Borghini wins a by a second in Oxford Women's Tour 2022

The final 142.9km-stage of the six-stage race, started in Chipping Norton at 11am on Saturday and finished in St Giles in Oxford.

Although Lorena Wiebes of Team DSM claimed victory on the sixth and final stage in St Giles' with a time of three hours 38 minutes 15 seconds, Elisa Longo Borghini overhauled Grace Brown and won the race by a second.

READ ALSO: Stage six of the 2022 Women’s Tour in Oxfordshire

She won the entire tour with an overall time of 19 hours 19 minutes 07seconds.

Final overall Women's Tour podium (SWpix)

Borghini said: “We decided to go for the intermediate sprint and I was fourth so I was like, ‘Okay, that’s the second place and that’s it."

“But then all my team-mates kept my morale up, and said we try at the finish and we’ll do the lead-out for you.

“I was really doubting, but when you see such a team that is motivated and they are really believing in you, just want to give them back everything.”

 In the final stage in Oxfordshire the cyclists faced even more steep inclines following Carmarthenshire and tackled Butcher’s Hill in Chipping Norton.

The Queen of the Mountain, an award given to the best climbing specialist in a road race, was won by Elise Chabbey of Switzerland.

Thousands of spectators gathered along the route to watch Britain’s biggest and longest running women’s cycle stage race.

READ ALSO: Oxford free weekend family activities announced to celebrate Women's Tour finish

Many cycle groups from across Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties cycled to various locations to follow the tour.

Cycling club Bicester Millennium, cycled to the finish line in Oxford from Charlbury, donning their flamingo jerseys all the way.

Member of the group Sara Manwaring said: "It has been a brilliant day; we always love these events.

"We come whenever it is close to us."

The oldest member of the group is 84-year-old Brian Lewis, who also joined the cycle ride, said he has been cycling since he was 14.

Martin Stanley, training ride coordinator at Didcot Phoenix cycling club, was at the finish line in Oxford to enjoy the occasion. He said: “I cycled out to Burford and watched the ‘Queen of the Mountain’, which was great, and now we are just enjoying the atmosphere.”

READ ALSO: Oxford Festival of the Arts returns to venues in 2022

Paul Morrissey from High Wycombe cycling club, said: "It was a really good atmosphere; we are mega proud. Bring it back next year."

Kathryn McNicholl of Cyclox said it was ‘absolutely incredible’ the event was happening in the city.

She said: “It’s amazing and I hope the fact they are welcome here will make people think more about cycling and think maybe I’ll give it a go.”

Read more from this author

This story was written by Rebecca Whittaker, she joined the team in 2019 as a multimedia reporter.

Rebecca covers education and news in Abingdon and Wantage.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Rebecca.Whittaker@newquest.co.uk or calling 07824524333

Follow her on Twitter @RebecWhitt

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