Mylène de Zoete (Ceratizit-WNT) gained stage 1 of the 2024 Tour of Chongming Island beating Tereza Neumanová (UAE Crew ADQ) and Sofie van Rooijen (VolkerWessels) in a closely-fought mass dash.
No breakaway lasted lengthy on the flat stage as most groups have been working towards a bunch cost. A bunch of 17 riders acquired away 39km from the end however was reeled in once more with 30km to go.
A solo assault by Thi That Nguyen (Roland) additionally got here to nothing, and two kilometres from the road, Marta Lach (Ceratizit-WNT) made a last-minute transfer with a VolkerWessels rider on her wheel.
They have been caught on the 900-metre ending straight the place UAE Crew ADQ led out Neumanová, however De Zoete got here up quick alongside the right-hand aspect limitations and went previous the previous Czech champion within the last metres to win the stage and take the primary yellow jersey.
The way it unfolded
The primary intermediate dash with 52.4km to go was gained by De Zoete forward of Van Rooijen and Lach. The group of 17 riders then went off the entrance, with Barbora Němcová (Crew Dukla Praha) urging her fellow escapees to cooperate.
They have been Anastasia Carbonari (UAE Crew ADQ), Sandra Alonso (Ceratizit-WNT), Katia Ragusa (Human Powered Well being), Giorgia Vettorello (Roland), Femke Beuling, Meis Poland (each VolkerWessels), Naia Amondarain (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi), Mieke Docx (Lotto-Dstny), Lara Crestanello (BTC Metropolis Ljubljana Zhiraf Ambedo), Marine Allione (Winspace), Magdalene Lind (Crew Coop-Repsol), Phetdarin Somrat (Thailand Girls’s Biking Crew), Sophie Marr (ARA-Skip Capital), and Yiman Danna (Bodywrap LTwoo).
They by no means had a giant hole, however the group labored effectively collectively and had illustration from 14 of the 18 groups within the race. Nonetheless, regardless of having two riders within the break, VolkerWessels took up the chase, bringing the group again 30km from the road.
Lind attacked from the break shortly earlier than it was caught and was solo in entrance for 4 extra kilometres earlier than being reeled in because the sprinters’ groups needed to contest the second intermediate dash.
This time, Lach was first over the road forward of Scarlett Souren (VolkerWessels) and Kathrin Schweinberger (Ceratizit-WNT), placing Lach into the digital lead. Nguyen attacked quickly after the intermediate dash; a chase group of six was shortly caught, however when one other group of six countered and reached Nguyen, the whole lot was introduced again collectively by VolkerWessels.
With 17.3km to go, riders from the HKSI Professional Biking Crew and China Liv Professional Biking launched an assault. They solely held a bonus of some metres and have been caught once more 15.6km from the end.
The sprinters’ groups then stored issues collectively till Nguyen tried once more 2.7km from the road, taking Lind, Němcová, and a VolkerWessels rider along with her. They have been reeled in with 2.2km to go, and Lach instantly counterattacked.
The VolkerWessels rider that had simply been caught jumped on Lach’s wheel however didn’t take turns. Nonetheless, Lach got here onto the ending straight with a three-second hole, however they have been caught 400 metres from the road.
Karolina Kumięga (UAE Crew ADQ) led out Neumanová who launched her dash with 200 metres to go. As riders fanned out throughout the two-lane highway behind the Czech rider, De Zoete used Neumanová’s slipstream to construct up pace after which flew previous on the ultimate 25 metres to win the stage.
