Two-time World champion fastest of a 20-rider group; Marianne Vos takes overall lead
Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda) sprinted to her second victory of the season at the head of the remains of a depleted peloton at the end of the first stage of the Festival Luxembourgeois du Cyclisme Féminin Elsy Jacobs, in Garnich, Luxembourg. The former two-time World champion was fastest of a group of just 20 riders, which had been whittled down on the tough, hilly finishing circuit, beating South African champion Ashleigh Moolman (Lotto-Belisol) and Polish champion Katarzyna Pawlowska (GSD Gestion-Kallisto) into second and third.
Prologue winner Annemiek van Vleuten (Rabobank-Liv/Giant) was not present in the leading group at the finish, and so passed the leader’s jersey onto the shoulders of teammate, World and Olympic champion Marianne Vos, who finished fourth on the stage.
The 102.6km stage was made up of a long, 53.6km opening loop, followed by five laps of a hilly 9.8km finishing circuit. On the final lap the pace up the climb reduced the peloton to a group of just 20 riders, including Bronzini, and the former World champion sprinted to her second victory of the season.
“On the finishing laps there were two climbs; one short and steep and one longer and less steep,” said Bronzini afterwards. “It was also cold, but we were lucky because it didn’t rain.
“In the five last laps there were so many attacks from [Orica-AIS] and I was on the wheel of Emma Johansson every time she tried to attack,” Bronzini explained. “In the final there were, I think, 15 girls to the sprint. I was on the wheel of Vos, and when she started to sprint I went out in the last hundred metres.”
The early kilometres of the race were characterised by an attack from Vera Koedooder (Sengers Ladies) and Doris Schweizer (Be Pink), who were able to get 2’10” clear in the long, opening loop. Aggression in the peloton behind saw it split into several groups, and the gap to the two leaders close, as they began the first of the five finishing circuits, and the two riders were caught before they could reach the finish line at the end of the first lap.
Anna Van der Breggen (Sengers) and Johansson, then from Marijn de Vries (Lotto-Belisol) and Lucinda Brand (Rabobank-Liv/Giant), with van der Breggen again. The trio was caught before the final lap, but by this time the leading group of the peloton was reduced to just 20 riders. As they arrived at the finish Vos opened up her sprint but, as she managed to do in two World championship races, Bronzini was able to come around to take victory.
Result stage 1
1. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling
2. Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) Lotto-Belisol
3. Katarzyna Pawlowska (Pol) GSD Gestion-Kallisto
4. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
5. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS
6. Christine Majerus (Lux) Sengers Ladies Team
7. Elise Delzenne (Fra) Bourgogne ProDialog
8. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Hitec Products
9. Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
10. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Orica-AIS
Standings after stage 1
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
2. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS @ 4s
3. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica-AIS
4. Katarzyna Pawlowska (Pol) GSD Gestion-Kallisto
5. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling @ 5s
6. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Sengers Ladies Team
7. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant @ 7s
8. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Orica-AIS
9. Valentina Scandolara (Ita) MCipollini-Giordana
10. Jessie Daams (Bel) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team