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A typically aggressive day from Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling’s road captain Audrey Cordon-Ragot saw the French Time Trial Champion end the opening stage of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in the black Skoda Queen of the Mountains Jersey. After winning over the first, 3rd category climb of Haselbech after 24.8km, the Breton rider then went on to take the much harder, 2nd category Rockingham Hill after 73.9km, all while performing her usual hard-working role for her teammates. 
“I was feeling all right today, and [Directeur Sportif Martin Vestby] said that we were allowed to go for it if we were in a good position so I did!” she laughed. “It was open to any of us to go if we had the opportunity, so when I saw I was in a good position for the first one I just jumped on the chance. “And then Martin asked to do the second one so it was all right for me.” Former two-time road World Champion Giorgia Bronzini finished the 147.5km stage, between Daventry and Kettering, Northamptonshire, in fourth place, as the peloton sprinted behind solo winner Katarzyna Niewiadoma (WM3 Pro Cycling). 
“We are a bit disappointed about the result,” Cordon-Ragot explained. “We really wanted to win this stage and we tried hard to bridge on Kasia but we missed organisation and cooperation with the other teams. “Everybody gambled a bit with the others and obviously it wasn't the best choice when you have such a strong rider up the front,” she admitted. With four stages of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour remaining, however - after Bronzini’s position in Kettering’s technical finish, and Jolien D’hoore’s first and second places in the two intermediate sprints - Cordon-Ragot feels that the team is still ready to take some good results away from the race. “Yes we are ready to fight to the end to get a stage win,” she confirmed. “If we need to sacrifice my jersey for a stage than I do it with pleasure for one of my teammates. “We'll see…" 
Result Photo Credit: Anton Vos |
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