Lorena Wiebes (Ned/Team DSM) same time
3. Chloe Hosking (Aus/Trek-Segafredo)
4. Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa/Movistar Team Women)
5. Amber van der Hulst (Ned/Parkhotel Valkenburg)
6. Clara Copponi (Fra/FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope)
7. Maria van’t Geloof (Ned/Drops-le-Col)
8. Sarah Roy (Aus/Team BikeExchange)
9. Marta Bastianelli (Ita/Ale BTC Ljubljana)
10. Alice Barnes (GB/Canyon SRAM Racing)
General classification
1. Demi Vollering (Ned/Team SD Worx) 15hrs 54mins 38secs
2. Juliette Labouis (Fra/Team DSM) +1min 02secs
3. Clara Copponi (Fra/FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) +1min 05secs
4. Amy Pieters (Ned/Team SDC Worx) +1min 07secs
5. Aude Biannic (Fra/Movistar Team Women) +1min 26secs
6. Leah Kirchmann (Can/Team DSM) +1min 39secs
7. Alice Barnes (GB/Canyon SRAM Racing) +1min 41secs
8. Pfeiffer Georgi (GB/Team DSM) +1min 46secs
9. Elise Chabbey (Swi/Canyon-SRAM Racing) +1min 47secs
10. Joss Lowden (GB/Drops-le-Col) same time
