In 2019, Franziska Koch received stage 4 of the Boels Girls Tour (now Simac Girls Tour) as a 19-year-old neo-pro. 5 years on, the DSM-Firmenich PostNL rider discovered herself to be the best-placed rider of a 14-rider breakaway on stage 4 of the 2024 version and labored onerous to carry off the peloton and take the general race lead, donning her career-first GC chief’s jersey.
“The group was fairly massive, and my DS informed me that I used to be the best-placed rider in GC within the group. Then I used to be desperate to experience onerous. I attempted to maintain the gap to the peloton as massive as doable and went full gasoline,” Koch stated after the stage.
On the end, the breakaway nonetheless had a bonus of 36 seconds, and since Koch began the stage 31 seconds behind GC chief Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM), the German champion took over the yellow jersey, now main by 5 seconds on Bäckstedt.
“It did come a bit sudden, however my motivation continues to be good on the finish of the season, and it’s additionally my first GC chief’s jersey. It’s a brand new expertise, and I’m excited for the subsequent days,” stated Koch.
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) is lurking in third place total, eight seconds behind Koch. The World champion’s staff has received three phases in a row with Wiebes and Guarischi who stepped up from the breakaway, and Kopecky may take the yellow jersey from Koch if she gained sufficient bonus seconds within the two phases nonetheless to return.
“It might be coming full circle. A stage win in 2019, if I may add the GC now, that may be nice. All the pieces is feasible. It’ll be troublesome, however I’ll give my greatest and see what occurs. I’m nonetheless in good condition, so I’m assured for the subsequent two days,” Koch is able to tackle the competitors.
