Everything was unfolding completely for the SD Worx-ProTime staff on the opening stage of the Tour de France Femmes till catastrophe struck within the finale for sprinter Lorena Wiebes. Positioned behind her leadout, she was instantly hit from behind by one other rider, inflicting her to lose each her derailleur and chain, and with it, the possibility at victory raced away.
In the ultimate three kilometres of the 124km stage, SD Worx-ProTime took over on the entrance of the peloton with European champion Mischa Bredewold setting the tempo. However, within the battle for place within the frantic end, Anniina Ahtosalo (Uno-X Mobility) hit Wiebes’ rear wheel inflicting the chain to return off fully.
“I believe I rode into her derailleur or one thing like that,” Ahtosalo mentioned afterwards. “So one thing went flawed with the gear or the chain.”
SD Worx-ProTime had managed the peloton on the 124km stage from Rotterdam to The Hague in preparation for the upcoming chaotic finale, avoiding all crashes and establishing the lead-out prepare early in preparation for a victory on residence soil.
“Lorena was going very well, we have been there tremendous early however the entire staff is so robust,” Bredewold mentioned, “however you want a series to dash.
“We knew it was gonna be tremendous hectic, that’s why we would have liked to be in entrance all day, and that was actually laborious. But fortunately no one crashed. There are some massive crashes, I believe, so I hope these women are OK.”
Ahtosalo completed second on stage 1, received by Charlotte Kool (DSM-Firmenich PostNL).
Wiebes may have one other likelihood for victory within the Netherlands on the flat, brief 67km stage 2 from Dordrecht to Rotterdam, a end that she reconnoitred within the weeks resulting in the Grand Tour.
“We go in a rematch and I really feel actually sorry for Lorena,” Bredewold added.
Get limitless entry to all of our protection of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes – together with breaking information and evaluation reported by our journalists on the bottom from each stage because it occurs and extra. Find out extra.
