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Charlotte Kool (Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL) blasted to victory on stage one of the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift in Monday, winning the bunch sprint into The Hague by an impressive margin.
The Dutchwoman finished well clear of Anniina Ahtosalo (Uno-X Mobility) and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek), with Ahtosalo’s Finnish compatriot Lotta Henttala (EF-Oatly-Cannondale) fourth. Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) was fifth.
Sprint favorite Lorena Wiebes benefited from strong work by her SD Worx-ProTime team but experienced a mechanical issue and sat up with approximately 500 meters to go, losing her chance. Instead it was Kool who thrived, speeding home bike lengths ahead.
The stage saw several breakaway attempts, but only Cristina Tonetti (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) was successful in staying clear for more than a few kilometers. She won the day’s sole categorized climb before being reeled in, and donned the mountains jersey as a result.
Kool seemed to be in disbelief after her victory, crossing the line with her hand over her mouth.
“It is unbelievable. It is a dream coming true,” she said of the first Tour de France Femmes win of her career.
“It was not an easy season, but this is what it was all about. I want to thank so many people, like my trainer, who always keeps believing in me, and all the people close around me. This is unbelievable.”
She had many near misses this year, with just one win out of 12 podium places. That sharpened her resolve in the finale.
“It was really hectic, but I like it. I kept on thinking, ‘I like hectic, I like chaos,’” she said, speaking of her mindset.
“Then I went so early, then I thought ‘it is too long,’ and it hurt so bad, but it was enough in the end. So no words.”
Opening day breakaways: several riders try, only one breaks elastic
Stage one of this year’s Tour de France Femmes was a quirky one: almost completely flat, the sole mountains prime was a fourth category ascent emerging from a below-river tunnel that peaked—if that is the right word—at 25 meters below sea level.
A bunch sprint was all but guaranteed but breakaway riders were certain try during the 123km stage from Rotterdam to The Hague.
Fenix-Deceuninck competitors Yara Kastelijn and Puck Pieterse were amongst five competitors who fell during the neutralized zone. Kastelijn won a stage last year while Pieterse is one of the most talented off-road riders in the world and has shown promising form in road racing events too.
Natalie Grinczer (Roland) was also in the crash and would unfortunately abandon the race as a result.
Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Canyon-SRAM), Gaia Masetti (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Iurani Blanco (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) attacked with 104km remaining but were reeled in several kilometers later.
Cristina Tonetti (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) surged alone 79km from the end of the stage and was given a little more leeway, with her teammate Iurani Blanco and Giorgia Vettorello (Roland) trying unsuccessfully to get across.
Tonetti went on to take the day’s prime at the Maasdeltatunnel, 61km from the finish line. Behind, two of the race’s big names were amongst the fallers, with Gaia Realini Lidl-Trek) and Lizzie Deignan (Lidl-Trek) left chasing for quite some time.
Tonetti was caught with 60km remaining, having spent 19km off the front. That effort was a successful one, though, with the mountains jersey secured to wear on stage two.
Kool cool under pressure, Wiebes hit by bad luck
The big teams worked to control things from that point, ensuring a bunch gallop at the day’s intermediate sprint at Groeneweg, 38km from the finish line. Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) was best there ahead of Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv-AlUla Jayco) and Marthe Truyen (Fenix-Deceuninck).
Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) fell 10km later but was able to return. New Olympic champ Kirsten Faulken (EF-Oatly-Cannondale also had to chase after a bike change, as did Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek). The big teams were controlling the pace, preventing any breakaways, and the bunch remained together racing into the outskirts of The Hague and on towards the finish.
SD Worx-ProTime drove the pace in the finale, working for Lorena Wiebes. Human Powered Health were also prominent, while behind Loes Adegeest (FDJ-Suez) and Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM Racing) crashed inside the final 2km.
Wiebes fancied her chances but experienced a bike problem, with a rider clipping her bike and breaking her derailleur. She suddenly easing back with approximately 500 meters to go as a result. Charlotte Kool (Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL) swept through and handily won the stage, blasting home to the first leader’s jersey of the race.
She will wear yellow on Tuesday’s stage two, and will fully relish that experience.
“This I think the best day of my life. Everything comes together and it is really special.”
@charlotte_kool wins in La Haye!
@charlotte_kool remporte la première étape à La Haye !#TDFF2024 | #WatchTheFemmes [ @GoZwift pic.twitter.com/X9aYct3sfs
— Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) August 12, 2024
