Dutch cyclist claims victory in 2 races
Print Edition
THE Dutch “queen of sprint” Kirsten Wild from Giant-Shimano was the biggest winner in the three-day Tour of Chongming Island and the Women’s Road World Cup which ended on Sunday.The three-day tour was held from May 14-16. The International Cycling Union’s world cup was held on Sunday.
The tour is an annual elite women’s road bicycle race, consisting of a three-day stage race and one-day race. It was first held in 2007.
On the tour, the 32-year-old cyclist Kirsten Wild had an overall time over the three stages (days) of 7:50:37, winning the Yellow and Blue Leader’s Jersey for time and points.
The Chongming tour was the highest-level event of its kind in Asia.
In the first stage last Wednesday, Wild clocked 3:05:24, taking both the Yellow and Blue Leaders Jersey and edging out Roxane Fournier of Equipe De France Team. American Shelley Olds of Ale Cipollini came in third.
Fierce competition
“There is very fierce competition at the last five kilometers. The strong winds blowing and ramp ways cause the big problems,” Wild said. “I am so happy that I took the win finally.”
The first stage started at Qidong Binhai Industrial Park in Qidong City, Jiangsu Province, and toured through Chongqi Bridge, Dongping Forest Park and along the coast.
It was the first time the Tour of Chongming Island was held across Shanghai and Jiangsu Province.
The view was spectacular but conditions were challenging.
Stiffer challenge
Last Thursday, Wild faced stiffer challenge but managed to score a convincing, second stage victory. She outsprinted former world champion Giorgia Bronzini of Wiggle Honda and Shelley Olds to increase her lead to 15 seconds in the overall classification.
“It was a very difficult win today,” Wild said. “There were two riders at the front. It was hard to get them back so I was left with only two teammates to lead me out for the final sprint.”
Bronzini made it up for her disappointment in the first stage as she crossed the line just behind Wild. “Today I’m back,” the Italian said. “I wanted a good result at any cost. We’ve tried to put Wild into trouble with a breakaway to catch but she was still fresh for sprinting.”
Even though she struggled for another win, Wild remained fresh because other teams helped to catch the break, as Shelley Olds explained.
Wild failed to win all three stages as Bronzini pipped her at the very end of the third stage.
But the Dutch cyclist said it was mission accomplished as she comfortably kept the lead she had seized in the first stage.
“I knew it would be hard to win all three stages and I feel happy with what I got,” Wild said before the Women’s Road World Cup 2014.
The third stage is city circuit that covers around 81 kilometers and contains sharp corners and much narrower roads.
After the three stages, Bronzini moved into third place overall behind Wild and Olds — the trio were pre-race favorites for the world cup.
A bunch sprint
“I came here to gain confidence ahead of this big goal,” Bronzini said.
Wild claimed victory in the 130km world cup on Sunday, outsprinting Italian rivals Elena Cecchini of Estado de Mexico Faren and Bronzini.
“It’s been a while since I last won a big race like this. It makes me very happy,” said Wild.
Despite the pressure, her team managed to deliver a bunch sprint after chasing down all the attacks. The biggest difficulty was the U-turn over the Shanghai Changjiang Tunnel-Bridge over the Yangtze River, 73 meters above sea level.
Sarah Olsson from Sweden, of Hitec Products, won the Mountain Jersey.
Cecchini took second place and moved into the lead of the U23 World Cup ranking. She took the Young Rider Jersey.
“To finish second here gives me many points for the best young rider classification of the world cup,” the 22-year-old rider said. “It’s an excellent result for me. It has been a very long sprint. I made it all on the wheel of Kirsten. I knew she was the most powerful.”
She called Italy, her birthplace, the most beautiful place in the world, but added, “However, I am thinking that Chongming is the best place with nice people and a picturesque view.”
Hitec Products team ranks first in the team classification of the UCI Women’s Road World Cup 2014. Estado De Mexico Faren and Equipe De France rank the second and third. The host team, Chongming-Giant-Champion System Cycling, ranks eighth.
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