Top 10 for Maria Giulia Confalonieri at the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift
Maria Giulia Confalonieri takes CERATIZIT-WNT's first top 10 on Stage 2 with Sandra Alonso in 14th.
The second stage of the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift was also the second longest of the race at 136 kilometres. With a relatively flat profile other than the categorised climb of the côte de Tigeaux and the uphill drag to the finish line, on paper, it looked like another day for the sprinters.
The break of the day went early, with four riders managing to forge and hold a small gap until 78 kilometres to go when Lisa Brennauer and Marta Lach helped to reel them back in. The approach to Provins was unfortunately littered with crashes splitting the peloton and allowing a solo attacker to go clear. The team, focussed on the intermediate sprint, delivered Confalonieri to the line where she took 5th place, just behind the Maillot Jaune and Maillot Vert.
The speed of the intermediate sprint caused chaos behind, with multiple groups of riders chasing to get back to the group of GC contenders out front. Chasing through the winding streets the team worked hard to try to close the gap while also keeping Confalonieri in a good position. Confalonieri finished off the team's hard work, crossing the line in 10th place.
Confalonieri said after the stage: "We were in a good position going into the last part of the race, with Kathrin and Sandra keeping me at the front. We tried to gain some points for the sprint jersey and the girls did a super lead out but straight after the line they counter-attacked and we couldn't follow. The girls tried their best to close the gap but we could only contest the sprint for 10th. I am a little disappointed, but I'm already looking forward to the next stages."
CERATZIT-WNT Director Sportif Steffen Radochla was pleased with the team's efforts: "It was a good 10th place from MG and 14th from Sandra. We weren't surprised by the narrow roads at the finish because we had looked at them before, and the girls did a great job of staying in a good position. We, unfortunately, missed the winning move but we can be happy with 10th place in the end."