Megan Armitage (Arkéa Pro Cycling Team) has continued her strongest season yet with another fine result in France; the Irish rider active from the start to the end of Grand Prix Féminin de Chambéry (1.1).
As the race progressed - on a circuit featuring gravel and no shortage of climbing - Armitage proved one of the very strongest at the front. She led the race solo for a period in the closing stages and then took a result after being caught and immediately going on the attack again.
She eventually placed 4th, some 1:07 behind winner and runner-up Victorie Guilman (FDJ-SUEZ) and Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ). Évita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) was 3rd, at 1:05, followed by Armitage two seconds later.
The 26-year-old Irish woman set out her stall early, taking 3rd in the first intermediate sprint, on the opening lap of seven, and winning the first climbers' prime on the second lap. She then went on to win the next three climbers' primes and was 2nd on the sixth lap prime.
Advertisement
It was at that point that the race began to split decisively. On the penultimate lap, Armitage was part of a nine-rider breakaway group which featured no fewer than four of the FDJ-SUEZ riders. They were caught by a chasing group, which created a 17-strong breakaway out front.
Related News
As the second last lap came to an end, the attacks in the front group forced a split. Eight riders pulled clear, with Armitage among them. With about 15km remaining Alessia Vigilia (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) attacked the breakaway, with Armitage going after her.
Armitage then dropped Vigilia with about 15km remaining; the Irishwoman leading alone for a period some 20 seconds ahead of the next group on the road. There was a regrouping behind the Irish rider and with about 10km remaining she was caught by the remains of the peloton.
Almost immediately she was caught, Victorie Guilman (FDJ-SUEZ) and Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) went clear in what would prove to be the winning move of the day. And when a three-rider group went after them, Armitage was in it.
That's the way it stay to the finish, the two riders leading, chased by the three-rider group Armitage was in mopping up the top five placings on the day.
