A few kilometers from the Roman castle of Sagunto, Elisa Balsamo debuted her record of victories this season. The Italian sprinter from Trek-Segafredo, with a view of the mare nostrum, won the massive sprint in Puerto de Sagunto that decided the first stage of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana feminine, outcome of a day that passed with absolute tranquility in the face of the battle for the general that the favorites will play in days to come.
Also, it was the season premiere for a Annemiek van Vleuten who started his last year as a professional cyclist. The profile of the stage did not invite optimism in the face of escapes. With the Oronet as the only scoring ascent, the kilometers were mostly spent with the compact peloton.
Only at the last minute, when there were 31 km to the finish line, Caroline Anderson (Liv Racing) decided to try her luck solo. He rode at a good pace for a few minutes, but the interest of the sprinter teams went beyond his will. Nerves arrived and produced the occasional fall, including that of Arlenis Sierra in the approach to a chaotic and disorderly sprint in which Balsamo was infinitely superior to the Finnish Lotta Henttala and the American Coryn Labecki. This Friday, another foreseeable outcome of the sprint in Vila-Real.
Results of the 1st stage
1st Elisa Balsamo (Trek) – 2h 58:00
2nd Lotta Henttala (AG Insurance) – mt
3rd Coryn Labecki (Jumbo-Visma) – mt
General of the Cycling Week
1st Elisa Balsamo (Trek) – 2h 58:00
2nd Lotta Henttala (AG Insurance) – at 4″
3rd Coryn Labecki (Jumbo-Visma) – 5″