(The Hague) Dutch cyclist Charlotte Kool won the group sprint on home soil on Monday in the first stage of the women’s Tour de France.
Kool, from the DSM-Firmenich PostNL team, will start the second stage scheduled for Tuesday wearing the yellow leader’s jersey, having covered 123 km in two hours, 47 minutes and 40 seconds.
“Everything worked out, it’s very special,” she admitted to Dutch broadcaster NOS. “That’s what I was hoping for.”
Finland’s Anniina Ahtosalo finished second, followed by Italy’s Elisa Balsamo, with the same time as Kool.
Quebecer Olivia Baril, from Rouyn-Noranda, obtained the 15the place, with the same time as Kool. The Movistar team cyclist took the 44e ranking of the road race at the Paris Olympics.
PHOTO CHRISTINNE MUSCHI, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Olivia Baril, on July 27 at the Paris Olympic Games.
Her compatriots Alison Jackson, Simone Boilard, Magdeleine Vallières, Clara Émond and Maggie Coles-Lyster finished 23rd respectivelye28e104e119e and 148e of the stage.
Last year’s women’s Grand Boucle champion, Demi Vollering of the SD Worx team, finished 35e echelon, three places ahead of Olympic road race champion Kristen Faulkner. Both cyclists completed the stage with the same time as Kool.
Vollering’s team-mate Loerena Wiebes was one of the favourites to win the sprint, but her bike chain got stuck as she approached the finish line and she was dropped from the leading pack.
The stage took the participants from the port city of Rotterdam to The Hague in sweltering heat. Thousands of spectators gathered along the route in both Dutch cities.
The eight-stage competition will move to Belgium before heading south to eastern France, culminating on August 18 with the grueling climb of Alpe d’Huez, which features 21 hairpin bends.
Two stages will be presented on Tuesday, as the riders will have to cover 70km between Dordrecht and Rotterdam, before taking part in a 6.3km individual time trial in the Dutch port city.
With The Canadian Press
Stage ranking
- Charlotte Kool (NED/SUN) the 123.0 km in 2 h 47:40. (average: 44.2 km/h)
- Anniina Ahtosalo (FIN/UXT) at 0.
- Elisa Balsamo (ITA/TFS) 0.
- Lotta Henttala (FIN/EFC) 0.
- Marianne Vos (NED/TVL) 0.
- Daria Pikulik (POL/RLW) 0.
- Mylène de Zoete (NED/WNT) 0.
- Kimberley Le Court De Billot (MRI/AGS) 0.
- Emilia Fahlin (SWE/ARK) 0.
- Blanka Vas (HUN/DLT) 0.
- Kathrin Schweinberger (AUT/WNT) 0.
- Emma Norsgaard (DEN/MOV) 0.
- Quinty Ton (NED/MTS) 0.
- Karlijn Swinkels (NED/ALE) 0.
- Olivia Baril (CAN/MOV) 0.
- Barbara Guarischi (ITA/DLT) 0.
- Carina Schrempf (AUT/FED) 0.
- Fem van Empel (NED/TVL) 0.
- Ruby Roseman-Gannon (AUS/MTS) 0.
- Thalita de Jong (NED/LDL) 0.
General classification
- Charlotte Kool (NED/SUN) 2:47:30.
- Anniina Ahtosalo (FIN/UXT) at 4.
- Elisa Balsamo (ITA/TFS) 6.
- Lotta Henttala (FIN/EFC) 10.
- Marianne Vos (NED/TVL) 10.
- Daria Pikulik (POL/RLW) 10.
- Mylène de Zoete (NED/WNT) 10.
- Kimberley Le Court De Billot (MRI/AGS) 10.
- Emilia Fahlin (SWE/ARK) 10.
- Blanka Vas (HUN/DLT) 10.
- Kathrin Schweinberger (AUT/WNT) 10.
- Emma Norsgaard (DEN/MOV) 10.
- Quinty Ton (NED/MTS) 10.
- Karlijn Swinkels (NED/ALE) 10.
- Olivia Baril (CAN/MOV) 10.
- Barbara Guarischi (ITA/DLT) 10.
- Carina Schrempf (AUT/FED) 10.
- Fem van Empel (NED/TVL) 10.
- Ruby Roseman-Gannon (AUS/MTS) 10.
- Thalita de Jong (NED/LDL) 10.