Fighting spirit shines through in tough Vuelta finale for AG Insurance – Soudal

Fighting spirit shines through in tough Vuelta finale for AG Insurance – Soudal

AG Insurance – Soudal brought La Vuelta Femenina to a close today with a grueling final stage, featuring a summit finish on the Alto de Cotobello and 2880 meters of climbing throughout the day.

Nicole Steigenga started the stage wearing the most combative rider jersey, following her brilliant effort and the team’s collective performance in the previous stage. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio entered the day with hopes for a top-10 finish in the overall classification, while Justine Ghekiere still had an eye on the Queen of the Mountains jersey, but the brutal conditions and high pace in the peloton made it a tough challenge.

Julie Van de Velde showed her strength with a bold attack, at 21 kilometres to go, but it was quickly shut down by the bunch.

Despite setbacks, the team displayed unity and determination and closes La Vuelta Femenina with heads held high and eyes set on the next goals. In the end Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio finishes as 15th in the overall classification.

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio:
“Today was bittersweet. I was feeling really good and aiming for the top 10 on GC, but a crash just before the final climb damaged my bike, and I had to change at the worst possible moment. After that, it was about riding my own rhythm and limiting the losses. On the positive side, it’s been a great week of racing together. We were super united, my teammates were incredibly strong, and I’m proud of the teamwork we showed every day. I can feel my form building, and I’m excited to keep progressing toward the Giro.”