Another top 10 for Maria Giulia Confaloineri at the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift
Maria Giulia Confalonieri sprints to sixth on another dramatic stage in France.
The longest stage of the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift was the last flat stage for the sprinters as we head towards the foothills of the Vosges mountains.
With the pace high from kilometre zero, it was a while before any riders could gain ground on the determined peloton. A small group broke free approaching the first QOM, eventually gaining over three minutes - a gap that the bunch, after a hectic day yesterday was happy to allow, at least until the intermediate sprint.
The four riders in the break took the maximum points, leaving the Maillot Verde hopefuls behind to sprint for the minor places. The team began their leadout early, with Confalonieri finishing fourth and picking up another nine points in the fight for the Maillot Verde.
Soon after, a touch of wheels in the bunch caused a crash that caught out the majority of the peloton. Marta Lach, Sandra Alonso, Kathrin Schweinberger and Confalonieri were all affected, but able to finish the stage after mechanical assistance.
The breakaway stayed away into the last five kilometres when the sprinters' teams began to turn their attention to the finish. The technical run in to the line added to the hectic finale, with a tight hairpin and a wrong turn by riders in front causing a split in the group. Confalonieri, in an effort to surprise the sprinters, opened up her sprint early, crossing the line in sixth place.
Confalonieiri explained at the finish "It was just not our day today. With the four of us crashing, we had to fight hard because we knew we could still do a good sprint at the finish. The next crash in the hairpin changed our plan a little bit as I had to close the gap to the front of the race. As I got back on the wheel Longo-Borghini took a wrong turn and I knew after that I couldn't stop again so I just went full gas with 300m to go. It was a little too soon, but sixth after all our bad luck today? I'm happy."
CERATIZIT-WNT DS Steffen Radochla said, "we had some bad luck today with the crash. We were prepared for the final sprint with MG but with 500m to go Longo-Borghini went the wrong way and MG had to brake, which cost her some places. She reacted well, trying to surprise the others by opening up her sprint super early but unfortunately they saw it coming. Sixth today is good, it's good progress for us."