July 23/15 17:12 pm - Internationale Thuringen Rundfahrt: Kanuel wins Final Stage, 2nd overall

Posted by Editoress on 07/23/15
 

Karol-Ann Canuel took the stage win on the final day of Thuringen Rundfahrt in  Greiz . Canuel took the win ahead of Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS) and Amanda Spratt (Orica-AIS).  In winning the final stage, Canuel also moved into  second place on the overall classification.

On a tough final stage, the general classification changed significantly. Despite fighting hard, Lisa Brennauer, who had two great stage wins and had worn the yellow leaders jersey for four days, slipped down to fifth overall. The tour was won by Johansson, with Canuel second, and Spratt third.

Canuel said, "The whole tour was really hard. We worked amazing as a team and everyone did an awesome job. I think this is why it was so hard to lose the yellow jersey yesterday and we were all very disappointed with that outcome. We knew the final stage was hard, but before the race we were still confident that we could keep Lisa in the yellow jersey. She did a lot of work early in the stage covering dangerous moves but the final circuit was really hard. I bridged to Johannson who was solo at the end but I couldn't drop her. I'm happy to at least get the stage win for the team, and now after racing the Giro Rosa and Thuringen, I'm looking forward to some rest."

Velocio - SRAM press release

Swedish champion Emma Johansson was crowned the overall winner of the Internationale Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen after an aggressive show from ORICA-AIS on the final day of racing.

The Australian outfit was active in putting pressure on the bunch for the full seven day, eight stage Tour. They also walk away with the team classification, Amanda Spratt in fourth overall, a stage win to Gracie Elvin and seven additional stage podium places.

Johansson and Spratt claimed second and third place respectively on the final stage behind Karol-Ann Canuel (Velocio-SRAM).

With bonus seconds, the performance was enough to give Johansson her third overall victory at the German stage race following wins in 2011 and 2013. Canuel took second overall, ten seconds behind.

“It was pretty epic,” Johansson said of the day. “I started attacking from the first climb in the first kilometre and we didn’t stop all day.”

“I wasn’t flying in the first couple of days of the race but I could feel my form coming everyday and it was at its best yesterday and today so I’m happy to be able to use that form. It doesn’t always happen like that.

“Even more so, I’m so happy to bring home the yellow jersey for the team. They rode so well all week, were super strong and deserved this. I’m looking forward to spending the next couple of days with them before Paris and hopefully celebrating a little.”

After losing two riders – Melissa Hoskins to sickness (before stage 1) and Sarah Roy to a deep abrasion on her knee (stage 4), ORICA-AIS started the 98.9km final stage with just four riders, but determined to throw everything they had towards a result.

With Johansson (fourth) and Spratt (fifth) just 30 and 32seconds behind overall leader Lisa Brennauer (Velocio-SRAM), there were plenty of cards to play.

“It really helped that Amanda made up time in the general classification yesterday,” Johansson continued. “We had two options for today and that allowed us to be super aggressive.”

“We got away on a climb at about 80km in a group of four – Spratty and I with two others, including (Lauren) Stevens (Team USA) who was a threat on GC.

“We just kept attacking one after another to drop her. It was full on, about five kilometres of one after the other. Every time it came back I was thinking ‘oh, not my turn again’ and I think Spratty was feeling the same. Eventually I got away.”
Orica AIS press release

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