HTC-Highroad puts the peloton to the sword as strong winds bluster the race
Ina Teutenberg (HTC-Highroad) won the second stage of the Tour of Chongming Island, the “Chongming Industrial Zone Cup” in Chongxi, in another bunch sprint. The German über-sprinter beat Ronde van Vlaanderen winner Annemiek van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit) into second, and her own HTC-Highroad teammate Charlotte Becker into third at the end of the flat 118.4km stage.
“I am the oldest rider so that I have more experienced in a sprint like this,” said Teutenberg after the stage, “but the top ten are very close, every of them could win the race.
“I’m happy to win the stage and also take over the yellow jersey,” she added. “But every day is a new race and we have to be prepared for anything.”
The stage was run under an almost leisurely pace until it reached the second intermediate sprint after 83.2km. Faced with a strong headwind though, the HTC-Highroad decided to go on the offensive, with all six members of the team winding up the pace and stringing out the peloton.
“The girls did just an amazing job putting the peloton into the gutter with 45k to go,” said Teutenberg. “I was protected all the way and super stoked to finish off their hard work.”
The result of the HTC-Highroad acceleration was a group of sixteen riders detaching from the front of the peloton. In the group were all of the HTC-Highroad riders, as well as most of the favourites for the race; notably missing though, was stage one winner Lizzie Armitstead (Garmin-Cervélo), who trailed race leader Teutenberg by just one second at the start of the day.
HTC-Highroad kept up the pace all the way to the finish, building a gap of 1’20” over the rest of the peloton.
“With no radio communication, they acted on their own initiative,” said HTC-Highroad team director Ronny Lauke, “got all six riders in a front group of 16 and decided that they’d keep going.
“Today’s win was about everybody in the team and I’m very proud of all of them.”
As Teutenberg opened up her sprint with 100 metres to go, the rest had no answer to the German’s speed and she finished a length clear of van Vleuten. Time bonuses during the stage, and on the finish line, and with Armitstead left behind, mean that Teutenberg now leads the race by 17 seconds with just one stage to go.
Result stage 2
1. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) HTC-Highroad
2. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Nederland Bloeit
3. Charlotte Becker (Ger) HTC-Highroad
4. Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products-UCK
5. Monia Baccaille (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini
6. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Italian National Team
7. Lauren Tamayo (USA) United States National Team
8. Lucy Martin (GBr) Garmin-Cervélo
9. Romy Kasper (Ger) German National Team
10. Giada Borgata (Ita) Italian National Team
Standings after stage 2
1. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) HTC-Highroad
2. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Nederland Bloeit @ 17s
3. Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products-UCK @ 20s
4. Lauren Tamayo (USA) United States National Team @ 26s
5. Monia Baccaille (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini @ 27s