CANYON//SRAM Racing: Energiewacht Tour: Barbara Guarischi sprints to third in Zuidhorn

"It was really hard, we started fast and it was always full gas..... I started my final sprint around 180m to go, it was probably a bit too early for me. Blaak and Wild came passed me in the last 50m."

Barbara Guarischi has sprinted to third on this morning's Energiewacht Tour Stage 4a in Zuidhorn, Netherlands. The Italian sprinter was overtaken in the last metres by Kirsten Wild (HPU), with yellow jersey Chantal Blaak (DLT) in second.

​On a double stage day for the Energiewacht Tour, the morning stage was a large lap around Zuidhorn of 68 kilometres, before a small seven kilometre local lap. There was not the typical dutch wind but narrow roads and continuous corners meant the pace was high and the field always strung out. At one point the peloton was split in two with the yellow jersey holder 20 seconds behind in the second group and Lisa Brennauer in the front group. Unfortunately the peloton came back together before the local lap where Lucinda Brand (RLT) tried to sneak away in the final kilometres. Boels Dolman brought Brand back and the race was set up for a bunch sprint.

Guarischi said "It was really hard, we started fast and it was always full gas. The roads were narrow and the peloton was like an elastic band the whole race. In the last kilometres Brand was solo but then when it came back together and we arrived to the last kilometre I said to myself 'Okay now I want to win, I try for the win.' I knew it was important to be in the top five positions going into the last three corners. So to be there I had to sprint before the sprint so to speak. I started my final sprint around 180m to go, it was probably a bit too early for me. Blaak and Wild came passed me in the last 50m."

Lisa Brennauer holds her third place on the general classification before this afternoon's 13.6 kilometre individual time trial stage. She remains 11 seconds behind leader Blaak.

Follow the racing action on the team's twitter @WMNcycling using #EWT16.

Stage 4b Individual Time Trial: Leek, 15:53 CEST, 13.6km
Stage 5: Borkum - Borkum, 12:30, 119.3km

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