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Cat Ferguson’s dreams of taking a home GC victory in her first full season as a pro rider evaporated in the final few seconds of the Tour of Britain Women on Sunday, with rival Ally Wollaston swooping at just the right time in Glasgow.

Movistar rider Ferguson is still just 19 years of age and landed the first WorldTour win of her career Saturday, taking the race leader’s jersey in the process.

Her triumph out of a five woman breakaway group saw her beat Josie Nelson (Team Picnic PostNL) and Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) to the line in Kelso, and end the day level on time with the latter in the overall standings.

She took over the race lead from USA national road race champion Kristen Faulkner Saturday, with the EF Education-Oatly rider crashing several times and finishing over three minutes back.

The so-called curse of the leader’s jersey in the race then struck Ferguson on the final stage, with a slow puncture interfering with her ability to properly contest one of the three intermediate sprints.

She finished second behind Wollaston in each of those, with the bonuses gained putting the Kiwi on the same time as her prior to the finish.

And while Wollaston was much further back with 3km to go, her team piloted her to the front with about a kilometer remaining. She powered up the inside before the final corner and rounded the bend third, then retained that position as Lorena Wiebes powered to the stage victory.

That saw her end the four day WorldTour race four seconds ahead of Ferguson. Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) was third.

“I am feeling very overwhelmed,” Wollaston said, shortly after celebrating with her teammates and becoming overcome with emotion. “It is so exciting and it really couldn’t have gone any better for me today.

“I was lucky that there were a lot of seconds up for grabs. The plan was to get as many seconds as I could, and unfortunately Cat [Ferguson] was on my wheel for every single one, so it really came down to the last sprint.”

A string of misfortune for race leaders and stage winners
Cat Ferguson of Movistar Team (centre) reacts after finishing second overall after stage four of the 2025 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women in Glasgow. Picture date: Sunday June 8, 2025. (Photo by Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) was upset at the finish but underlined her huge promise this week with her first WorldTour victory (Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)

Ferguson is a huge star in the making, racking up a string of good results during her short career. A silver medalist at the junior worlds in 2023, she returned last year to take gold in both the road race and time trial.

And, despite her young age, she won a stage of the AG Tour de la Semois and Binche Chimay Binche pour Dames during her trial with Team Movistar.

Signed up on a three year pro deal, her win in the Navarra Women’s Elite Classic in May and on stage three of the Tour of Britain underline her huge potential.

“I headed into the final sprint and I was in an okay position,” she said on Sunday. “But I got a bit chopped up on some corners before, and really that was it. Ally went away and I knew that was it. Of course I am gutted but she was the strongest today.

“I am still happy with second place. If you had told me at the beginning of the week I would have been second, I would have been over the moon. So I can’t be too disappointed.”

SALTBURN-BY-THE-SEA, ENGLAND - JUNE 06: Kristen Faulkner of United States and Team EF Education-Oatly celebrates at podium as Green Leader Jersey winner during the 10th Tour of Britain Women 2025, Stage 2 a 114.3km stage from Hartlepool to Saltburn-by-the-Sea / #UCIWWT / on June 06, 2025 in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, England. (Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images)Kristen Faulkner (Team EF Education-Oatly) led the race after stage two (Photo: Alex Broadway/Getty Images)

In fact she fared better than the two previous leaders in the race. Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal Team) outsprinted breakaway companion Faulkner to win stage 1 on Thursday but then crashed early on the following stage. She conceded the overall lead to Faulkner, who then suffered several crashes on Saturday and finished over three minutes back.

Le Court was on the deck again on stage three and withdrew from the race.

Meanwhile ill fortune also hit the stage two winner Mara Roldan (Team Picnic PostNL), with the Canadian crashing heavily Saturday and fracturing her femur. She too withdrew from the event, experiencing the same highs and lows as Le Court.

Wiebes bounces back

Wiebes’ victory Sunday showed the value of persistence. She went into the race aiming for the GC but while she was third on the opening day, things went wrong on Friday’s second stage when she fell and lost almost three minutes to Roldan.

Lorena Wiebes of Team SD Worx - Protime (centre) crosses the finish line to win stage four of the 2025 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women in Glasgow. Picture date: Sunday June 8, 2025. (Photo by Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx – Protime) was fastest on Sunday, taking the final stage (Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)

She was on the ground again Saturday but turned things around with her success ahead of Team Picnic PostNL rider Charlotte Kool Sunday.

“It was a tough race – with a city center, all the time you have to push the power,” Wiebes said.

“The team did a really good job to keep me safe in the front.

“For me, it was perfect towards the finish as I could do the sprint as I wanted to. I am really happy that we could finish this week in a good way for the team.”