Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Charlotte Becker was part of a stage-long, two-rider breakaway during the second stage of the Tour of Chongming Island, which was caught with less than half a kilometre remaining. The former Team Time Trial World Champion escaped with Lithuanian Inga Cilvinaite (RusVelo) shortly after the first intermediate sprint of the day, and was able to get a minute ahead of the peloton.
The two riders were finally chased down, however, where Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s former two-time road World Champion Giorgia Bronzini sprinted to second place. The stage was won by Kirsten Wild (Giant-Shimano), with Shelley Olds (Alé-Cipollini) taking third behind Bronzini.
“We thought in our meeting that we should ride more aggressively than yesterday, that the bunch is not so fresh anymore if it comes to a sprint,” Becker explained afterwards. “And I planned to attack straight after the first intermediate sprint. I thought the best option was to go with a Russian rider and when I looked around there was Inga almost on my wheel, so I waited for her and had some good company for the next 80km.
“It wasn’t easy to get a lot of time,” Becker added. “It took us 25km to get a minute, which means that the bunch never stood still. Of course, it could also mean that we were not fast enough, but when I looked down on my speed I was pretty sure that we were riding fast.
“My legs were really good today and, of course, I was really disappointed after the finish,” the former German champion concluded. “That was so close… and we really gave everything we had. But to know that we hurt the other teams today in catching us back, and the second place of Gio makes me smile also.”
The flat nature of the 113.7km Chongxi course meant that it was difficult for Becker and Cilvinaite to hold off the determined peloton but – even with some of the strongest sprinter-teams in the sport on their heels – the two breakaway specialists almost made it to the finish.
“After the first sprint there were so many attacks from us, and in the end Lotte was in break with the RusVelo girl,” explained Bronzini. “The gap was always around one minute, and in the end the Cipollini and Shimano teams had in a little trouble to catch them!
“We close the gap when we were just past 500 metres to the finish,” the Italian continued. “Emilia [Fahlin] put me in perfect position behind Wild. The sprint start at 300 metres and I tried to go out at 100 metres to go!
“I m so proud for the race of today and overall for the ride of Lotte,” Bronzini added. “So strong!”
Result
1. Kirsten Wild (Giant-Shimano)
2. Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
3. Shelley Olds (Alé-Cipollini)
Photo Credit: Anne Wu/7cycling.com
