Just weeks into her contract with new team Arkéa Pro Cycling, Megan Armitage has been to the top step of the podium in a UCI-ranked pro race. The Irish woman, and her team mates, won the team time trial (TTT) opening stage at Vuelta Extremadura Féminas (2.2) today.
The French team was best in the 7km TTT in Mérida by four seconds from French squad Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime. Spanish Continental outfit, Zaaf Cycling Team, placed 3rd at six seconds.
Armitage's French team mate, Marie-Morgane le Deunff, takes the race leader's jersey going into tomorrow's second stage, of three. It takes the riders some 122km from Don Benito to Cáceres but the big test will be the uphill finish of stage 3 on Sunday in Piornal after 90km.
As well as Armitage, fellow Irish rider Fiona Mangan is also in the field, riding for her new Spanish team Soltec, which finished 14th at 59 seconds. The stage result today is a great boost for Armitage and her team mates and puts all of them into a great position for the next two days of racing.
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Armitage, a late-comer to cycling who has rocketed up through the ranks to land a place with Arkéa this year has already shown great form in this early phase of the season. After finishing Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (1.WWT) on 'Opening Weekend' in Belgium she then rode Le Samyn des Dames (1.1) a few days later and really impressed.
While surviving in the front group that day, on February 28th, was a strong performance in itself consider the race was shredded, Armitage was active in the attacks off the front deep into the finale before finishing in 21st place.
If she can reproduce that form, and can find her climbing legs on Sunday, she could be in for a good result by the time the race finishes on Sunday afternoon.
