Leah Dixon wins first ever ŠKODA V-Women’s Tour

Leah Dixon (Team TIBCO Silicon Valley Bank) won the first ever ŠKODA V-Women’s Tour on Friday night as young Dutch rider Cathalijne Hoolwerf (NXTG Racing) took the final stage win at the end of a 35 lap race around Canary Wharf.

Leah Dixon wins first ever ŠKODA V-Women’s Tour

Dixon held on the front group in the fast paced criterium to win overall by nearly 22 seconds from teammate Kristen Faulkner, as the Team TIBCO Silicon Valley Bank riders enjoyed another excellent night’s racing.

British rider Dani Christmas (Lotto Soudal Ladies) – winner of Stage One – completed the overall podium.

With her overall victory Dixon was also the Best British Rider in the inaugural race, while CAMS-Tifosi rider Illi Gardner finished fourth overall and took the Best Young Rider honours after three stages of impressive racing.

“It’s amazing I’m so pleased to be able to finish it off, it did get super stressful for a while tonight though.

“This is my first year as a procyclist so I’m just super excited to get back to racing,” said Leah Dixon post-race. “I’ve just embraced this lockdown period to work on my weaknesses and get lots of training in. The virtual racing has been a great way to keep that intensity and to also bond with my teammates.”

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On the night as predicted the 35-lap race around the one kilometre Canary Wharf circuit became a war of attrition after the previous days of racing took their toll on riders and the speed at the front whittled the front group down to an eventual eight riders.

Team TIBCO Silicon Valley Bank looked to be in pole position with all three riders in the front, but it was NXTG Racing’s Hoolwerf who jumped clear at the penultimate corner to head Stephens by 0.7 of a second, with Faulkner completing the podium.

“I really enjoyed today and I knew when we went into the last lap I just have to go and push,” said Cathalijne Hoolwerf. “It’s a really cool experience to ride this big race in the last few days, and I’m really pleased that we could do it.”

While the elite racing in the ŠKODA V-Women’s Tour has now finished, amateur cyclists still have the chance to ride and race to raise money for Breast Cancer Now and Mind, with a suggested donation of £5 for riding any of the three ŠKODA V-Women’s Tour routes on RGT Cycling. Find out how to Ride with Us here.

Mind are the charity partner of Volkswagen Group UK (of which ŠKODA is a part), while Breast Cancer Now’s partnership with the Women’s Tour dates back to 2017 and has seen riders race in the past three editions of the Women’s Tour carrying pink ribbons bearing messages from those affected by breast cancer.

The ŠKODA V-Women’s Tour is being made possible thanks to the support of ŠKODA, California Raisins, Lucozade Sport, RGT Cycling and Scimitar Sportswear.