Megan Armitage may have endured two bad crashes putting a halt to her gallop at times this season but the 27-year-old Irish rider is not letting that hold her back. She was today once again to the fore in pro race action, in Belgium; animating the action off the front and taking her latest top result.
The Arkéa Pro Cycling Team rider also gained almost two minutes on the peloton and is now squarely in contention for the general classification, having earlier this year become the first Irish woman ever to win a UCI-ranked stage race.
Armitage finished 4th today on the opening stage of AG Tour de la Semois (2.2), which took the riders some 116.6km over an undulating course that started and finished in Vresse-sur-Semois. The decisive move did not get clear until the racing reached the finishing circuit, which was tackled twice and featured two small climbs each lap.
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With about 21km to go, and after Jumbo Visma controlled the racing for much of the stage, the winning move went on the short climb of Chatelet, with Armitage out front among the leaders. She was with Karlijn Swinkels and Noemi Rüegg, both Jumbo Visma, Quinty van de Guchte (Lotto Dstny ), Clara Koppenburg and Morgane Coston, both Cofidis.
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The breakaway knuckled down and quickly pulled out a minute advantage on the bunch, though the pace at the head of the race soon saw van de Guchte jettisoned by the other leaders. That left five in the breakaway going into the final, with Armitage outnumbered by a duo from Jumbo Visma and from Cofidis.
With about 2km to go, the supremacy of Jumbo Visma saw Swinkels breaking clear. She gained a gap and rode into the finish solo to win. Her team mate, Rüegg, led in the chasers for 2nd, at 13 seconds, with Coston 3rd and then Armitage. Koppenburg was last of the breakaway riders, in 5th at 17 seconds.
The bunch was led by, some 2:05 down, by Linda Zanetti (UAE Development Team). The race concludes tomorrow with a 120km stage, on hillier terrain, starting and finishing in Bertrix. With eight climbs, including some at 2.9km, the field is expected to split, which should suit Armitage.
