How the race finished
Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) once again proved fastest in the Individual Time Trial, moving into the GC lead. Teammate Demi Vollering and Elisa Longo-Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) completed the podium on the day, also positioning themselves into second and third on the GC respectively.
Full results are available below.
How it happened
Following up their evening opening stage with a morning Time Trial, the riders faced 25.7km from St Gallen to Abtwil. The opening ten kilometres before the first intermediate time check were slightly rolling, before the road pitched upward, climbing over 200m up to the second time check. From there, a technical descent brought riders towards the finish line.
Riders set off in reverse order of the General Classification. After losing time yesterday, the olympic road race champion, who bases herself in Switzerland and has the time trial as a strong focus, was among those out on the road early. It was clear that Kiesenhofer (Israel Premier-Tech Roland) meant business as she swept past Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ), who had started a minute ahead of her, at the first time check. From there, Kiesenhofer only extended her lead on the uphill, her tweaked position apparently working well on the higher gradients. Passing rider after rider, at the finish line Kiesenhofer took to the hot seat with an incredible lead of four minutes.
For a long time, riders continued to set times minutes in arrears of Kiesenhofer. Then, her teammate Claire Steels came through the first intermediate time check faster than Kiesenhofer, and the race was on again. The times were closer still at the second intermediate, but by the finish line, Steels was 27 seconds behind Kiesenhofer – slipping easily into a provisional second place, but unable to unseat her teammate.
Israel-Premier Tech-Roland continued their strong showing, with former Swiss ITT champion Elena Hartmann and Elena Pirrone both finishing just outside the top twenty. At the same time, Team Jumbo-Visma riders were out on the course, proving once again to have their Time Trial setup and pacing dialled. Amber Kraak went faster than Kiesenhofer through the first time check, and held on to finish three seconds ahead, going into the provisional lead. Young New Zealander Kim Cadzow showing her potential, finishing twentieth overall.
Trek-Segafredo were the next team to show their strength. Amanda Spratt and Brodie Chapman both posted fast times through the first intermediate split, as suddenly the times all started to drop. Chapman flew through the remainder of the course to take the fastest time at the finish, 14 seconds ahead of Amanda Spratt.
Having finished in the front bunch yesterday, Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), Demi Vollering and Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) were all out on the course at once. Longo-Borghini blew Chapman’s time at the intermediate out of the water, hunting down the stage win. When she came across the finish line nearly a whole minute up on Chapman’s time, the stage was set for a nail biting finale.
Through the second intermediate check, Vollering was tracking 6 seconds down on Longo-Borghini, with Reusser further back. However, the tables turned, and by the finish line, Vollering held 8 seconds over Longo-Borghini. With another SD Worx win all but assured, the wait for Reusser was less nervous, but still resulted in joy all round as the Swiss rider fulfilled her dream of winning the Time Trial in her home race. With it, she takes the lead in the General Classification.
Stage Two – Results
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
