As the race rolled out from Covarrubias for the final day of action at Vuelta a Burgos Feminas, Team DSM had only one goal for the stage – set up Juliette Labous to have a tilt at the overall crown. Labous, who recently renewed her contract with the team, rewarded the team’s brilliant effort perfectly with an incredible ride to take second on the stage and with it the GC win.

The final day of racing at Vuelta a Burgos Feminas saw the peloton take on the tough mountain top finish atop Lagunas de Neila, and a stage that would decide the GC rankings. It was a fast start to the stage with lots of attacks which the team covered well, before a move eventually went clear after the peloton had split into bits over one of the early climbs. Regrouping well, Franziska Koch and Floortje Mackaij contributed to the chase from the bunch to reel in the five rider breakaway that gained a lead of around one minute.

After some strong riding, the catch was timed perfectly at the bottom of the ascent where Esmée Peperkamp and Liane Lippert rode well and stuck with the team’s GC finisher Juliette Labous for as long as they could. As the climb progressed a strong pace was set at the front and the attacks started. Labous sprightly followed the moves and found herself out front with Fisher-Black and Vollering, as they looked to distance her. Labous fought tough but she eventually had to let go of Vollering’s wheel under the flamme rouge. Tenaciously fighting all the way to the line, Labous took a brilliant second place on the stage – a result that was enough to secure her and Team DSM the GC crown at the race. It’s double delight for Labous and the team as not only was it her first GC title, it’s also her first WorldTour level win too.

“It was a very hard race, the girls did a super good job,” smiled a jubilant Labous. “The breakaway went and we weren’t in it but the girls did a really great job later in the stage to close it with Franzi and Floortje. They were really strong and closed the gap at the bottom of the climb actually, which was perfect for me. They had a lot of trust in me and I trusted myself. Esmée and Liane stayed with me on the climb and then I just went as hard as I could. I followed Vollering and Fisher-Black and they tried to get rid of me one-by-one. Eventually I had to drop from Vollering but I still made it for the GC in the end, so I’m very happy. I want to thank the whole team and everyone at HQ, I hope they’re as happy as we are: we deserve this. It’s the first one and I hope there are more to come for us. Again, thanks to the girls and the staff – we overcame all of the challenges together and I’m so happy for that.”