Description
June 21, 2026
LOTTO Thüringen Women Cycling Challenge 2026 🇩🇪 (1.Pro) WE – Gera – Gera : 121,6 km
LOTTO Thüringen Women’s Cycling Challenge is a UCI 1.Pro classification stage race that unfolds across the rolling hills,
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June 21, 2026
LOTTO Thüringen Women Cycling Challenge 2026 🇩🇪 (1.Pro) WE – Gera – Gera : 121,6 km
LOTTO Thüringen Women’s Cycling Challenge is a UCI 1.Pro classification stage race that unfolds across the rolling hills, dense forests, and picturesque villages of Thuringia in central Germany, where the roads weave through a landscape of gentle climbs, fast descents, and technical valley roads. The terrain is characterized by short, punchy ascents and longer, gradual climbs, with gradients typically ranging from 4–9% on narrow, well-paved roads that demand constant power output and precise handling. The climbs are often irregular, featuring steep ramps followed by false flats or technical sections, while the descents are fast and sinuous, with tight corners and occasional rough patches that reward confidence and skill. The race dynamics are shaped by the relentless changes in rhythm, with attacks frequently launching on the steepest sections or during the technical descents, where gaps can open quickly in the chaotic, high-speed moments. The peloton remains tightly packed for much of the race, but the constant accelerations and decelerations ensure that only the most adaptable riders stay at the front. The flatter stages are deceptive, with crosswinds or sudden changes in road surface disrupting the flow and creating opportunities for breakaways. The finish styles vary—some stages conclude with a reduced bunch sprint on a slightly uphill drag, while others favor a solo move or a small group of riders contesting the line after a final climb or technical descent. The LOTTO Thüringen Women’s Cycling Challenge is a race of relentless pace and tactical nuance, where the beauty of the Thuringian countryside provides a striking backdrop to the fierce competition on the road.
WorldTour team Human Powered Health dominated the Lotto Thüringen Women Cycling Challenge, finishing 1-2 from a small group in Gera as Marit Raaijmakers took the win.
Sprinting from a four-rider group that had got away on the late, punchy circuits, Iurani Blanco opened up the sprint for Raaijmakers and held on to finish second herself to fill the top two spots for Human Powered Health.
Malou Eisen (VolkerWessels) finished third, with Kristýna Zemanová (VIF Cycling Team) the only rider in the lead group to miss out on the podium.
After the race split apart in the final 25km, the chasing group finished 30 seconds down on the winner, with the other WorldTour team in the race – Canyon-SRAM – settling for only sixth and seventh through Maike van der Duin and Chiara Consonni.
This year, the one-day Lotto Thüringen Women Cycling Challenge replaced the long-running Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour stage race, which has faced funding issues for the past few seasons, but they managed to still put on a one-day race this year.
The 121km route started and finsihed in Gera, tackling a lumpy first half and then six laps of a finishing circuit, which featured the 1.6km, 6.2% Ferberturm climb for a punchy and challenging finish.
Despite facing the Dörtendorf climb early on, it was hard for a break to get away in the first part of the race – despite many attacks – and the peloton started the finishing circuit all together. Maud Rijnbeek (VolkerWessels) briefly went solo but was caught before the final 25km.
As the challenging laps took their toll, though, the peloton split apart with only the strongest riders in front, and a small group of four led into the final 5km with a good gap on the chasers.
Human Powered Health had two riders in the front four, which gave them the advantage, allowing Blanco to open up the sprint for Raaijmakers and deliver her to the win.
Results :
 WE </strong> - Gera - Gera : 121,6 km
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LOTTO Thüringen Women’s Cycling Challenge is a UCI 1.Pro classification stage race that unfolds across the rolling hills, dense forests, and picturesque villages of Thuringia in central Germany, where the roads weave through a landscape of gentle climbs, fast descents, and technical valley roads. The terrain is characterized by short, punchy ascents and longer, gradual climbs, with gradients typically ranging from 4–9% on narrow, well-paved roads that demand constant power output and precise handling. The climbs are often irregular, featuring steep ramps followed by false flats or technical sections, while the descents are fast and sinuous, with tight corners and occasional rough patches that reward confidence and skill. The race dynamics are shaped by the relentless changes in rhythm, with attacks frequently launching on the steepest sections or during the technical descents, where gaps can open quickly in the chaotic, high-speed moments. The peloton remains tightly packed for much of the race, but the constant accelerations and decelerations ensure that only the most adaptable riders stay at the front. The flatter stages are deceptive, with crosswinds or sudden changes in road surface disrupting the flow and creating opportunities for breakaways. The finish styles vary—some stages conclude with a reduced bunch sprint on a slightly uphill drag, while others favor a solo move or a small group of riders contesting the line after a final climb or technical descent. The LOTTO Thüringen Women’s Cycling Challenge is a race of relentless pace and tactical nuance, where the beauty of the Thuringian countryside provides a striking backdrop to the fierce competition on the road.
WorldTour team Human Powered Health dominated the Lotto Thüringen Women Cycling Challenge, finishing 1-2 from a small group in Gera as Marit Raaijmakers took the win.
Sprinting from a four-rider group that had got away on the late, punchy circuits, Iurani Blanco opened up the sprint for Raaijmakers and held on to finish second herself to fill the top two spots for Human Powered Health.
Malou Eisen (VolkerWessels) finished third, with Kristýna Zemanová (VIF Cycling Team) the only rider in the lead group to miss out on the podium.
After the race split apart in the final 25km, the chasing group finished 30 seconds down on the winner, with the other WorldTour team in the race – Canyon-SRAM – settling for only sixth and seventh through Maike van der Duin and Chiara Consonni.
This year, the one-day Lotto Thüringen Women Cycling Challenge replaced the long-running Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour stage race, which has faced funding issues for the past few seasons, but they managed to still put on a one-day race this year.
The 121km route started and finsihed in Gera, tackling a lumpy first half and then six laps of a finishing circuit, which featured the 1.6km, 6.2% Ferberturm climb for a punchy and challenging finish.
Despite facing the Dörtendorf climb early on, it was hard for a break to get away in the first part of the race – despite many attacks – and the peloton started the finishing circuit all together. Maud Rijnbeek (VolkerWessels) briefly went solo but was caught before the final 25km.
As the challenging laps took their toll, though, the peloton split apart with only the strongest riders in front, and a small group of four led into the final 5km with a good gap on the chasers.
Human Powered Health had two riders in the front four, which gave them the advantage, allowing Blanco to open up the sprint for Raaijmakers and deliver her to the win.
<strong>Results : </strong>
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