All images ©CyclingShorts.cc | www.chrismaher.co.uk
Doncaster, Thursday May 3rd 2018 – The women got the 2018 Asda Tour de Yorkshire underway in style, with Kirsten Wild sprinting to victory in Doncaster. Wild triumphed in Doncaster when the race last visited in 2016, and proved her dominance once again with an emphatic sprint to take the overall lead on stage one.
Teams and talent from all over the world descended on Beverley for the start of the newly-expanded two-day Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race, with a host of National, Olympic and World Champions signing on.
My team worked so hard to set me up and I just followed them before the sprint. I like this finish in Doncaster and when I heard it was the same finish line as two years ago I was very excited. It was cool to win here.
I don’t think tomorrow’s stage [which finishes on the Cote de Cow and Calf] will be another sprint but my team has strong girls and lots of cards to play. I think it will be an interesting stage and I will try to help my team-mates to win.
The early stages saw a couple of crashes before two young riders went on the attack; local East Yorkshire team – Team Jadan Weldtite Vive le Velo were represented by 17-year-old Pfeiffer Georgi, she was joined by Meike Uiterwijk Winkel (Parkhotel Valkenberg), the pair quickly got down the road and forced a one-minute lead over the peloton.
It was clear from the tenacious way Pfeiffer was riding that the Team Jadan rider was intent on staying out front until she reached the peak of the sole categorised climb of the day – the Cote de Baggaby Hill – the peloton hauled Winkel back but Georgi held on just long enough to take control of the Queen of the Mountains jersey for the day.
Next up was the first intermediate sprint in Pocklington and Great Britain’s Dani Rowe – fresh from her bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games – took maximum points there.
Shortly after that, Natalie Van Gogh (Parkhotel Valkenburg) and Anna Christian (Trek Drops) broke clear of the bunch and Christian took maximum points in the next intermediate sprint into Howden. The duo worked well together but the peloton came back together on the approach to Doncaster and the expected bunch sprint finish ensued along Bennetthorpe.
All the favourites were in contention but it was Wild who showed her dominance to take an historic second victory in Doncaster.
The 35 year old Wiggle High 5 rider finished ahead of Amalie Dideriksen of Boels-Dolmans in second place, and Alice Barnes (Canyon Sram Racing) in third.
Interview – Pfeiffer Georgi – Stage 1 TdY QoM – Team Jadan Weldtite Tour De Yorkshire 2018 by Cycling Shorts
Pfeiffer Georgi of Team Jadan Weldtite talks to Chris Maher of Cycling Shorts after she takes the QoM podium after Stage 1 of the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire. All content ©www.cyclingshorts.cc
Stage 1 Results
Kirsten Wild (Wiggle High 5)
Kirsten Wild (Wiggle High 5)
Pfeiffer Georgi (Team Jadan-Weldtite Vive le Velo)
Anna Christian (Trek-Drops)
Asda Women's TdY Preview - Stage 2
The Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire concludes with stage 2 on Friday morning.
Chris Maher
Photographer & Writer
Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk
Anna Magrath
Editor & Writer
Anna Magrath founded CyclingShorts.cc in 2008 and invited some of her cycling friends; coaches, photographers, writers and pro cyclists of different disciplines to join her, bringing you all things cycling related.
Over the years Anna has supported grass roots cycling events, riders and teams. Anna has a particular interest in Track, Road, womens cycling, recreational cycling and cycling related art. She has reported from the top cycle races on the world calendar including the Tour de France, Olympics, World Cups & World Championships.
Want to get involved? Why not get in touch.
CyclingShorts.cc are official sponsors of The Racing Chance Foundation, Team22 WRT, Team Jadan and cyclists Amy Gornall & Fraser Martin.
