Germany's Ricarda Bauernfeind has taken a superb solo win on stage five of the Tour de France Femmes after attacking with 36 kilometres to go and staying out in front.
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The biggest victory of the 23-year-old's career came after a bad day for Dutch SD Worx squad, who already have two stage wins in this Tour and Lotte Kopecky in the yellow jersey.
For Bauernfeind, 12 months has made a world of difference.
"Last year I saw the photos, and watched all the stages on TV," the stage-five winner said.
"To be here myself now is very special, and I really enjoy it.
"I never thought that I could make it. Marlen Reusser was behind me, she is always a fast chaser."
Things went wrong for the usually dominant SD Worx on Thursday, as tactical mistakes cost Kopecky a shot at her second stage win of the race, their main general classification contender Demi Vollering was penalised 20 seconds for drafting behind the team car and stage-three winner Lorena Wiebes went home with stomach problems.
Bauernfeind was the rider who capitalised, attacking from a reduced peloton as the race entered its last 40km and, with SD Worx hesitating behind and looking for others to do the work, built a lead of more than a minute on her way to victory for Canyon-SRAM in her first year as a WorldTour professional.
SD Worx's Reusser did her best to chase down the attack and set up teammate Kopecky, but came home 22 seconds later in second place, with the overall leader looking frustrated as she led home the main contenders to take fourth.
"Of course it's a missed opportunity," Reusser said.
"Lotte is the fastest in the group ... we miscalculated and we went a bit slower to discourage counter-attacks. Maybe we overdid this."
The 126.5km stage from Onet-le-Chateau was pegged as one for the quick women but it proved a harder day than expected in searing temperatures, with former British champion Alice Barnes among nine riders who missed the initial time cut.
They were allowed to remain in the race after being delayed by a train.
An ill-timed puncture for Vollering left her off the back when the pace was on and the commissaires spotted her team car trying to pace her back to the peloton, delivering a stern telling off and, once the results were issued, a 20-second penalty.
That drops Vollering from second place to seventh overall, with defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten fifth.
Kopecky leads by 49 seconds from South Africa's Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Soudal Quick-Step), with Van Vleuten one of three riders two seconds back. Vollering is a further 12 seconds off the leader.
Australia's Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) finished stage five in 28th place, putting her 14th in the general classification.
Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) is the next best-placed Australian, lying 32nd overall.
Australian Associated Press
