Irish riders Alice Sharpe, Mia Griffin and Megan Armitage have been riding solidly at the Festival Elsy Jacobs stage race in Luxembourg, where the field blew to pieces today on a late climb.
And while the Irish women, all competing this year with IBCT, lost some time they were in the lead group until the last few kilometres.
Today’s stage 1 – some 121.4km into Steinfort – was won by former world champion Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ) who escaped in a late breakaway. She claimed the victory from Silvia Persico (Valcar-Travel & Service) and Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx).
After the first five over the line there were gaps through the field as the final climb and the chase of race leader Anna Henderson’s Jumbo Visma team combined to take their toll.
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Ireland’s Armitage was 30th of the 95-rider field, some 41 seconds down on the winner. Her team mate Sharpe was 35th at 1:10 and Griffin placed 38th, in the same group as Sharpe.
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Today’s stage was fought out over a 41km loop followed by three laps of a 20.1km circuit with a total of three categorised climbs and several smaller inclines, including three in quick succession immediately before the finish.
The race began yesterday with a 2.2km prologue TT in Cessange, won by British rider Henderson; by two seconds from Vollering with Persico 3rd at four seconds. Armitage was 68th at 21 seconds, Griffin 75th at 23 seconds and Sharpe 84th at 25 seconds.
Tomorrow’s final stage – 109.3km starting and finishing in Garnich – features a very large number of climbs that are small but will feel relentless for the riders.
Persico leads overall but is on the same time as Vollering, with today’s winner Bastianelli in 3rd at seven seconds. Armitage is 29th at 1:04, Griffin 43rd at 1:26 and Sharpe 44th at 1:28.
