The 35th edition of the “Lotto Thuringia Ladies Tour” came up with something new: right at the start there was a team time trial around Schleiz.
The favored team SD Worx around Belgium’s cycling star Lotte Kopecky won the start of the 36th Tour of Thuringia. The team was ten seconds faster than Jayco-Alula from Australia in the 9.1-kilometer team time trial around Schleiz on Tuesday. The traditional tour began for the first time with a team time trial.
Co-favorite Bauernfeind in third place
Canyon-Sram with the German hope for victory Ricarda Bauernfeind (Ingolstadt) finished third, 21 seconds behind. The 23-year-old Bauernfeind, who finished fifth last year as the best German, is in a promising position: “For some it was the first time that they did time trials. The route suited us very well, we are more mountain riders . The first half was uphill, so we had fewer problems. The next stages aren’t great for me. The climbs shouldn’t be underestimated.”
The longest stage follows on Wednesday
A total of 17 teams were at the start on Tuesday. On Wednesday it’s over 153.5 kilometers around Gera, this section is the longest stage of the 2023 edition.
Romy Kasper is taking part for the 14th time. The native of Leipzig (AG Insurance Soudal Quick-Step Team) made her debut in Thuringia in 2006. In any case, there will be a new overall winner in 2023: Alexandra Manly from Australia was not considered by her team.
Final on Sunday in Mühlhausen
For the riders, it’s all over Thuringia for a total of six days until Sunday. The other stages are Schmölln (May 25th), Gotha (May 26th) and Schmalkalden (May 27th) and Mühlhausen (May 28th).
The MDR will accompany the tour in detail on the web, app, radio and MDR TELEVISION.
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red/dpa
