Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda) won the first stage of the 2013 Route de France, between Soissons and Enghien-les-Bains, to the north of Paris, in a bunch sprint over a peloton reduced to just 37 riders as it hit the 3.5km finishing circuit. The former two-time World champion was the one true sprinter left at the front of the race as it arrived on the finishing straight, beating Valentina Scandolara (MCipollini-Giordana) into second place, with race leader Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS) in third.
“It was simple race with not many attacks until we got to the little final circuit,” Bronzini explained. “In the circuit there was a little climb of around two and a half K, and some of the sprinters dropped off. The first time around there were only twenty riders, but more riders got back on.
“In the final we tried to have a break with Linda Villumsen, to try to win with her for the jersey, but Johansson was there and she was able to defend,” the Italian added. “So in the last lap I asked the girls to work for my sprint and they looked after me. The last one to put me into the sprint was Lauren Kitchen, who did a really good job in the last K, so in the last corner I was in third position.
“Then I opened my sprint in the last 150 metres, and I won by a bike length.”
The mostly flat 121.9km stage saw very few attacks, with a crosswind enough to prevent anybody getting clear, but an unclassified climb just before the 100km point saw Johansson come under pressure from her rivals, with a group of just 20 riders left in the front group over the top.
The group’s number swelled to 37 as it hit the finishing circuit, but - with only Orica-AIS teammate Tiffany Cromwell for company - Johansson was to come under more pressure.
The former Swedish champion managed to keep her rivals under control, however, and Wiggle Honda switched its attention to Bronzini, who took a simple sprint victory.
With no time bonuses in the race, Johansson’s maintained her one second lead over Villumsen, with Amy Pieters (Argos-Shimano) still third at two seconds.
Result stage 1
1. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling
2. Valentina Scandolara (Ita) MCipollini-Giordana
3. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS
4. Thalita de Jong (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
5. Amy Pieters (Ned) Argos-Shimano
6. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
7. Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Boels-Dolmans
8. Anna Zita Maria Stricker (Ita) MCipollini-Giordana
9. Linda Villumsen (NZl) Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling
10. Alena Amialyusik (Blr) Be Pink
Standings after stage 1
1. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS, 3.8km in 5’07”
2. Linda Villumsen (NZl) Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling @ 1s
3. Amy Pieters (Ned) Argos-Shimano @ 2s
4. Evelyn Stevens (USA) United States National Team @ 5s
5. Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant @ 6s
6. Iris Slappendel (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant @ 7s
7. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini-Giordana @ 8s
8. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabobank-Liv/Giant @ 9s
9. Thalita de Jong (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
10. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Orica-AIS