We finished Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour with Alexis Ryan fifth in the final stage and Tiffany Cromwell seventh in the general classification (GC). The tour was won by Lucinda Brand (TFS).

“Overall I was pretty happy with my tour and overall performance. I didn’t end up with a podium result on any stage but it was nice to have the opportunity and support from the team to go for the result on a number of stages and really challenge myself on selective finishes. I rode better than I was expecting, especially when I got a late call up to race here. I felt strong from stage one and with every stage I gained more confidence,” said Tiffany.

“The top ten on GC was an added bonus. I wasn’t so focused on the GC as normally it isn’t my forte. I preferred the team to focus on trying to get a stage result as opposed to trying to focus on my GC.”

“It’s disappointing to come away empty handed as a team as it’s not a true reflection on the way we raced together. The atmosphere was good and everyone took their chances in breakaways. We rode well together in the finals. It was great to see our younger riders racing well and I’m sure they’ll be able to take a lot from the tour and grow further as riders,” added Tiffany.

Some of Tiffany’s teammates give a summary of the tour below.

Alexis Ryan

“The sprint today was okay. I was feeling strong coming into it and in good position until the last corner. I took the left side of the road because it was the shortest line, but then I was stuck behind the lead out riders  that pulled off. It was a bad decision on my part to choose that side. Lorena (Wiebes) and the others launched their sprints and I was stuck trying to find a way out. It’s pretty disappointing to not come away with a podium all week. My teammates deserved something to celebrate for all their hard work. Our team performance overall was amazing. Great communication and team work. The results will come!”

Ella Harris

“It was a really enjoyable six days with the team, great spirit and atmosphere. Tiff and Alexis are in fantastic form so we tried to set the finish up for them each day, and as a whole the team was really strong and always present. We didn’t get as close to the podium as desired, but not through a lack of trying.”

“I am really happy to get six days of solid riding under the belt and experience a new kind of racing, as I haven’t done a long tour like this before where the courses are more punchy and opportunistic. The multiple days were excellent for fine-tuning my bunch positioning skills and working through the slight errors where I’ve been wasting energy previously. All this racing will be great for my fitness, especially with getting a bit more oomph in my legs, and I’m now excited to see what I can bring to Tour de Suisse.”

Lisa Klein

“I felt better day by day and I could go harder and harder as the race went on. I’m happy with my shape and with how my legs felt. We committed to our plan and though at times there were mistakes, we analysed each stage and we learned a lot. I had fun and we worked together as well as a team with some great communication. It’s a bit hard when you have to accept we didn’t get a better reward for our efforts in the form of a podium but we will keep fighting. The stage race was part of building towards my big goals of the season at Tokyo Olympics and I’m satisfied with how it went.”

“I was really happy to see Tiffany up in GC, to see Alexis going for the finals and seeing them both gaining confidence. Of course a mention to our staff who were working well and creating a good atmosphere for us. I also found it a bit emotional being in my home area and racing on some of my training roads. I enjoyed having my friends and family cheering for me and being able to spend some time with them was nice.”

Neve Bradbury

“After crashing in stage two, I was really nervous for the following stages. Especially with some dangerous parts. This was my longest stage race and my legs definitely felt it! I am happy with how I raced and it was a great feeling working with the team, however I know I still have a lot to learn.”

Hannah Ludwig

“It was great riding with my teammates in Germany and I really enjoyed how the feeling in the group developed. I felt pretty good on the bike but I sometimes struggled to make the right decisions and that’s where my teammates and especially the more experienced riders helped me a lot. I am really proud of everyone how they raced and more than ever I look more to racing the next weeks.”

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