Swedish champion outsprints breakaway on uphill finish to take stage and race lead
Emma Johansson (RedSun Cycling) won the first stage of the Thüringen Rundfahrt, the Rund um Altenberg after escaping the rest of a breakaway group in the closing stages. Elena Kuchinskaya (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu) outsprinted Noemi Cantele (HTC-Columbia) to take second place, 2 seconds behind the Swedish champion at the end of the 87.6km stage.
The group of eight riders escaped the peloton under the impetus of an attack from multiple World time trial and cyclocross champion Hanka Kupfernagel (German National Team) at the first intermediate sprint after 27.4km. The group was made up of Kupfernagel, Johansson, Kuchinskaya, Cantele, Olga Zabelinskaya (Safi-Pasta Zara), Lisa Brennauer (German National Team), Sarah Düster (Cervélo TestTeam) and Janneke Kanis (Netherlands National Team).
With the HTC-Columbia, Gauss-RDZ-Ormu and Cervélo teams controlling the peloton behind them, the eight riders managed to build a lead of more than 2 minutes.
On the final climb Johansson attacked with Cantele, but the others managed to catch them up on the descent. Cantele attacked again in the closing kilometres, but Johansson managed to get up to and pass the Italian on the uphill finish to take the stage win and the first yellow jersey of the race.
Result stage 1
1. Emma Johansson (Swe) RedSun Cycling
2. Elena Kuchinskaya (Rus) Gauss-RDZ-Ormu @ 2s
3. Noemi Cantele (Ita) HTC-Columbia
4. Olga Zabelinskaya (Rus) Safi-Pasta Zara @ 3s
5. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) German National Team
6. Lisa Brennauer (Ger) German National Team @ 7s
7. Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam @ 12s
8. Janneke Kanis (Ned) Netherlands National Team @ 35s
9. Adrie Visser (Ned) HTC-Columbia @ 1’31”
10. Charlotte Becker (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam
Standings after stage 1
1. Emma Johansson (Swe) RedSun Cycling
2. Elena Kuchinskaya (Rus) Gauss-RDZ-Ormu @ 6s
3. Noemi Cantele (Ita) HTC-Columbia @ 8s
4. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) German National Team @ 8s
5. Olga Zabelinskaya (Rus) Safi-Pasta Zara @ 11s