Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-ProTime) remained in a league of her own in the sprints as she powered to victory on stage 1 of the Tour of Chongming Island in China.
The Dutch rider easily moved away from Clara Copponi (Lidl-Trek) and Lara Gillespie (UAE L'IMAD) in the final run to the line at Chongming New City Park on Friday, claiming her 21st victory of the season.
By the time the race reaches its conclusion on Sunday, it's likely Wiebes will have upped that tally to 24, with two more stage wins and the general classification title looking the most likely outcome over flat terrain.
Wiebes has managed the hat-trick of stages before at the Chinese Women's WorldTour event, back in 2019 when she was racing for Parkhotel Valkenburg, where she also won the GC, points, and best young rider's classifications.
SD Worx weren't forced into doing all of the work on the laps around the southern part of the island in Shanghai, but did have to react to a late move from Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv AlUla Jayco) in the last 6km.
Everything was brought back before the final 2km, with Lidl-Trek, Jayco, and UAE all taking up the position at the front of the peloton at times, but Wiebes was always lurking with Barbara Guarischi ready to do the final lead-out.
Gillespie had managed to get herself in between Wiebes and her final lead-out rider, but she was jumped by the Dutch rider, who kicked out of her wheel for another dominant victory, the 139th of her already incredible career.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Wiebes is expected to win again on Saturday's stage from Changxing Island Country Park to Chongming New City Park, with another flat 129.4km route on offer.
The peloton is also noticeably smaller at the Chinese race, with five teams pulling out in September after the UCI decided to remove mandatory participation for the event.
Results
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Position
Rider (Country) Team
Time Gap
1
Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
02:47:34
2
Clara Copponi (Fra) Lidl-Trek
Row 1 - Cell 2
3
Lara Gillespie (Irl) UAE Team ADQ
Row 2 - Cell 2
4
Maggie Coles-Lyster (Can) Human Powered Health
Row 3 - Cell 2
5
Yuandan Wen (Chn) XDS China Women Team
Row 4 - Cell 2
6
Noë Jansen (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco
Row 5 - Cell 2
7
Lisa Van Belle (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
Row 6 - Cell 2
8
Vendula Strakatá (Cze) Dukla Women Cycling
Row 7 - Cell 2
9
Petra Ševčíková (Cze) Dukla Women Cycling
Row 8 - Cell 2
10
Kathrin Schweinberger (Aut) Human Powered Health
Row 9 - Cell 2
11
Luyao Zeng (Chn) XDS China Women Team
Row 10 - Cell 2
12
Xin Tang (Chn) China
Row 11 - Cell 2
13
Lulu Chen (Chn) Bodywrap Ltwoo Women'S Cycling Team
Row 12 - Cell 2
14
Samira Ismailova (Uzb) 7 Saber Uzbekistan Women Cycling Team
Row 13 - Cell 2
15
Ava Maddison (NZl) Meridian Bikebug
Row 14 - Cell 2
16
Margot Vanpachtenbeke (Bel) Lidl-Trek
Row 15 - Cell 2
17
Lingxiao Liu (Chn) China Liv Pro Cycling
Row 16 - Cell 2
18
Ava Holmgren (Can) Lidl-Trek
Row 17 - Cell 2
19
Menghan Zhou (Chn) Bodywrap Ltwoo Women'S Cycling Team
Row 18 - Cell 2
20
Josie Talbot (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco
Row 19 - Cell 2
21
Shengning Wang (Chn) XDS China Women Team
Row 20 - Cell 2
22
Haixin Dong (Chn) XDS China Women Team
Row 21 - Cell 2
23
Alex Rawlinson (Aus) Meridian Bikebug
Row 22 - Cell 2
24
Eleonora La Bella (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
Row 23 - Cell 2
25
Ning Su (Chn) Bodywrap Ltwoo Women'S Cycling Team
Row 24 - Cell 2
26
Lucia Brillante Romeo (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
Row 25 - Cell 2
27
Beáta Hermanová (Cze) Dukla Women Cycling
Row 26 - Cell 2
28
Barbora Němcová (Cze) Dukla Women Cycling
Row 27 - Cell 2
29
Shaknoza Abdullaeva (Uzb) 7 Saber Uzbekistan Women Cycling Team
Row 28 - Cell 2
30
Henrietta Colborne (GBr) XDS China Women Team
Row 29 - Cell 2
31
Si Chen (Chn) Bodywrap Ltwoo Women'S Cycling Team
Row 30 - Cell 2
32
Femke Markus (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
Row 31 - Cell 2
33
Wenhui Zhao (Chn) XDS China Women Team
Row 32 - Cell 2
34
Mia Williams (Aus) Meridian Bikebug
Row 33 - Cell 2
35
Zhaoqi Feng (Chn) XDS China Women Team
Row 34 - Cell 2
36
Gabriela Bártová (Cze) Dukla Women Cycling
Row 35 - Cell 2
37
Barbara Guarischi (Ita) SD Worx-Protime
Row 36 - Cell 2
38
Mohinabonu Elmurodova (Uzb) 7 Saber Uzbekistan Women Cycling Team
Row 37 - Cell 2
39
Chunrui Zhan (Chn) Bodywrap Ltwoo Women'S Cycling Team
Row 38 - Cell 2
40
Marine Lenehan (Irl) Lidl-Trek
Row 39 - Cell 2
41
Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) UAE Team ADQ
Row 40 - Cell 2
42
Jarmila Machačová (Cze) Dukla Women Cycling
Row 41 - Cell 2
43
Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Aus) Lidl-Trek
Row 42 - Cell 2
44
Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco
Row 43 - Cell 2
45
Asal Rizaeva (Uzb) 7 Saber Uzbekistan Women Cycling Team
Row 44 - Cell 2
46
Quinty Ton (Ned) Liv AlUla Jayco
Row 45 - Cell 2
47
Lucie Spurling (Aus) Meridian Bikebug
Row 46 - Cell 2
48
Viktoriya Polzunova (Uzb) 7 Saber Uzbekistan Women Cycling Team
Row 47 - Cell 2
49
Jia Jing Li (Chn) Bodywrap Ltwoo Women'S Cycling Team
Row 48 - Cell 2
50
Xiaorui Zhou (Chn) China Liv Pro Cycling
Row 49 - Cell 2
51
Jiaxin Yu (Chn) China Liv Pro Cycling
Row 50 - Cell 2
52
Mackenzie Coupland (Aus) Liv AlUla Jayco
Row 51 - Cell 2
53
Xiaohui Dong (Chn) Bodywrap Ltwoo Women'S Cycling Team
Row 52 - Cell 2
54
Jente Koops (Ned) Human Powered Health
Row 53 - Cell 2
55
Silvia Zanardi (Ita) Human Powered Health
Row 54 - Cell 2
56
Xu Zhao (Chn) China Liv Pro Cycling
Row 55 - Cell 2
57
Yuhang Cui (Chn) China Liv Pro Cycling
Row 56 - Cell 2
58
Sofie Van Rooijen (Ned) UAE Team ADQ
Row 57 - Cell 2
59
Greta Marturano (Ita) UAE Team ADQ
Row 58 - Cell 2
60
Katia Ragusa (Ita) Human Powered Health
Row 59 - Cell 2
61
Marta Jaskulska (Pol) Human Powered Health
Row 60 - Cell 2
62
Femke Gerritse (Ned) SD Worx-Protime
00:00:25
63
Elynor Backstedt (GBr) UAE Team ADQ
00:01:23
64
Romina Costantini (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
00:10:57
65
Melissa Nesti (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano
00:10:57
66
Danna Yiman (Chn) Bodywrap Ltwoo Women'S Cycling Team
00:11:25
67
Kseniya Li (Uzb) 7 Saber Uzbekistan Women Cycling Team
00:11:25
68
Kirsty Watts (NZl) Meridian Bikebug
00:12:24
DNF
Jing Dou (Chn) China
Row 68 - Cell 2
Subscribe to Cyclingnews for comprehensive race coverage of the UCI Gravel World Championships, alongside the final Monument of the season, Il Lombardia. Subscribers get unlimited access to exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! Join today.
James Moultrie is a gold-standard NCTJ journalist who joined Cyclingnews as a News Writer in 2023 after originally contributing as a freelancer for eight months, during which time he also wrote for Eurosport, Rouleur and Cycling Weekly. Prior to joining the team he reported on races such as Paris-Roubaix and the Giro d’Italia Donne for Eurosport and has interviewed some of the sport’s top riders in Chloé Dygert, Lizzie Deignan and Wout van Aert. Outside of cycling, he spends the majority of his time watching other sports – rugby, football, cricket, and American Football to name a few.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
