In 2019, Franziska Koch received stage 4 of the Boels Girls Tour (now Simac Girls Tour) as a 19-year-old neo-pro. 5 years on, the DSM-Firmenich PostNL rider discovered herself to be the best-placed rider of a 14-rider breakaway on stage 4 of the 2024 version and labored exhausting to carry off the peloton and take the general race lead, donning her career-first GC chief’s jersey.
“The group was fairly massive, and my DS advised me that I used to be the best-placed rider in GC within the group. Then I used to be desperate to experience exhausting. I attempted to maintain the space to the peloton as massive as potential and went full fuel,” Koch mentioned after the stage.
On the end, the breakaway nonetheless had a bonus of 36 seconds, and since Koch began the stage 31 seconds behind GC chief Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM), the German champion took over the yellow jersey, now main by 5 seconds on Bäckstedt.
“It did come a bit surprising, however my motivation remains to be good on the finish of the season, and it’s additionally my first GC chief’s jersey. It’s a brand new expertise, and I’m excited for the subsequent days,” mentioned Koch.
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) is lurking in third place total, eight seconds behind Koch. The World champion’s group has received three levels in a row with Wiebes and Guarischi who stepped up from the breakaway, and Kopecky may take the yellow jersey from Koch if she gained sufficient bonus seconds within the two levels nonetheless to return.
“It will be coming full circle. A stage win in 2019, if I may add the GC now, that may be nice. The whole lot is feasible. It’ll be tough, however I’ll give my greatest and see what occurs. I’m nonetheless in good condition, so I’m assured for the subsequent two days,” Koch is able to tackle the competitors.
