Following a tumultuous opening day of the Tour of Chongming Island, Georgia Baker took the victory and the GC leader’s jersey in the Chinese stage race after another rider was relegated.
The 108-kilometre opening stage was virtually flat and had hardly any obstacles. A bunch sprint was therefore strongly anticipated.
Nevertheless, five riders attacked in the hope of staying out of the peloton’s grasp, but they did not get much space. The riders from Liv AlUla Jayco and other teams with sprint interests kept the gap bridgeable.
In the last 10 kilometres, the five riders were caught in rainy Chongming. The entire Liv AlUla Jayco team then kept the 31-year-old Australian sprinter in a good position.
Austrian Kathrin Schweinberger crossed the finish line first, but Baker was later awarded the victory after the Austrian was relegated due to an irregular sprint.
Georgia Baker
“It’s a bit of a strange way to win, but I’m incredibly happy with my first WorldTour victory and the leader’s jersey in the Tour of Chongming Island. The team was very good today, the riders looked after me all day and led me fantastically in the final. We will do everything we can to keep the leader’s jersey in the next two stages.”
Jessica Allen (Sports Director)
“We came to the Tour of Chongming Island with a few big goals. We were hoping for stage wins and a podium place in the GC. It’s great that we already have a victory after one day and that Georgia Baker has the leader’s jersey on her shoulders, even though today wasn’t the way you want to win. But anyway, a win is a win. Georgia and the team did a fantastic job. This success provides extra motivation for the next two stages.”
Tour of Chongming Island stage 1 results
1. Georgia Baker (Team Jayco AlUla) 2:30:55
2. Sofie van Rooijen st
Photo: Sprint Cycling
