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Slipping Away TdFF22-35
With the break away basically back together the next obstacle facing the group of now 13 riders was the intermediate sprint. They had managed to keep the peloton at bay, so it was their opportunity to gain some sprint points, not that any of them had a chance of catching up to Lorena Weibes in her Maillot Vert, or Marianne Vos, who is in the Maillot Jaune and in second in the competition for the title of best sprinter. Nevertheless, Tamara Dronova-Balabolina (Roladn Cogeas Edelwiess Squad) slipped away from the others to get the sprint price (yes there is some cash on offer). Behind her Christine Majerus (SD Worx) in her Luxembourg Champion's jersey, Jesse Vandenbulcke (Le Col-Wahoo), Joscelin Lowden (Uno-X) and Silke Smulders (Liv Racing Xstra) just kept rolling along. They knew what she was after and didn't want to spend the energy to contest the sprint. With 45 kilometers left to race and only a minute and a half on the peloton, they had quite a lot of work to do if they wanted to contest for stage honors.