The Italian duo out foxed the sprinters into Bedford, holding off the Marianne Vos led bunch by six seconds to remain clear after Ratto had broken clear after 65-kilometres of racing.
Having instigated the move heading towards the second Strava Queen of the Mountains at Brixworth, Ratto was later joined by Zorzi, building a gap of two minutes approaching 20-kilometres to go.
With Lizzie Armitstead’s Boels Dolmans taking up the chase the deficit was halved, but Ratto and Zorzi remained clear, although only just with the peloton in sight behind the duo on the 400-metre long finishing straight.
Having outsprinted Zorzi, Estado de Mexico Faren rider Ratto said afterwards;
“I originally attacked to get the points for the Queen of the Mountains but I continued because I felt good – I am training for the time-trial at present – so I thought why not? I was on the point of giving up when Susanna came across to me from the peloton. Two is always better than one so we started to ride hard again. The gap started going up and we thought maybe we could do it.
“I was still afraid the peloton would get back to us in the final 4km but Suzanna, who is a good friend, helped me a lot and we were able to ride all the way to the finish it was a dream.”
Behind the Italians Vos led home compatriot Amy Pieters and Lucy Garner, followed by Giorgia Bronzini and Lizzie Armitstead.
“We almost caught Rossella but not quite,” said Armitstead afterwards. “From our point of view it was really our team’s responsibility to lead the chase, we didn’t have the yellow jersey to defend and possibly GreenEdge made a slight mistake.
“In terms of the GC we are still in the hunt if the stages are challenging enough but realistically we need some wins to make it more interesting. I’ve been going for all the intermediate sprints so far, I have been in stage races before when it comes down to second so if it does get close on Sunday I don’t want to look back on any lost opportunity.”
Armitstead moves up to fifth overall and pulls on the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Best British Rider jersey, while Ratto added the Matrix Fitness Best Young Rider jersey to her Bedfordshire haul.
In the Friends Life Overall Classification Ratto now leads Zorzi by five seconds, with Vos, who leads the YodelDirect Points Classification a further second in arrears. Day One winner Emma Johansson drops to fourth overall, having come home eleventh, with Hannah Barnes and Lucy Garner joining Armitstead as Brits in the top ten.
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling’s Sharon Laws retains the Strava Queen of the Mountains jersey after enjoying a competitive battle with Switzerland’s mountain bike champion Jolanda Neff, that saw the two competing for the points available at each of the day’s two Strava climbs.
Friday sees the Friends Life Women’s Tour head to Suffolk and Tendring, for Stage Three from Felixstowe to Clacton. Highlights of Stage Two are on ITV4 in the UK at 9pm this evening, with a repeat on Friday morning at 8am.
Results
Results
1. Rossella Ratto (Ita) Estado de Mexico Faren 3:02:02
2. Susanna Zorzi (Ita) Astana Bepink womens team
3. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabo Liv women cycling team 0:06
4. Amy Pieters (Ned) Netherlands
5. Lucy Garner (Gbr) Great Britain
6. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda
7. Lizzie Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans cycling team
8. Aurore Verhoeven (Fra) Lointek
9. Aude Biannic (Fra) Lointek
10. Chloe Hosking (Aus) Hitec products
11. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica AIS
12. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Estado de Mexico Faren
13. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Specialized Lululemon
14. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Hitec products
15. Jolanda Neff (Sui) Switzerland
16. Katie Archibald (Gbr) Great Britain
17. Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (RSA) Hitec products
18. Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans cycling team
19. Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Specialized Lululemon
20. Ramona Forchini (Sui) Switzerland
21. Linda Villumsen (Nzl) Wiggle Honda
22. Hannah Barnes (Gbr) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
23. Anouska Koster (Ned) Netherlands
24. Peta Mullens (Aus) Wiggle Honda
25. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
26. Elise Delzenne (Fra) Specialized Lululemon
27. Liesbet De Vocht (Bel) Lotto Belisol Ladies
28. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Rabo Liv women cycling team
29. Lucia Gonzalez (Esp) Lointek
30. Mascha Pijnenborg (Ned) Netherlands
31. Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica AIS
32. Dani King (Gbr) Wiggle Honda
33. Alice Arzuffi (Ita) Astana Bepink womens team
34. Denise Ramsden (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
35. Melissa Lowther (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine
36. Linda Indergand (Sui) Switzerland
37. Lauren Hall (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
38. Romy Kasper (Ger) Boels Dolmans cycling team
39. Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Orica AIS
40. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv women cycling team
41. Melon Pawlowska (Pol) Boels Dolmans cycling team
42. Laura Trott (Gbr) Wiggle Honda
43. Sharon Laws (Gbr) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
44. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Specialized Lululemon
45. Belen Lopez (Esp) Lointek
46. Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Astana Bepink womens team
47. Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv women cycling team
48. Jessie Daams (Bel) Boels Dolmans cycling team
49. Janel Holcomb (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
50. Shara Gillow (Aus) Orica AIS
51. Dalia Muccioli (Ita) Astana Bepink womens team
52. Iris Slappendel (Ned) Rabo Liv women cycling team
53. Jutta Stienen (Sui) Switzerland
54. Jade Wilcoxson (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
55. Ciara Horne (Gbr) Great Britain
56. Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:21
57. Charlotte Becker (Ger) Wiggle Honda 0:31
58. Helen Wyman (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 0:36
59. Chantal Blaak (Ned) Specialized Lululemon 0:39
60. Lucy Martin (Gbr) Estado de Mexico Faren
61. Ruth Winder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
62. Hayley Jones (Gbr) Great Britain
63. Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Estado de Mexico Faren 0:41
64. Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Orica AIS
65. Katrin Leumann (Sui) Switzerland 0:42
66. Jo Tindley (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 0:46
67. Chantal Hoffmann (Lux) Lotto Belisol Ladies 0:48
68. Jessie Walker (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 1:01
69. Amy Hill (Gbr) Great Britain 1:11
70. Henriette Woering (Ned) Netherlands
71. Doris Schweizer (Sui) Astana Bepink womens team 1:13
72. Emma Pooley (Gbr) Lotto Belisol Ladies
73. Penny Rowson (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 1:33
74. Caroline Baur (Sui) Switzerland
75. Uenia Fernandes Souza (Bra) Estado de Mexico Faren
76. Fanny Riberot (Fra) Lointek
77. Anna Knauer (Ger) Rabo Liv women cycling team
78. Sheyla Gutierrez (Esp) Lointek
79. Annette Edmondson (Aus) Orica AIS 1:36
80. Emma Trott (Gbr) Boels Dolmans cycling team
81. Thea Thorsen (Nor) Hitec products
82. Janine Van De Meer (Ned) Netherlands
83. Cari Higgins (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 2:52
84. Erika Leticia Yepez Fernandez (Mex) Estado de Mexico Faren
85. Lauren Tamayo (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 3:33
86. Emily Kay (Gbr) Great Britain 0:10:37
87. Harriet Owen (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 0:13:21
88. Isabelle Beckers (Bel) Lotto Belisol Ladies 0:14:43
DNF Karol Ann Canuel (Can) Specialized Lululemon
DNF Amy Cure (Aus) Lotto Belisol Ladies
GC after Stage 2
1. Rossella Ratto (Ita) Estado de Mexico Faren 5:30:18
2. Susanna Zorzi (Ita) Astana Bepink womens team 0:05
3. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabo Liv women cycling team 0:06
4. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica AIS 0:07
5. Lizzie Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans cycling team 0:14
6. Hannah Barnes (Gbr) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:15
7. Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans cycling team 0:16
8. Elise Delzenne (Fra) Specialized Lululemon
9. Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Astana Bepink womens team
10. Lucy Garner (Gbr) Great Britain 0:19
11. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda
12. Amy Pieters (Ned) Netherlands
13. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Specialized Lululemon
14. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Estado de Mexico Faren
15. Aurore Verhoeven (Fra) Lointek
16. Aude Biannic (Fra) Lointek
17. Chloe Hosking (Aus) Hitec products
18. Jolanda Neff (Sui) Switzerland
19. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Hitec products
20. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
21. Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Specialized Lululemon
22. Liesbet De Vocht (Bel) Lotto Belisol Ladies
23. Lauren Hall (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
24. Linda Villumsen (Nzl) Wiggle Honda
25. Mascha Pijnenborg (Ned) Netherlands
26. Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (RSA) Hitec products
27. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Rabo Liv women cycling team
28. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Specialized Lululemon
29. Denise Ramsden (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
30. Dani King (Gbr) Wiggle Honda
31. Peta Mullens (Aus) Wiggle Honda
32. Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica AIS
33. Anouska Koster (Ned) Netherlands
34. Ramona Forchini (Sui) Switzerland
35. Sharon Laws (Gbr) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
36. Dalia Muccioli (Ita) Astana Bepink womens team
37. Alice Arzuffi (Ita) Astana Bepink womens team
38. Janel Holcomb (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
39. Linda Indergand (Sui) Switzerland
40. Laura Trott (Gbr) Wiggle Honda
41. Romy Kasper (Ger) Boels Dolmans cycling team
42. Katie Archibald (Gbr) Great Britain
43. Melon Pawlowska (Pol) Boels Dolmans cycling team
44. Lucia Gonzalez (Esp) Lointek
45. Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Orica AIS
46. Belen Lopez (Esp) Lointek
47. Iris Slappendel (Ned) Rabo Liv women cycling team
48. Ciara Horne (Gbr) Great Britain
49. Shara Gillow (Aus) Orica AIS
50. Jessie Daams (Bel) Boels Dolmans cycling team
51. Janine Van De Meer (Ned) Netherlands
52. Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv women cycling team
53. Jade Wilcoxson (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
54. Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:34
55. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv women cycling team 0:43
56. Charlotte Becker (Ger) Wiggle Honda 0:44
57. Helen Wyman (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 0:49
58. Lucy Martin (Gbr) Estado de Mexico Faren 0:52
59. Chantal Blaak (Ned) Specialized Lululemon
60. Hayley Jones (Gbr) Great Britain
61. Ruth Winder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
62. Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Orica AIS 0:54
63. Katrin Leumann (Sui) Switzerland 0:55
64. Chantal Hoffmann (Lux) Lotto Belisol Ladies 1:01
65. Jessie Walker (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 1:14
66. Henriette Woering (Ned) Netherlands 1:24
67. Doris Schweizer (Sui) Astana Bepink womens team 1:26
68. Emma Pooley (Gbr) Lotto Belisol Ladies
69. Fanny Riberot (Fra) Lointek 1:46
70. Anna Knauer (Ger) Rabo Liv women cycling team
71. Annette Edmondson (Aus) Orica AIS 1:49
72. Emma Trott (Gbr) Boels Dolmans cycling team
73. Jutta Stienen (Sui) Switzerland 3:05
74. Erika Leticia Yepez Fernandez (Mex) Estado de Mexico Faren
75. Cari Higgins (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
76. Uenia Fernandes Souza (Bra) Estado de Mexico Faren 3:37
77. Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Estado de Mexico Faren 3:46
78. Lauren Tamayo (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
79. Jo Tindley (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 4:08
80. Thea Thorsen (Nor) Hitec products 4:38
81. Sheyla Gutierrez (Esp) Lointek 4:45
82. Melissa Lowther (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 9:03
83. Amy Hill (Gbr) Great Britain 0:18
84. Caroline Baur (Sui) Switzerland 0:10:30
85. Penny Rowson (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine
86. Emily Kay (Gbr) Great Britain 0:10:50
87. Isabelle Beckers (Bel) Lotto Belisol Ladies 0:23:40
88. Harriet Owen (Gbr) Matrix Fitness – Vulpine 0:31:29