Summary
- Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx - Protime) has won Stage Two of the UCI Women's WorldTour Ford RideLondon Classique in Maldon, making it two wins out of two in this year's race.
Wiebes makes it two for two!
Post race interview with Lorena Wiebes
Watch now
- With no Queen of the Mountains points on offer tomorrow, Danish champion Rebecca Koerner (Uno-X Mobility) all but confirmed victory in this classification on today's stage. Despite not picking up any points on the stage, the nine points she collected on Stage One will be enough to win the prize, as long as she finishes tomorrow's stage.
- Tomorrow's showpiece finale is a 91km stage, which starts and finishes on The Mall and includes eight laps in the heart of the capital.
Watch on-demand
Stage Three
Results
Watch on-demand
Stage Three
Results
Watch on-demand
Please swipe to see more
Reporting from the road is Owen Rogers
Owen is a sports journalist who specialises in women's road racing. He is no stranger to the UCI Women's WorldTour, having reported on the world’s biggest races at home and abroad.
Alongside Owen’s commentary are updates from the Ford RideLondon Classique Media Team.
14:53
Wiebes will take some beating after impressive Stage Two display
The 143km stage, which started and finished in Maldon, came down to a reduced bunch sprint with Wiebes once again proving to be the fastest rider in the race, after also winning yesterday's first stage in Colchester.
Last year's Ford RideLondon Classique champion Charlotte Kool (Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL) was second in the sprint with world champion Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx - Protime), who led out her team-mate Wiebes, finishing third.
Dutch star Wiebes now has a provisional 20-second lead go into tomorrow's third and final stage in central London after picking up 10 bonus seconds with the victory and a further six seconds in today's Queen of the Mountains competition. In a dominant display, Wiebes also leads the Sprints Competition.
With no Queen of the Mountains points on offer tomorrow, Danish champion Rebecca Koerner (Uno-X Mobility) all but confirmed victory in this classification on today's stage. Despite not picking up any points on the stage, the nine points she collected on Stage One will be enough to win the prize, as long as she finishes tomorrow's stage.
Tomorrow's showpiece finale is a 91km stage, which starts and finishes on The Mall and includes eight laps in the heart of the capital.
14:45
Wiebes makes it two out of two!
The sprint specialist and overall race leader wins Stage Two in Maldon, after yet another excellent lead-out by her team-mate Lotte Kopecky.14:41
2km to go 🏁
Another attack has gone and been caught now, what a race! No breakaway? No worries, it’s been so aggressive! It’s going to be a sprint, I reckon. You?14:37
All in on Wiebes
All-action racing again! Three women are off the front attacking, Canyon//SRAM Racing, Uno-X Mobility and Lidl - Trek represented. But Kopecky brings it back again. All the Team SD Worx-Protime eggs in the Wiebes basket. Through the town, close to the line, the course loops round now, crossing the line from the opposite direction to the other laps.
14:26
With less than 10km to go, Rebecca Koerner takes home QoM!
Over the top here and there’s a split in the bunch and, like each of the previous laps, the pace is incredibly fast, it’s madness!
But nothing is doing and it’s all back together again. If you don’t try, you never know.
Result of the final QoM at North Hill:
1. Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx-Protime)
2. Lizzie Deignan (Lidl - Trek)
3. Soraya Paladin (Canyon//SRAM Racing)
That means Rebecca Koerner of Uno-X Mobility wins the Queen of the Mountains prize.
14:14
What is Team SD Worx-Protime planning?
The final ascent of North Hill comes only 12.2km from the finish, so is a perfect launchpad for a winning move. Team SD Worx-Protime won the last two QoM climbs there, but the team will have to be attentive to make sure no one gets away and that Wiebes is still present. Unless they have other plans? Kopecky attacks and takes the stage, maybe?
The pace is high, the bunch together with Uno-X Mobility up front - possibly trying to defend Rebecca Koerner’s QoM jersey.
13:53
Second intermediate sprint at Wickham Bishops
Every move made, one of the Team SD Worx - Protime riders is on the back of, nullifying it. But if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!
Result of the second intermediate sprint at Wickham Bishops:
1. Margot Vanpachtenbeke (VolkerWessels Women's Pro Cycling Team)
2. Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Uno-X Mobility)
3. Christine Majerus (Team SD Worx - Protime)
13:53
Nothing is easy here, you’ve got to earn your victory
And so we have it, we have an attack with two riders trying desperately to get clear, but no, the Team SD Worx - Protime team is so strong they’re brought back almost instantly. But it's not over, plenty of teams are trying to attack them. Next up is the day’s final intermediate sprint at Wickham Bishops, with only 32km remaining.
13:46
39km 🏁
It seems Team SD Worx - Protime has this stage completely under control now, but this is the Ford RideLondon Classique and anything can happen.
There have been some speculative attacks but the Dutch team’s Luxembourg champion, Christine Majerus led over the line, and on her wheel world champion Lotte Kopecky.
13:38
Wiebes is on a mission!!!
Over the top of the climb and it’s all kicking off again!
Is Wiebes after the QoM points too? Or just the bonus seconds so she can win the General Classification? Or does she trust her sprint for the stage win?
Result of the second QoM climb, at North Hill:
1. Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx - Protime)
2. Soraya Paladin (Canyon//SRAM Racing)
3. Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE Team ADQ)
13:26
50km to go - calm before the storm 🏁
Phew! It’s narrow, it’s tight and it’s technical but the race has calmed a little. Don’t expect that to last, we’re on the approach to the climb again, and if there was action last time up, there’ll be more this time round!Remember, bonus seconds at the top, and Wiebes seems hungry for success!
13:10
Result - first intermediate sprint
Through the intermediate sprint and the bunch is together.
Lotte Kopecky and a group involved or delayed by the crash has rejoined the peloton.
Result of the first intermediate sprint, at Wickham Bishops:
1. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx - Protime)
2. Margot Vanpachtenbeke (VolkerWessels Women's Pro Cycling Team)
3. Marte Berg Edseth (Uno-X Mobility)
Now to the second climb! This is frantic, gotta love it!
12:53
Reports of two riders out the race, after second crash
Though the bunch had split, the second group is now back with the front one.
Around six riders were involved in the crash and we understand two have been forced to abandon the race. This circuit helps create aggressive, action-packed racing, though it’s the riders who make the race!
We’re approaching the day’s first intermediate sprint, at Wickham Bishops.
Watch all the action from Stage One
Watch now
12:53
Peloton splits
We're through Maldon, where the huge crowds are bathed in beautiful spring sun. A small group is trying to go clear and the peloton has split in two.
This is a super technical part of the lap and we’ve had another crash, no news on the riders concerned, though world champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx Protime) was involved but is back on her bike.
12:50
Super spectators
Canyon SRAM rider Zoe Backstedt was the latest rider to praise the fantastic support that the Ford RideLondon Classique riders have been receiving out there this week.
12:47
Result - first QoM climb
The bunch is still mostly together at the front, but some riders have dropped back.
Result of the first QoM climb, at North Hill:
1. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx Protime)
2. Soraya Paladin (Canyon//SRAM Racing)
3. Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE Team ADQ)
There’s action among the front of the bunch as we race into Maldon to complete the first lap, and one rider is off the front!
12:43
First climb of North Hill
And we’re on the climb, but will the race explode here? There’s certainly riders trying their luck, with action at the front of the peloton.
12:33
88km 🏁
Sounds like last year’s overall winner, Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich-PostNL), has had a mechanical issue (her team tweeted the below), but is now back in the bunch. She’ll be looking to conserve energy for the finish today, and also for the first ascent of North Hill, which is very close now.
12:08
93km 🏁
We’ve had a crash in the peloton but all riders are back up, riding and making their way back to the bunch. The lead into the first ascent of North Hill, Little Baddow, is tight and technical, and still every village has plenty of people out on the street watching.
12:08
Bikes, sun, and deckchairs 🌞
With 40km done we’ve been riding on some undulating roads, through a host of villages where loads of people of all ages are out with their deckchairs watching the race.
And the sun’s come out again! Bikes and sun, what’s not to love?
The peloton remains together.
12:01
Moving On Up
The finish in Maldon is surprisingly steep so not ideal for the out and out sprinters.
However, having won this stage in 2022 and considering her formidable finish yesterday, Wiebes will still be backing herself to repeat the trick today.
11:54
Tiptree turning out!
The peloton is together. We’ve had a bit of a rain shower, but nothing serious so far. Let’s hope it stays that way!
Hello to all those who came out to wave in Tiptree.
11:44
119km 🏁
We've had a solo breakaway, with 22 seconds on the peloton.
It was Ella Jamieson from the Lifeplus Wahoo team, but the bunch didn't seem happy and no sooner had she got a gap than she’s caught again. There’s no rest at the front, though, with the pace still high.
11:35
Still no breakaway
With 20km ridden there is still no breakaway. It may be that some teams have decided they don’t want anyone to go so they can control the bonus seconds on the climbs. There’s some action at the front, though!
It was bright and sunny when we left Maldon, it’s clouded over now and the rain that’s forecast may be on its way.
11:25
Can you spot them? 👀
11:21
136km 🏁
It’s still fast! And it’s still aggressive!
This early part of the course is totally flat, so it’s hard to make a difference.
One rider had a very small gap over the bunch but is caught again.
11:09
Here we go!
We’re through the neutral section and racing!
Yesterday the breakaway went very quickly, how will it go today? If it’s a big fight for the break it’ll be a super fast day.
And that’s the way it’s going! The bunch are fast and aggressive from the gun!
"The field is different and the bonus seconds on the climbs will make the climb even harder, I think, but we will see. The team have the ability to come back so I really want to pace the climb as good as possible and then we see where we come from and hopefully we can try another time today."
Charlotte Kool (Team dsm-firmenich-PostNL)
11:00
We’ve got another punchy hard stage around Essex, with 142.6km staring and finishing here in Maldon.
This will be the third time we’ve raced here. Last year, Chloe Dygert (Canyon//SRAM) won the stage, and in 2022 Lorena Wiebes took the honours.Wiebes won Stage One yesterday for SDWorx-Protime, but can she beat her own Strava Queen of the Mountains time for the final kick to the Finish Line today? She did the 300m segment, which averages 8.2% gradient, in 33 seconds! Average power of 539 watts!
10:50
Connie Hayes battles the best on home roads
Connie Hayes will be hoping her knowledge of home roads pays off when she lines up on the Start Line in Maldon for Stage Two of the 2024 Ford RideLondon Classique this morning.For most of the peloton riding the UCI Women’s WorldTour event, the only time they’ve seen the roads before might be a pre-race reconnaissance, but Hayes (Doltcini O’Shea) knows every inch.
“I’m from east London, these are the roads I train on,” she explained after the race’s opening 159.2km stage between Saffron Walden and Colchester, on Friday 24 May. Hayes has the country roads of Essex on her doorstep, and she spent hours each week training around the county in preparation for this year’s Classique.
“There were times yesterday when I was almost laughing thinking about the middle of winter, just a couple of months back, puncturing at various points of the course, it’s all roads I know. It’s slightly weird but also quite nice,” said Hayes.
One of the elite women’s races on the calendar, the Classique routinely attracts some of the world’s best teams and riders. Yesterday’s stage was won by arguably the world’s best sprinter, Lorena Wiebes, assisted by world champion, Lotte Kopecky, both from the world’s best team, SD Worx-Protime.
Charlotte Kool won two stages and the overall classification at the 2023 Ford RideLondon Classique and is back with a powerful Team dsm-firmenich-PostNL. Hayes, 23, has plenty of experience racing home and abroad for Doltcini-O’Shea but is aware of the huge difference between her team and the top squads.
“You definitely know your place in the peloton, it’s a reminder of your position and your rank, but it’s more about not being too intimidated and getting stuck in,” she said. “Some people tend to sit back, but you’ve got the same right as everyone else, but it’s that little bit harder because you haven’t got the respect that they all have.
“Physically it’s hard, we’re used to racing up to three hours, it’s that extra hour when it’s going full-on that really is the hard part for us. A lot of us aren’t full time, myself and one team-mate are full-time students, another is a teacher, so it’s very hard to do the hours [training] the top girls are doing.”
On yesterday’s opening stage, Hayes said: “It was quite controlled up until about 25-30K to go when it went absolutely crazy! A good day out really.”
10:40
Riders will be racing for the following Classifications today
Sprints Classification
The pink Sprints leader’s jersey will be awarded to the rider who accumulates the most points at the Intermediate Sprints and at the Finish Line of each stage.
There will be two sprints during Stage Two:
- Wickham Bishops (predicted time 12:57 to 13:04)
- Wickham Bishops (predicted time 13:52 to 14:01)
Queen of the Mountains Classification
The orange Queen of the Mountains jersey is awarded to the rider who has accumulated the most points on the six climbs over the course of this year’s race.
Points will be available three times during Stage Two:
- North Hill, Little Baddow (predicted time 12:34 to 12:39)
- North Hill, Little Baddow (predicted time 13:28 to 13:36)
- North Hill, Little Baddow (predicted time 14:22 to 14:33)
There will also be bonus seconds available at the three QoM points in 2024, with 3, 2, and 1 point(s) available at each of the points on the stage.
The 2024 jerseys
Throughout the three stages, four riders will be awarded with these jerseys. They are awarded to the winner of each classification on every stage, so you’ll be able to spot who is leading the competition. This year’s jerseys were designed by Ford RideLondon’s Official Performance Apparel Partner, Le Col.
10:30
Welcome back to Stage Two of the Ford RideLondon Classique
We’re just half an hour away from heading into Stage Two of the 2024 Ford RideLondon Classique, which starts and finishes in the historic town of Maldon.
Today's 143.1km course will suit the capable climbers and one-day specialists. With Lorena Wiebes as the current leader of the General Classification, (SD Worx - Protime) will want to keep things together for another strong finish, but all teams are in the mix today. If you need a reminder of the teams and riders head here.
Get the lowdown on Stage Two
Start: Start: 11:00, Promenade Park, Maldon
Finish: Between 14:15 and 14:36, High Street, Maldon
Distance: 143.1km
View the the GPX file of the Stage Two route here.
View the full timings for Stage Two here.