The race began calmly near Tartu, with the group staying nicely together. Key events started unfolding at the 30-kilometer mark when the riders faced an eight-kilometer gravel section. The section had been recently maintained, which is good for cars but not so much for cyclists — there’s a higher risk of technical problems (e.g., punctures), and the bike tends to "swim" on such surfaces.
It was on this section that a breakaway group of 11 riders formed. Soon, however, the group was down to 10, as Laura Lizette Sander, representing Coop–Repsol, dropped into the next group of 15 riders. The gap between the two groups hovered around one minute for a while, narrowing at times to as little as 35 seconds. Eventually, the gap widened, making it clear that the winner would come from the breakaway.
Back in Tartu — where the riders had to tackle the Lossi and Vanemuise climbs twice — the Polish riders launched their attacks. While the first lap didn’t yield a decisive move, the second one did — Kumiega and Mul broke away with sheer strength and crossed the finish line in that order. This was the fourth edition of the Ladies Tour of Estonia, and Poland claimed the win for the second time — the inaugural race was won by Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka.
“The gravel section was tough, a lot of sand. When we reached Tartu, Malwina and I attacked on the final cobbled climb (Lossi climb). It was quite risky, but a very good decision. First and second place — super happy with that!” said today’s winner. “We have great memories of this race, the course really suits us — often windy, cobbles, small climbs. It’s one of our favorite races with the national team, we really enjoy riding here!” she added.
The results of the Ladies Tour of Estonia can be found here.
Later in the evening, we’ll also find out who wins the men’s Tartu GP and the Tour of Estonia overall. More info available here.
