Women's Tour: Emma Johansson takes lead by winning stage one ahead of Marianne Vos
Last Updated: 08/05/14 8:43am
Emma Johansson took the lead of the Women’s Tour by sprinting to victory on stage one ahead of runner-up Marianne Vos and third-placed Hannah Barnes.
Swedish rider Johansson, of Orica-AIS, prevailed from a bunch finish in Northampton after solo breakaway rider Elise Delzenne had been caught with just under 2km to go.
With bonus seconds taken into account, Johansson now rises to the top of the general classification, four seconds ahead of second-placed Vos, of Rabobank-liv, and eight ahead of third-placed Barnes, of UnitedHealthcare.
There were three Britons in the top 10 after Lucy Garner finished sixth and Lizzie Armitstead eighth, while 21-year-old Barnes also moves to the head of the best young rider and the best British rider classifications.
The stage had started in Oundle and the 96 riders in the peloton were greeted by hordes of fans all along the 93.8km route.
'I love it here'
Johansson said afterwards: “I can sprint, especially when it's technical or hard or cold like today. Still, I can barely believe it. I love it here. I made my good memory in England. Hopefully this is just the first one."
A breakaway was not allowed to move clear early in the day, but Delzenne (Specialized-lululemon) successfully escaped the clutches of the pack with an attack 29km out.
The French rider opened up a maximum gap of 45 seconds with 14km remaining, but then Armitstead's Boels-Dolmans team stepped up the chase and successfully caught Delzenne in the nick of time.
That set up a bunch finish, but with a slight rise to the line taking the advantage away from pure sprinters, Johansson was able to capitalise and become the first rider to win the Women's Tour leader's jersey.
Stage one result
1 Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS, 2:28:29
2 Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank-liv, same time
3 Hannah Barnes (GB) UnitedHealthcare, st
4 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda, st
5 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Specialized-lululemon, st
6 Lucy Garner (GB) Great Britain, st
7 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Estado de Mexico-Faren Kuota, st
8 Lizzie Armitstead (GB) Boels-Dolmans, st
9 Amy Pieters (Ned) Netherlands, st
10 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Specialized-lululemon, st
General classification
1 Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS, 2:28:17
2 Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank-liv, +4sec
3 Hannah Barnes (GB) UnitedHealthcare, +8
4 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Boels-Dolmans, +9
5 Elise Delzenne (Fra) Specialized-lululemon, same time
6 Lizzie Armitstead (GB) Boels-Dolmans, +10
7 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Specialized-lululemon, +12
8 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda, st
9 Lucy Garner (GB) Great Britain, st
10 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Estado de Mexico-Faren Kuota, st
