(Montreal) Clara Émond (EF Education – Cannondale) had been sidelined since the end of April after breaking her elbow during the second stage of the Tour of Spain. The Quebecer made her comeback in recent days by participating in the Tour de Suisse, where she finished 27th overall.
The mountainous course of the Tour de Suisse smiled on Émond who was at the service of his New Zealand leader Kim Cadzow during the last four days.
Cadzow was in the race for victory in the general classification almost until the end of the last stage on Tuesday. However, she fell less than 30 kilometers from the finish, while she found herself in the first chasing group. She finally crossed the finish line in 31st place (3 minutes 55 seconds), in the same time as Clara Émond (36th).
The New Zealander placed eighth overall. It was the Dutchwoman Demi Vollering (SD Worx – Protime) who finished on the highest step of the podium at the end of the Tour de Suisse, she who won three of the four stages of the event.
She notably won the sprint on Tuesday, ahead of the Italian Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl – Trek) as well as the Australian Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM Racing), winner the day before and best young rider of the Tour. Another feat for Vollering, who had also triumphed at the Tour of Spain, the Tour of the Basque Country and the Tour of Burgos this spring.
On a personal level, Clara Émond had her best day on Monday with a 25th place during the third stage. The cyclist from Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges also took 40th place in the individual time trial contested on Sunday.
Note that over the weekend, Magdeleine Vallières-Mill, Émond’s teammate, extended her agreement with EF Education – Cannondale until the end of 2027.