Emma Johansson wins Bira stage two photo finish over Annemiek van Vleuten

by Jessi Braverman

June 13, 2015

Photography by Cor Vos

Supported byWiggle

Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS) beat out Annemiek van Vleuten (Bigla) by the narrowest of margins on Friday to win stage two of Euskal Emakumeen Bira. Initial reports named van Vleuten the winner. The Dutchwoman had thrown her hands up across the line in celebration. A photo finish later declared Johansson the winner.

“It could have gone either way,” said Johansson, in a statement. “I was coming with a lot of speed, and I saw that Annemiek let go of her handlebars, so I thought that might be the thing to put it in my favour.”

That was close today #Bira

A photo posted by Bigla Pro Cycling Team (@bigla_cycling) on

“She didn’t know I was coming,” Johansson added. “I feel a little bit sorry for taking it away from her, but after losing by so little yesterday, I sort of feel like I deserved a win today.”

Johansson’s referencing the stage one photo finish on Thursday in which neither Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans) nor Johansson knew who had won the stage until they had looked at finish line photos. Guarnier pipped Johansson by milimetres to take the stage win, and Johansson settled for second.

As for van Vleuten, the 32-year-old was understandably disappointed that her early celebration cost her the stage win.

“When I came back [to the front group] I attacked right away,” van Vleuten said in a statement. She had joined the little group with two kilometres left to race. “At first I was alone, and I gave everything — maximum. Then Katrin Garfoot from Orica-AIS came with me in the last kilometre, and I sprinted with 250 metres to go.”

“It was confusing where I needed to go,” van Vleuten added. “In the last 100 metre there was a corner to the right, and I think I lost some time there.”

“They came close but I didn’t feel them coming,” she continued. “I looked on my left shoulder, and I didn’t see Garfoot anywhere and that’s why I wanted to celebrate, but it was too early because then Johannson came on the right and jumped. I’ve never made a mistake like this before and it cost me the victory. “

Johansson and van Vleuten were sprinting from an eight-rider leading group that took shape over the hilly run-in to the stage finish in Fruiz.

“There was a climb that peaked with about eight kilometres to go and at the top of that there was still quite a big group,” Johansson explained. “After it, there was another smaller hill, about 1.5km and a lot steeper than the bigger climb. We came away with five riders before three more joined us before the finish.”

Unlike stage one, stage two was an animated affair for the majority of the 82.2km day. Featuring two ascents of a category three climb separated by lumpy roads, Friday’s stage was a constant exercise in ups and downs and twists and turns.

A nine-rider escape slipped away from the peloton following the first ascent of the category three climb, and from there, attacks were aplenty. Bigla, Boels-Dolmans, Lotto Soudal Ladies, Orica-AIS and Rabo Liv were all involved in the aggressive action.

Van Vleuten and Garfoot had a slight gap on Johansson coming out of the last turn before the finish line.

“As I came around the last corner with 100 metres to go, Kat was up the road together with Annemiek, and it was so close,” Johansson said. “I didn’t want to take it away from Kat if she had the chance to go for it but once I saw that she was behind, I hit it as hard as I could and just made it.”

It is Johansson’s second win in Basque Country, following her victory at the one-day Emakumeen Saria, a warm-up to the five day tour.

Garfoot rounded out the podium in Fruiz while race leader Kasia Niewiadoma (Rabo-Liv) slotted into fourth place on the stage, on the same time as Johansson, to stay in yellow. The young Polish rider remains tied on time with Ashleigh Moolman-Paiso (Bigla), and the duo are two seconds ahead on Johansson on the overall.

Racing continues on Saturday with a 122km stage from Iuretta to Iturmendi. Stage three takes the peloton into Urkiola National Park for the day’s longest climb, an 11km climb with an average gradient of 4.3 percent. Find additional details about the stage in this Velofocus preview.

Go to:  Prologue  Stage 1  Stage 2 

Euskal Emakumeen Bira

Stage 2

: Maruri > Fruiz

Friday 12th June (2015)

Classification: 2.1

Category: Int. Woman

Distance: 82.2km


Stage Result

1. se
JOHANSSON Emma
Orica - AIS
 02:18:29
2. nl
VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 -
3. au
GARFOOT Katrin
Orica - AIS
 -
4. pl
NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 -
5. za
MOOLMAN PASIO Ashleigh
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 -
6. us
GUARNIER Megan
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 -
7. nl
VAN DER BREGGEN Anna
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 -
8. au
GILLOW Shara
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 -
9. au
SPRATT Amanda
Orica - AIS
 -
10. us
STEVENS Evelyn
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 -
11. ua
RIABCHENKO Tetyana
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 0:22
12. nl
VAN DIJK Ellen
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 -
13. be
DAAMS Jessie
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 -
14. ru
ZAVERSHINSKAYA Anna
Bizkaia-Durango
 -
15. lt
TUSLAITE Daiva
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 1:25
16. nl
DE JONG Demi
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 -
17. it
VIECELI Lara
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 -
18. au
WILLIAMS Lizzie
Orica - AIS
 -
19. it
BITTO Irene
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 -
20. nl
BLAAK Chantal
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 -
21. es
GUTIéRREZ RUIZ Sheyla
Lointek
-
22. it
PIEROBON Chiara
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 -
23. de
KASPER Romy
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 -
24. co
LOZANO RAMIREZ Laura Camila
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 -
25. it
ARZUFFI Alice Maria
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 -
26. es
MERINO CORTAZAR Eider
Lointek
-
27. es
MARTINEZ Cristina
Lointek
-
28. nl
BRAND Lucinda
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 -
29. es
GARCIA Margarita Victoria
Bizkaia-Durango
 -
30. fr
RIVAT Amelie
Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
 -
31. es
GARCIA DEL ALBA Rocio
-
32. au
TAYLOR Carlee
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 -
33. gb
LAWS Sharon
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 -
34. it
PALADIN Asja
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 -
35. es
SANCHIS CHAFER Anna
Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling
 -
36. au
NEYLAN Rachel
Orica - AIS
 -
37. ch
SCHWEIZER Doris
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 -
38. it
CECCHINI Elena
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 -
39. it
SCANDOLARA Valentina
Orica - AIS
 -
40. de
KOPPENBURG Clara
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 2:48
41. es
GONZáLEZ BLANCO Lucía
Lointek
3:32
42. it
ZORZI Susanna
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 4:00
43. it
RATTO Rossella
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 4:03
44. nl
KOREVAAR Jeanne
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 10:15
45. fr
ERAUD Séverine
Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
 -
46. be
MEYVISCH Molly
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 -
47. es
OYARBIDE JIMéNEZ Lourdes
Bizkaia-Durango
 -
48. it
GULINO Nina
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 -
49. ch
HANSELMANN Nicole
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 -
50. es
ELBUSTO ARTEAGA Ainara
-
51. es
LóPEZ MORALES Belén
Lointek
-
52. es
LEKUONA ETXEBESTE Lierni
Bizkaia-Durango
 -
53. fr
BRAVARD Charlotte
Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
 -
54. es
NUñO PALACIO Aida
-
55. es
BONNIN PALOU Maria Del Mar
BZK Pro Basic
 -
56. es
OLABERRIA DORRONSORO Leire
-
57. es
ESKAMENDI GIL Dorleta
Bizkaia-Durango
 -
58. es
RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ Gloria
BZK Pro Basic
 -
59. es
RAMíREZ BAUXEL Anna
Bizkaia-Durango
 -
60. es
USABIAGA BALERDI Irene
-
61. it
INTINO Azzurra
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 -
62. it
PALADIN Soraya
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 -
63. ee
RIST Liisi
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 19:16
64. et
KELIL Eyerusalem
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 19:18
65. es
ISASI Ziortza
BZK Pro Basic
 19:52
66. es
RAMIS RAYO Catalina
-
67. it
GRIFI Sara
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 -
68. es
AMESTI BUSTINZURIAGA Aiala
BZK Pro Basic
 -
DNF. it
LEONARDI Elena
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 -
DNF. be
VEKEMANS Anisha
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 -
DNS. fr
JEULAND Pascale
Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
 -

General Classification

1. pl
NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 04:58:41
2. za
MOOLMAN PASIO Ashleigh
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 -
3. se
JOHANSSON Emma
Orica - AIS
 0:02
4. us
GUARNIER Megan
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 0:07
5. ua
RIABCHENKO Tetyana
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 -
6. nl
VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 1:32
7. au
GARFOOT Katrin
Orica - AIS
 1:33
8. nl
VAN DER BREGGEN Anna
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 1:34
9. au
SPRATT Amanda
Orica - AIS
 1:37
10. au
GILLOW Shara
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 1:38
11. us
STEVENS Evelyn
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 1:41
12. nl
VAN DIJK Ellen
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 1:57
13. es
SANCHIS CHAFER Anna
Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling
 1:59
14. be
DAAMS Jessie
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 2:06
15. ru
ZAVERSHINSKAYA Anna
Bizkaia-Durango
 2:35
16. nl
BRAND Lucinda
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 3:00
17. it
SCANDOLARA Valentina
Orica - AIS
 3:01
18. nl
BLAAK Chantal
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 3:02
19. au
WILLIAMS Lizzie
Orica - AIS
 3:03
20. nl
DE JONG Demi
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 3:05
21. au
NEYLAN Rachel
Orica - AIS
 3:06
22. ch
SCHWEIZER Doris
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 3:07
23. it
CECCHINI Elena
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 3:08
24. es
MERINO CORTAZAR Eider
Lointek
3:09
25. es
GUTIéRREZ RUIZ Sheyla
Lointek
3:10
26. lt
TUSLAITE Daiva
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 3:11
27. au
TAYLOR Carlee
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 3:12
28. fr
RIVAT Amelie
Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
 -
29. it
BITTO Irene
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 -
30. co
LOZANO RAMIREZ Laura Camila
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 3:13
31. es
GARCIA Margarita Victoria
Bizkaia-Durango
 3:14
32. it
VIECELI Lara
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 3:16
33. es
MARTINEZ Cristina
Lointek
-
34. it
PIEROBON Chiara
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 -
35. de
KASPER Romy
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 3:18
36. it
ARZUFFI Alice Maria
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 3:19
37. es
GARCIA DEL ALBA Rocio
3:24
38. it
PALADIN Asja
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 3:33
39. gb
LAWS Sharon
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 4:38
40. it
ZORZI Susanna
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 5:48
41. it
RATTO Rossella
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 5:54
42. de
KOPPENBURG Clara
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 5:57
43. es
GONZáLEZ BLANCO Lucía
Lointek
6:53
44. nl
KOREVAAR Jeanne
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 12:00
45. es
OYARBIDE JIMéNEZ Lourdes
Bizkaia-Durango
 12:03
46. fr
BRAVARD Charlotte
Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
 12:10
47. es
RAMíREZ BAUXEL Anna
Bizkaia-Durango
 12:14
48. es
OLABERRIA DORRONSORO Leire
13:23
49. fr
ERAUD Séverine
Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
 13:27
50. es
USABIAGA BALERDI Irene
13:29
51. es
LóPEZ MORALES Belén
Lointek
13:30
52. it
PALADIN Soraya
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 -
53. es
RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ Gloria
BZK Pro Basic
 13:32
54. es
BONNIN PALOU Maria Del Mar
BZK Pro Basic
 13:33
55. es
ELBUSTO ARTEAGA Ainara
-
56. es
ESKAMENDI GIL Dorleta
Bizkaia-Durango
 -
57. es
LEKUONA ETXEBESTE Lierni
Bizkaia-Durango
 13:40
58. es
NUñO PALACIO Aida
13:44
59. it
INTINO Azzurra
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 13:50
60. ch
HANSELMANN Nicole
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 16:43
61. it
GULINO Nina
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 16:58
62. be
MEYVISCH Molly
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 17:09
63. ee
RIST Liisi
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 25:48
64. es
RAMIS RAYO Catalina
26:42
65. et
KELIL Eyerusalem
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 27:33
66. es
ISASI Ziortza
BZK Pro Basic
 31:59
67. it
GRIFI Sara
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 32:08
68. es
AMESTI BUSTINZURIAGA Aiala
BZK Pro Basic
 40:46

Mountains Classification

1. pl
NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 8
2. ua
RIABCHENKO Tetyana
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 6
3. za
MOOLMAN PASIO Ashleigh
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 6
4. se
JOHANSSON Emma
Orica - AIS
 2
5. it
SCANDOLARA Valentina
Orica - AIS
 2
6. us
GUARNIER Megan
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 1

Points Classification

1. se
JOHANSSON Emma
Orica - AIS
 40
2. nl
VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 38
3. us
GUARNIER Megan
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 34
4. pl
NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 30
5. za
MOOLMAN PASIO Ashleigh
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 27
6. us
STEVENS Evelyn
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 26
7. au
GARFOOT Katrin
Orica - AIS
 23
8. lt
TUSLAITE Daiva
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 20
9. ua
RIABCHENKO Tetyana
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 17
10. nl
VAN DER BREGGEN Anna
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 16
11. nl
BRAND Lucinda
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 15
12. it
SCANDOLARA Valentina
Orica - AIS
 13
13. au
SPRATT Amanda
Orica - AIS
 12
14. nl
VAN DIJK Ellen
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 11
15. es
SANCHIS CHAFER Anna
Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling
 10
16. it
PALADIN Soraya
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 9
17. au
GILLOW Shara
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 7
18. au
WILLIAMS Lizzie
Orica - AIS
 6
19. it
CECCHINI Elena
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 5
20. be
DAAMS Jessie
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 3
21. nl
DE JONG Demi
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 3
22. ru
ZAVERSHINSKAYA Anna
Bizkaia-Durango
 2
23. nl
BLAAK Chantal
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 2
24. it
VIECELI Lara
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 2
25. it
RATTO Rossella
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 1

Youth Classification

1. nl
DE JONG Demi
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 00:00:00
2. es
MARTINEZ Cristina
Lointek
-
3. es
GARCIA DEL ALBA Rocio
-
4. de
KOPPENBURG Clara
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 -
5. nl
KOREVAAR Jeanne
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 -
6. fr
ERAUD Séverine
Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
 -
7. es
LEKUONA ETXEBESTE Lierni
Bizkaia-Durango
 -
8. be
MEYVISCH Molly
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 -
9. es
ISASI Ziortza
BZK Pro Basic
 -
10. es
AMESTI BUSTINZURIAGA Aiala
BZK Pro Basic
 -

Teams Classification

1.
Orica - AIS
 14:59:12
2.
Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team
 -
3.
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
 0:28
4.
Bigla Pro Cycling Team
 1:29
5.
Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi
 4:11
6.
Lotto Soudal Ladies
 5:12
7.
Lointek
6:22
8.
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
 6:31
9.
Bizkaia-Durango
 14:20
10.
Spain
 15:23
11.
S.C. Michela Fanini Rox
 16:48
12.
Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
 25:34
13.
BZK Pro Basic
 55:55
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  • Derek Maher

    Great win by Emma,Oh dear Annemiek a lesson learned the hard way.You are not the first to make that error in the history of cycling.Take heart it won’t be repeated.

  • Winky

    She’s joined the illustrious list of those who celebrated too early. A young Cav coming under Tom Boonen’s upraised arm to take a win is a favourite of mine.

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