Italian national champion Elisa Longo Borghini survived a Stage Five crash to win the SKODA Queen of the Mountains competition at the 2018 OVO Energy Women’s Tour – the second year running that a rider from the British Wiggle HIGH5 team have claimed the jersey.

Longo Borghini – who also finished sixth overall –  amassed double the points (44 to 22) of her nearest challenger in the SKODA Queen of the Mountains competition, last year’s overall champion Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM).

“I’m very happy to have won this jersey,” she said. “I think I will dedicate it to my team-mates and the staff, because they helped me a lot throughout this week and especially after my crash [on Stage Five].

“They were very nice, they all waited for me, and Kirsten [Wild] also sacrificed her sprint a bit in waiting for me.”

Longo Borghini topped the classification standings after Stage Two in Northamptonshire, in which she claimed 15 of the 16 points available. She was first to the top of Newnham Hill during both ascents of the gruelling climb.


“It gives me a boost of confidence after a very strange spring for me,” Longo Borghini added. “Let’s say strange, because I won’t say disastrous or catastrophic!”

Twelve months ago, her French team-mate Audrey Cordon-Ragot won the SKODQ Queen of the Mountains classification.

With strong cycling connections in their roots, SKODA is committed to making the sport more widely enjoyed by men and women alike.

Through their new #ThisIsOurTime campaign, they are encouraging women – and anyone new to cycling – to discover the fun and exhilaration of life on two wheels.

SKODA have also recently partnered with the Cycling Podcast Féminin, who released daily episodes from this year’s OVO Energy Women’s Tour, to sponsor their podcasts for the rest of 2018.

Visit the SKODA UK Cycling website for more information on how to start cycling.