Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Giorgia Bronzini has won the Tour of Chongming Island World Cup race on the island across the mouth of the Yangtze River from Shanghai, China. Having been beaten into two third places and a fourth in the stage race of the same name earlier in the week, the former two-time road World Champion managed to beat big Dutch sprint rival Kirsten Wild (Hitec Products) to the line by more than a length this time, with Fanny Riberot (French National Team) winning the close battle for third.
“There was nothing especially different than the other stages, apart from some side wind in the bridge and a small break in the finale that the peloton chased back at five to go,” Bronzini said.
After narrow defeats to Wild this week on the slightly downhill finishing straight, the Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling riders decided to change tactics to try to beat the big Dutch rider. With two former Chongming Island stage race winners in the team, in on-form Chloe Hosking and double track World Champion Nettie Edmondson – who was making her debut in China this week – the black and orange riders had several options at the finish.
It was Bronzini herself that was to take responsibility as the line approached, however, to improve on her two podium places from the previous two years.
“We were together for the lead out for Chloe, but there was some chaos before the last corner that divided us, so I remained with Nettie in my wheel,” Bronzini explained. “At 700 metres to go the best thing was go out in the right side to pull for a sprint, but I had no space so I decided to wait.
“At 300 metres to go I checked behind me and also Nettie wasn’t in my draft so I decided to defend my position and keep Wild’s wheel,” the former World Champion continued. “Fortunately for me there was a strong head wind and she had to take a long sprint, so I could come out the last moment.”
Bronzini’s victory is the third in the World Cup for Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling in 2015 so far, after Jolien D’hoore’s Ronde van Drenthe win, and Elisa Longo Borghini’s in the Tour of Flanders. Every one of these victories has come as a result of the close camaraderie in the black and orange team, where a win for one rider is a win for everybody.
“I really think that that win depended on the amazing sprit that there is in the team with staff too,” Bronzini acknowledged. “Together we can!”
Result
1. Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
2. Kirsten Wild (Hitec Products)
3. Fanny Riberot (France)
