Tour of Chongming Island World Cup
Tetyana Ryabchenko solos to first career victory
It’ll be an unforgettable first trip to China for Tetyana Ryabchenko who never won at international level before. The Ukrainian rider from Chirio Forno d’Asolo claimed an impressive solo victory on the Chongming Avenue where she preceded the peloton by twelve seconds. Giorgia Bronzini of Wiggle Honda won the bunch sprint ahead of Amy Pieters from Argos-Shimano but they were not threat to Marianne Vos who retains the lead in the UCI World Cup.
“I can’t believe I’ve managed to win”, said an emotional Ryabchenko after the finish. “I was far from being a favorite and I didn’t think I could beat them but I took my chance with 15km to go and they didn’t catch me. In the last 500 metres, I kept looking behind to make sure that my dream was coming true. I’ve prepared well for this race, in altitude but also on flat roads like here. It was my first time in China. It was very hot today and it has made the race hard for everyone. Also during the three-day stage this week, I’ve broken away a few times but it didn’t work out. Luck has been on my side today. It’s hard to realize but it’s an enormous satisfaction.”
The fifth edition of the Tour of Chongming Island started with style in the Oriental Sports Center of Shanghai in front of the Aquatic Center that hosted the 2011 swimming world championships. It was a 126.8km route via the Pudong International Airport, the Shanghai Yangtze River tunnel and bridge with a passage under sea level and a peak at 73 meters in the middle of the bridge named after former People’s Republic of China president Jiang Zemin. Several teams had in mind to split the peloton in that part of the course normally exposed to crosswinds but it was a sunny and beautiful day.
Member of the French national team Aude Biannic took her chance to go clear off the peloton after 82 kilometres of racing. She stayed away for 22 kilometres and got a maximum lead of 40 seconds. “I had the feeling that the peloton was playing with me, so I targeted the hot spot sprint at km 100 before gearing up for the final sprint”, Biannic commented. “We didn’t have a top sprinter, so we wanted to do well as a team and we did with three riders in the top 20 and the third place in the teams classification.”
Biannic’s enterprise inspired Ryabchenko who also broke away solo while there were 15 kilometres left to the finish. “It was a hard job to make it”, the 23 year old winner explained. “I’m not a sprinter, so I only worked for a breakaway to succeed. In this race we’ve enjoyed wide roads. It was less dangerous than the racing we’re used to in Europe.”
Another new comer in Chongming left with a big smile. “I like this island, it’s very nice”, said Amy Pieters who came third and witnessed the unfruitful chase of the peloton led by Orica-AIS and Wiggle Honda in the last few kilometers when Ryabchenko reached a lead of 34 seconds. “I’m very happy with a top 3 in the world cup, I’m not used to that. I think it would have been a different results if our [injured] leader Kirsten Wild was here but with only four riders, we’ve done a good race every day and we started with a stage win at the Tour of Chongming Island on Wednedsay. I’m proud of the achievements of Argos-Shimano in China.”
Top 10 results
1. Tetyana Ryabchenko (Ukr) Chirio Forno d’Asolo, 3.04.17
2. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda, 0.12
3. Amy Pieters (Ned) Argos-Shimano
4. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS
5. Sara Mustonen (Fin) Faren-Let’s go Finland
6. Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Mcipollini-Giordana
7. Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Faren-Let’s go Finland
8. Kim De Baat (Ned) Boels Dolmans
9. Oksana Kozonchuk (Rus) RusVelo
10. Julia Martisova (Rus) Chirio Forno d’Asolo, all st
World Cup standings after the Tour of Chongming Island
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank, 249 points
2. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS, 177
3. Eleonora van Dijk (Ned) Specialized Lululemon, 159
4. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Hitec Products UCK, 156
5. Anna Van der Bregen (Ned) Sengers Ladies Team, 76
6. Tetyana Ryabchenko (Ukr) Chirio Forno d’Asolo, 75