Giant Shimano rider Kirsten Wild picked up where she left off last year, ending up back on top of the podium and in the leader’s jersey at the end of stage one of the women’s Tour of Qatar.
The Dutchwoman took top place in the intermediate sprints, reaping bonus seconds which would pad overall lead at the end of the day.
After a late attack by Chantal Blaak (Specialized – lululemon) was brought back just before the line, Wild blasted in ahead of Shelley Olds (Ale Cipollini), Chloe Hosking (Hitec Products), Jolien D'Hoore (Lotto Belisol Ladies), Elizabeth Armitstead (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team) and the rest of a small group.
“The team rode great today and were rewarded with the perfect result,” said the coach Ruud Verhagen. “After sixty kilometres the race split into several groups, with Amy and Kirsten up front and the rest of the team in the second group of around 25 riders.
“The second group were chasing right up until the last kilometre so the pace at the front stayed high which was perfect for Kirsten. Amy controlled it really well and then Kirsten sprinted perfectly to take the win. We couldn't have started better.”
Once the bonuses were factored in, Wild ended the stage eight seconds ahead of Olds and a further three up ahead of Hosking. Armitstead is fourth, fourteen seconds back, and one second up on Hoskins.
The race got off to a very fast start, with slightly over 46 kilometres per hour being averaged in the first hour of racing. Wild picked up the first bonus sprint ahead of Armitstead and Melissa Hoskins (Orica - AIS), showing that she meant business.
The pace remained hot and inside the final sixty kilometres of the 97 kilometre stage, the high speed and sidewinds caused the bunch to split. The front portion sped on towards the second sprint, with Wild first to the prime line in Al Wukair. Olds and Hosking were second and third.
The riders then continued on to the finish where Wild showed, for the third time on the stage, that she was clearly the quickest.
Women’s Tour of Qatar (2.1):
Stage 1, Museum of Islamic Art to Mesaieed:
1, Kirsten Wild (Team Giant - Shimano) 97 kilometres in 2 hours 9 mins 56 secs
2, Shelley Olds (Ale Cipollini)
3, Chloe Hosking (Hitec Products)
4, Jolien D'Hoore (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
5, Elizabeth Armitstead (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
6, Pascale Jeuland (France)
7, Barbara Guarischi (Ale Cipollini)
8, Melissa Hoskins (Orica - AIS)
9, Iris Slappendel (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
10, Trixi Worrack (Specialized - lululemon)
11, Emma Johansson (Orica - AIS)
12, Valentina Scandolara (Orica - AIS)
13, Christine Majerus (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
14, Romy Kasper (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
15, Tiffany Cromwell (Specialized - lululemon)
16, Susanna Zorzi (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
17, Annalisa Cucinotta (Italy)
18, Loes Gunnewijk (Orica - AIS) at 4 secs
19, Chantal Blaak (Specialized - lululemon)
20, Amy Pieters (Team Giant - Shimano) at 9 secs
21, Inga Cilvinaite (RusVelo) at 49 secs
22, Sara Mustonen (Team Giant - Shimano) at 53 secs
23, Elise Delzenne (Specialized - lululemon)
24, Thalita De Jong (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
25, Fiona Dutriaux (France)
26, Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
27, Sarah Roy (Australia)
28, Katrin Garfoot (Australia)
29, Lauren Kitchen (Hitec Products)
30, Liesbeth De Vocht (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
31, Julia Soek (Team Giant - Shimano)
32, Maaike Polspoel (Team Giant - Shimano)
33, Elena Cecchini (Italy)
34, Jessie MacLean (Orica - AIS)
35, Olga Zabelinskaya (RusVelo)
36, Marta Tagliaferro (Ale Cipollini)
37, Rochelle Gilmore (Wiggle Honda)
38, Marijn De Vries (Team Giant - Shimano)
39, Aurore Verhoeven (France)
40, Katarzyna Pawlowska (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
41, Gracie Elvin (Orica - AIS)
42, Charlotte Becker (Wiggle Honda)
43, Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda)
44, Anna Van Der Breggen (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
45, Roxanne Knetemann (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
46, Lucinda Brand (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
47, Elena Kuchinskaia (RusVelo) at 4 mins 30 secs
48, Wan Yiu Jamie Wong (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling)
49, Aizan Zhaparova (RusVelo)
50, Dong Yan Huang (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling)
51, Michela Pavin (Ale Cipollini)
52, Marion Rousse (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
53, Emilie Moberg (Hitec Products)
54, Marieke Van Wanroij (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
55, Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Italy)
56, Alexandra Burchenkova (RusVelo)
57, Isabelle Soderberg (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
58, Xiaoling Luo (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling)
59, Lisa Brennauer (Specialized - lululemon)
60, Thea Thorsen (Hitec Products)
61, Malgorzata Jasinska (Ale Cipollini)
62, Roxane Fournier (France)
63, Emilia Fahlin (Wiggle Honda)
64, Chloe McConville (Australia)
65, Peta Mullens (Wiggle Honda)
66, Alice Algisi (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
67, Fanny Riberot (France)
68, Jessica Mundy (Australia)
69, Louisa Lobigs (Australia)
70, Béatrice Bartelloni (Wiggle Honda)
71, Ni Man Song (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling)
72, Simona Frapporti (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
73, Zita Stricker (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
74, Emily Roper (Australia)
75, Anastasia Chulkova (RusVelo)
76, Aude Biannic (France)
77, Audrey Cordon (Hitec Products)
78, Hong Yu Liang (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling)
79, Maeia Covrig (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
80, Chiara Vannucci (Italy)
81, Alena Amialiusik (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
82, Anisha Vekemans (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
83, Celine Van Severen (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
84, Arianna Fidanza (Italy) at 5 mins 43 secs
85, Claudia Cretti (Italy)
86, Yuan Yuan Tian (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling) at 6 mins 26 secs
87, Tone Hatteland Lima (Hitec Products) at 6 mins 34 secs
88, Elena Berlato (Ale Cipollini) at 11 mins 13 secs
Intermediate sprints:
Mesaieed:
1, Kirsten Wild (Team Giant - Shimano) 3 pts
2, Elizabeth Armitstead (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team) 2
3, Melissa Hoskins (Orica - AIS) 1
Al Wukair:
1, Kirsten Wild (Team Giant - Shimano) 3 pts
2, Shelley Olds (Ale Cipollini) 2
3, Chloe Hosking (Hitec Products) 1
Young riders:
1, Melissa Hoskins (Orica - AIS) at 2:9 mins 56 secs
2, Susanna Zorzi (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
3, Amy Pieters (Team Giant - Shimano) at 9 secs
4, Thalita De Jong (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team) at 53 secs
5, Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
6, Elena Cecchini (Italy)
7, Dong Yan Huang (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling) at 4 mins 30 secs
8, Michela Pavin (Ale Cipollini)
9, Marion Rousse (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
10, Emilie Moberg (Hitec Products)
Teams:
1, Orica - AIS, at 6 hours 29 mins 48 secs
2, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
3, Specialized - lululemon, at 4 secs
4, Ale Cipollini, at 53 secs
5, Team Giant - Shimano, at 1 min 2 secs
6, Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team, at 1 min 46 secs
7, France
8, Wiggle Honda, at 2 mins 39 secs
9, Hitec Products, at 5 mins 23 secs
10, Lotto Belisol Ladies
11, Italy
12, RusVelo, at 6 mins 12 secs
13, Australia, at 6 mins 16 secs
14, Astana Bepink Womens Team, at 9 mins
15, China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling, at 13 mins 30 secs
General classification:
1, Kirsten Wild (Team Giant - Shimano) 2 hours 9 mins 40 secs
2, Shelley Olds (Ale Cipollini) at 8 secs
3, Chloe Hosking (Hitec Products) at 11 secs
4, Elizabeth Armitstead (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team) at 14 secs
5, Melissa Hoskins (Orica - AIS) at 15 secs
6, Jolien D'Hoore (Lotto Belisol Ladies) at 16 secs
7, Pascale Jeuland (France)
8, Barbara Guarischi (Ale Cipollini)
9, Iris Slappendel (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
10, Trixi Worrack (Specialized - lululemon)
11, Emma Johansson (Orica - AIS)
12, Valentina Scandolara (Orica - AIS)
13, Christine Majerus (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
14, Romy Kasper (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
15, Tiffany Cromwell (Specialized - lululemon)
16, Susanna Zorzi (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
17, Annalisa Cucinotta (Italy)
18, Loes Gunnewijk (Orica - AIS) at 20 secs
19, Chantal Blaak (Specialized - lululemon)
20, Amy Pieters (Team Giant - Shimano) at 25 secs
21, Inga Cilvinaite (RusVelo) at 1 min 5 secs
22, Sara Mustonen (Team Giant - Shimano) at 1 min 9 secs
23, Elise Delzenne (Specialized - lululemon)
24, Thalita De Jong (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
25, Fiona Dutriaux (France)
26, Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
27, Sarah Roy (Australia)
28, Katrin Garfoot (Australia)
29, Lauren Kitchen (Hitec Products)
30, Liesbeth De Vocht (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
31, Julia Soek (Team Giant - Shimano)
32, Maaike Polspoel (Team Giant - Shimano)
33, Elena Cecchini (Italy)
34, Jessie MacLean (Orica - AIS)
35, Olga Zabelinskaya (RusVelo)
36, Marta Tagliaferro (Ale Cipollini)
37, Rochelle Gilmore (Wiggle Honda)
38, Marijn De Vries (Team Giant - Shimano)
39, Aurore Verhoeven (France)
40, Katarzyna Pawlowska (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
41, Gracie Elvin (Orica - AIS)
42, Charlotte Becker (Wiggle Honda)
43, Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda)
44, Anna Van Der Breggen (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
45, Roxanne Knetemann (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
46, Lucinda Brand (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
47, Elena Kuchinskaia (RusVelo) at 4 mins 46 secs
48, Wan Yiu Jamie Wong (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling)
49, Aizan Zhaparova (RusVelo)
50, Dong Yan Huang (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling)
51, Michela Pavin (Ale Cipollini)
52, Marion Rousse (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
53, Emilie Moberg (Hitec Products)
54, Marieke Van Wanroij (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
55, Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Italy)
56, Alexandra Burchenkova (RusVelo)
57, Isabelle Soderberg (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
58, Xiaoling Luo (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling)
59, Lisa Brennauer (Specialized - lululemon)
60, Thea Thorsen (Hitec Products)
61, Malgorzata Jasinska (Ale Cipollini)
62, Roxane Fournier (France)
63, Emilia Fahlin (Wiggle Honda)
64, Chloe McConville (Australia)
65, Peta Mullens (Wiggle Honda)
66, Alice Algisi (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
67, Fanny Riberot (France)
68, Jessica Mundy (Australia)
69, Louisa Lobigs (Australia)
70, Béatrice Bartelloni (Wiggle Honda)
71, Ni Man Song (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling)
72, Simona Frapporti (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
73, Zita Stricker (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
74, Emily Roper (Australia)
75, Anastasia Chulkova (RusVelo)
76, Aude Biannic (France)
77, Audrey Cordon (Hitec Products)
78, Hong Yu Liang (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling)
79, Maeia Covrig (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
80, Chiara Vannucci (Italy)
81, Alena Amialiusik (Astana Bepink Womens Team)
82, Anisha Vekemans (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
83, Celine Van Severen (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
84, Arianna Fidanza (Italy) at 5 mins 59 secs
85, Claudia Cretti (Italy)
86, Yuan Yuan Tian (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling) at 6 mins 42 secs
87, Tone Hatteland Lima (Hitec Products) at 6 mins 50 secs
88, Elena Berlato (Ale Cipollini) at 11 mins 29 secs
Points:
1, Kirsten Wild (Team Giant - Shimano) 21 pts
2, Shelley Olds (Ale Cipollini) 14
3, Chloe Hosking (Hitec Products) 10
4, Elizabeth Armitstead (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team) 8
5, Jolien D'Hoore (Lotto Belisol Ladies) 7
6, Pascale Jeuland (France) 5
7, Melissa Hoskins (Orica - AIS) 4
8, Barbara Guarischi (Ale Cipollini) 4
9, Iris Slappendel (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team) 2
10, Trixi Worrack (Specialized - lululemon) 1
Young rider:
1, Melissa Hoskins (Orica - AIS) 2 hours 9 mins 55 secs
2, Susanna Zorzi (Astana Bepink Womens Team) at 1 sec
3, Amy Pieters (Team Giant - Shimano) at 10 secs
4, Thalita De Jong (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team) at 54 secs
5, Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team)
6, Elena Cecchini (Italy)
7, Dong Yan Huang (China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling) at 4 mins 31 secs
8, Michela Pavin (Ale Cipollini)
9, Marion Rousse (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
10, Emilie Moberg (Hitec Products)
Teams:
1, Orica - AIS, at 6 hours 29 mins 48 secs
2, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
3, Specialized - lululemon, at 4 secs
4, Ale Cipollini, at 53 secs
5, Team Giant - Shimano, at 1 min 2 secs
6, Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team, at 1 min 46 secs
7, France
8, Wiggle Honda, at 2 mins 39 secs
9, Hitec Products, at 5 mins 23 secs
10, Lotto Belisol Ladies
11, Italy
12, RusVelo, at 6 mins 12 secs
13, Australia, at 6 mins 16 secs
14, Astana Bepink Womens Team, at 9 mins
15, China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling, at 13 mins 30 secs