Festival Elsy Jacobs: Marta Bastianelli takes opening stage victory

Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ) took victory on the opening stage of the Festival Elsy Jacobs in Steinfort, grabbing her second win of the season ahead of Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance-Soudal-QuickStep) and her UAE teammate Eleonora Gasparrini.

The 111km stage, the first of two at the race, took the peloton into the hills, including a hilly closing circuit that featured the Côte de Septfontaines (1.3km at 7.8%). That climb came for the final time at around 10km from the line. 

It was there that the decisive move was made, with Anouska Koster (Uno-X) moving clear of the peloton along with Bastianelli, Wollaston, and Gasparrini.

That attacking quartet would then race on towards the finish line, where the experienced Bastianelli prevailed in the sprint finish.

Having taken 10 bonus seconds at the finish as well as a three-second time bonus earlier in the stage, Bastianelli now enjoys a strong advantage heading into Sunday's closing stage. She lies five seconds up on Wollaston, seven up on Gasparrini, and eight up on Koster.

The chasing peloton was led home by Femke Gerritse (Parkhotel Valkenburg), who lies fifth at 13 seconds down. 

Bastianelli, who won the race last year after winning the opening stage in similar fashion, is now in the driving seat ahead of the 115km stage to Garnich, another day in the hills in Luxembourg.

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