“], “filter”: { “nextExceptions”: “img, blockquote, div”, “nextContainsExceptions”: “img, blockquote, a.btn, a.o-button”} }”>
Elise Chabbey scooped the final overall classification at the Tour de Romandie Féminin on Sunday, overhauling race leader Urška Žigart with a dazzling attack inside the final 10km.
The FDJ-Suez rider launched on the last climb, the third category Antagnes, distancing Žigart and going clear with stage one winner Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ). They worked together and were joined by Blanka Vas (Team SD Worx-Protime), who bridged after a stunning descent.
Chabbey drove the group to fend off the chase behind, with Vas and Blasi beating her in the sprint to take first and second on the stage.
However her four second time bonus for third plus the 11 second gap back to the case group with Žigart was more than enough to scoop yellow. She ended up seven seconds clear of Žigart, with Yarak Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) finishing third overall, 20 seconds behind.
Žigart was hampered by a near crash on the final descent, running wide on a corner and having to chase back on to her group. That cost her time and the chance to land the first stage race victory of her career. Instead it was Chabbey who triumphed, landing what is her own first GC win, and also the first-ever home success by a Swiss rider in the race.
More to follow soon…