Behind the scenes in Blighty

Movement

Human Powered Health begins building blocks to Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift at UK Women’s Tour

Lily Williams called it “bonkers,” Evy Kuijpers said it was “crazy,” and Henrietta Christie described it as “beautifully hard,” so it’s fair to say that last week’s Women’s Tour certainly left its mark.

Human Powered Health also left a mark in Britain though. Whether it was Marit Raaijmakers competing in the early sprints, Nina Buijsman’s quest for GC, Christie’s breaks or Mieke Kröger’s final day attack on the roads to Oxford, the team came away with some crucial form in the buildup to July’s big event, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

“Personally I’ve gotten my race legs back during the tour,” Kröger said afterwards. “It took me quite some time to be able to dig deep again so I’m happy I did not give up.”

Relive the action from the UK with our gallery of images from the Women’s WorldTour race.

: Mechanic Joaquín Novoa applies the stage one detail stickers in Colchester.

: Evy Kuijpers and the team listen in to the DS’s first stage briefing.

: Our riders were extremely happy to sign autographs in Colchester.

: With her ties to the local area, including her aunt, uncle and grandmother attending the stage, New Zealander Henrietta Christie was the talk of the town.

: Sara Gimenez sorts the nutrition out for stage 1one

: Mieke Kröger went into the Women’s Tour with the goal to build strength.

: Marit Raaijmakers and Lily Williams regroup after a hectic stage one finale in Bury St Edmunds.

: Kröger and protected leader Nina Buijsman debrief the finish.

: Kuijpers attaches the all important numbers on day two in Harlow.

: Williams sits back having eaten her “second breakfast” of oatmeal, walnuts, raisins and honey.

: Andrew Bajadali and Clark Sheehan were the brain of Women’s Tour operations.

: Kuijpers hails her friends on Team DSM as they sign on.

: Double bronze. Olympians Megan Jastraab and Williams meet in Harlow.

: Every rider was given a pink ribbon from British charity Breast Cancer Now with a message from someone who accesses their services.

: Where you stuck the ribbon called for ever greater levels of creativity.

: Roommates Kuijpers and Christie keep it steady in the peloton.

: Kuijpers comes over the line in Harlow.

: Having attacked in the final stages, Williams and her breakaway partner were only just caught inside the final K on stage two.

: The Americans epic ride is saluted with a fist bump.

: Raaijmakers crashed in the closing stages but still finished with a smile on her face.

: Christie and Williams engage in the daily practise of packing their after-stage rain bags.

: One quaint British town after the other.

: The announcers inability to pronounce the Dutch riders names soon became a team in-joke.

: Buijsman looks on as she prepares herself for another hard stage.

: Kuijpers and Williams fight their way back into the peloton on stage three with the help of Christie.

: Synchronised face wiping in Gloucester

: Buijsman replenishes sugar levels with a ginger beer soft drink.

: Raaijmakers makes sure to beat the rain with a well-placed towel.

: Christie contemplates another hard day on wet, rolling British roads, her favourite.

: Camper drivers Santi Diz’s legendary post-stage food.

: Buijsman seeks the front row at stage fours start in Wrexham, Wales.

: Raaijmakers and Christie get in the zone.

: The Women’s Tour and bunting go hand in hand.

: Buijsman finishes in the group in Welshpool having fought her way to the head of the race over the hills.

: Christie delights a young fan by passing her a bottle.

: The conditions in Wales are written across Williams’s face.

: The team went viral at the stage five start when they “adopted” Meg the dog as their mascot.

: Meg gave out plenty of hugs.

: Got into a team shirt and even joined the riders on the podium.

: Testing, 1, 2, 3. Bajadali makes his UK TV debut in Pembrey Country Park.

: Williams has one last look at the route book.

: Kuijpers makes sure to activate her legs before the tough Welsh stage by riding on the Wahoo Fitness Kickr.

: The Welsh dragon flies on the roads to the stage five hilltop finish… note, we’re not in England anymore.

: Buijsman demonstrates the expert way of catching a bottle.

: Kuijpers laments missing hers but Christie is soon on hand, radio’ing in and going back to the team car for one more.

: The peloton winds its way up the beautiful Black Mountain.

: Buijsman digs deep to stay with the favorites.

: Williams rode impressively up the steep gradients.

: Raaijmakers crests the climb with longterm friend and track partner Lorena Wiebes.

: Christie soon gets warm thanks to a towel.

: Williams makes sure to capture some memories atop the climb.

: Christie tapes in her radio on the final day of the Women’s Tour.W

: Where would we be without Wahoo?

: One last beautiful English stage start.

: Raaijmakers checks her Rudy Projects before the off.

: Kröger gets going on stage six, a day that saw her join a strong three-rider breakaway and nearly contest for victory in Oxford.

: Kuijpers als looked super strong at the Women’s Tour

: Kröger and Christie were met by two young fans after the finish line.

: They answered questions on how they got into the sport and how they tie their hair up under their helmets among other things.

: Mechanic Raf Wittenberg gets the bikes on the roof one last time.

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