Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling’s Emma Johansson finished second in the opening stage of the Amgen Tour of California on the uphill finish at the Heavenly Mountain Resort, in South Lake Tahoe. The Swedish Champion finished just four seconds behind stage winner, US Champion Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans), but six seconds clear of the sprint for third, which was won by Kristin Armstrong (Twenty16-ShoAir) ahead of Guarnier’s teammate Evie Stevens and Marianne Vos (Rabo-Liv).
Having worked hard for their teammate, Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling’s Mara Abbott and Olympic Champion Dani King finished in a small group 18 seconds behind the winner.
The 117km stage, which was made up of a complete circuit of Lake Tahoe, was characterised by a long solo attack from multi-Paralympic Champion Dame Sarah Storey (Podium Ambition). The peloton allowed the lone British rider to open up a lead of more than five minutes before Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling joined with some of the other teams to pull her back.
“The team was great today and the finish was hard,” Johansson said afterwards. “Dani Audrey [Cordon-Ragot] and Amy [Pieters] did a great job bringing back Sarah and then Mara pulled at the front in last climb.
“At one kilometre to go Evelyn went and I knew I had to follow,” the Swedish Champion explained. “Then Megan went with maybe 500 metres to go and I tried to follow again.
“Unfortunately, I could not make it to her wheel but I’m happy with the result after giving it all!”
Johansson also moves into second place in the general classification, with time bonuses putting her just ten seconds behind Guarnier.
Result
1. Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans)
2. Emma Johansson (Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling)
3. Kristin Armstrong (Twenty16-ShoAir)
