The stage was won by Longo Borghini’s teammate Cecilie Johnsen, taking her second straight stage, after the Norwegian escaped from a five-woman breakaway in the closing kilometres. Elena Kuchinskaya (RusVelo) finished second, four seconds behind Johnsen, while Meng Lang (China Chongming-Giant) took fourth, ahead of Bronzini and Longo Borghini, 16 seconds behind.

Having successfully contained the threat from Longo Borghini, Bronzini confirmed overall victory in the race, taking Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s first ever stage race as well as her own, with her compatriot 14 seconds behind her.  Johnsen’s second stage victory lifted her to third in the final general classification, one minute and six seconds behind.

Having taken the lead with a breakaway victory on stage one, where she beat Longo Borghini in a two-up sprint, Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Italian superstar held on to the leader’s yellow jersey from start to finish.  Second place in a chaotic bunch sprint on stage two meant that Bronzini increased her lead over her compatriot and, with the rest of the peloton more than a minute behind, only had one rider to worry about on the final, hilly stage.

Once again Bronzini proved that there is far more to her than just one of the fastest sprints in the women’s peloton, by staying with the best climbers in the race to secure the overall victory.

]]> http://wigglehonda.com/giorgia-bronzini-wins-overall-tour-of-zhoushan-island/feed/ 0 http://wigglehonda.com/bronzini-maintains-lead-with-second-place-in-zhoushan-island-stage-two/ http://wigglehonda.com/bronzini-maintains-lead-with-second-place-in-zhoushan-island-stage-two/#comments Fri, 17 May 2013 14:54:18 +0000 Bart http://wigglehonda.com/?p=1230 more »]]> Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Giorgia Bronzini maintained her overall lead in the Tour of Zhoushan Island as she sprinted to second place on the second stage of the race. In a chaotic final few hundred metres the former two-time World champion was just beaten to the line by Norwegian Cecilie Johnsen (Hitec Products) at the end of the flat 89.7km stage. Chinese Taipei rider Huang Ting Ying finished third for the second day in a row.

“It was extremely close,” said Bronzini’s Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling teammate and team manager.  “There were only centimetres in it but, because it was such a slow race – an easy race – the finish was extremely chaotic, with a lot of the riders from smaller teams having full power because they’d done nothing in the race, because the race was really slow.

“It was a little bit messy,” she added. “Giorgia had Beatrice Bartelloni to lead her into the last 200 metres, but then she was a little bit isolated because it was a really big, wide road, and very windy. So she didn’t have a dream run.”

In contrast to the previous day, stage two of the Tour of Zhoushan Island was raced over a completely flat course – much like those of Chongming Island the previous week – which meant that the peloton stayed together for the entire distance.

“There weren’t so many attacks but the girls were always present at the front, and they kept control of the bunch to stop the breakaways,” said Bronzini afterwards. “It was only in the final that there was a lot of confusion in the last kilometre, and so I was a little bit scared that someone would crash.

“I’m sad about the result, but it was a chaotic sprint, because no one was tired for the finish because it was an easy race,” she continued. “We must think of tomorrow, for the jersey. I have 11 seconds on Longo Borghini and tomorrow will be a climbing stage again. For sure she will attack me and I must try and stay in her wheel, and for sure that’s not going to be easy but I will try.

“Maybe the anger from today will be good for the power tomorrow,” Bronzini smiled.

Today Wiggle Honda’s Lauren Kitchen!

Name: Lauren Kitchen
Team: Wiggle Honda
Riding Role: Domestique, opportunitst
Age: 22
Weight: 60kgs

How would people describe you as a cyclist?
A reliable team member, how enjoys every type of racing with the team and like to know all the small details

How would someone who likes you describe you as a person?
I would describe myself as a hardworking person who is always looking for a challenge. I enjoy spending time with my family at home in the Netherlands and also back in Australia over the Australian summer. To find out what other people think of me you will have to ask them!

What are the 3 things more important to you than anything else?
Family and friends and food

You end up replacing Tom Hanks in ‘Castaway’ on an Island for 4 years. What are the 3 things you take with you and why?
If I was in a situation like this I would take my computer, a good wifi source and my phone, cant live without being connected to the world in some way, but who can in 2013!

You can have dinner with anyone you want. Who would it be?
My family, love coming home after being away for a few days(Holland) or even the whole year(aus).

Someone scratches your newly arrived race bike. Do you:
a) Kill them
b) Kill them in an extremely creative way
c) Plan to kill them in an extremely creative way after getting close to them, researching their weaknesses and then striking when they least expect it
d) Tell them not to stress, it’s only a bike: the sponsors are paying for it

On a training ride do you:
a) Load up on coffee before you go
b) Load up on coffee before you go and during the ride
c) Load up on coffee before you go, during the ride and stop for more at the end at your favourite coffee haunt
d) WADA is following my caffeine levels closely so I can’t answer that question until after the findings are returned

You’re a dinosaur. Are you:
a) A Monstrous Quadrosaurous
b) A Skinnius Soclimbus
c) An Allroundus
d) A Helpus Everyonelseus

The phone rings at 6am. Do you :
a) Answer it immediately with a chirpy uplifting welcoming response
b) Answer it after it rings for a full minute with a chirpy uplifting welcoming response
c) Let the answering machine take the call for you
d) Answer it immediately so you can find out exactly who wants to ring you at this un-godly hour and then plan their ultimate demise

What’s more important to you:
a) Finishing household chores
b) Getting others to finish the household chores for you
c) Getting others to finish their household chores and then your household chores
d) Resting

What are you most opinionated about and why?
Food and cooking, I like food and cooking a lot, I like learning about new ways to prepare different dishes to best fuel myself and my family for each day. I am open to new ideas and options for what’s best for me and the people around me. I also like making good lasting long lasting food.

If you had the power to change one thing in the cycling world, what would it be?
More womens races along side mens, That way we have more coverage and the sport can grow with more sponsors and opportunities.

Who do you admire most and why?
I have a lot of people in my life that have helped me to where I am today and without each of them I wouldn’t be who I am today. My family and friends are the people I most admire and without them I’d be lost.

Who do you ‘have difficulties with and why?
I have difficulties with people who talk behind your back.

What do you want people to know about you?
I am from a small town of Port Macquarie in NSW, Australia, I am very proud to represent them on the world stage and I hope to put them on the map!

If you weren’t a cyclist what would you want to be?
I would be chasing different goals in another sport or enjoying traveling around the world in a more touristy way.

Third place was taken by Chinese Taipei rider Huang Ting Ying, at the head of a seven-rider group a minute and 12 seconds behind Bronzini, with the main peloton coming home more than five minutes later.

“It was a hard race today, because it was a little bit hilly and on the climb Longo Borghini always tried to attack,” explained Bronzini afterwards. “It was hard for me to follow her every time, but I tried to stay in her wheel because it was the only way to make it to the finish and beat her in the sprint.

“In the final it was me and her in the break in the last 15km,” Bronzini added. “In the first kilometre of the break I didn’t give her a hand because there were so many climbs, but after the climb I decided to work with her to try to take more minutes out of the others. At the finish, at one kilometre to go, she tried to attack me again through a little tunnel before the last corner, but I was in the wheel and took the corner in first position.

“She began her sprint, and I started my sprint, and I won easily,” the former two-time World champion smiled.

The victory was Bronzini’s fifth of the season, but could not be more different from the previous four, which all came in bunch sprints. A breakaway win over such a challenging course shows the Italian superstar’s versatility.

“It was extremely hilly; up, down, up down, and no flat,” confirmed Bronzini’s Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling teammate and team manager Rochelle Gilmore.

“The first 30 or 40km was extremely hard, for everyone except for Giorgia,” she joked. “It was an aggressive race right from the start, the bunch didn’t stay together at all, and it was really, really hilly.

“This is obviously a pretty special result,” Gilmore added, “because everyon had to try and drop Giorgia, because she’s proved that she’s the fastest. Everyone tried to do everything they possibly could, and Elisa Longo Borghini’s a pretty bloody good climber, and she tried everything.”

Victory on the first stage gives Bronzini the leader’s jersey in the three-day race, which she will look to defend over the remaining two stages.

Photo Credits: (C) Tour of Zhoushan Island

Just realised I haven’t written since Omloop Het Hageland where I took my first big Euro win – seems a fair while ago now. A lot has gone down throughout these months and I’m pleased to say that the Spring season has finally come to an end for 2013. It sure has been brutal in terms of weather and back to back race days. For me, being my first pro Euro season it’s all still new and racing so constantly week in week out has been tough to manage. It’s the lack of routine that is the hardest thing. When you’re racing all the time it’s more or less just travel, time on the bike and recovery! In saying that it’s been full of good experiences and a lot of fun with the Wiggle Honda crew along the way – loving it. Now that we’ve got through this patch we’ve promised each other to never complain in ‘hot’ weather this summer! Surely it can’t be tougher than the freezing cold conditions we’ve raced through…

Over the Spring, the key highlights would have to be racing my first few world cups, a great team training camp in Italy and getting to know some cool kiwis back at the New Zealand base in Oudenaarde, Belgium.

A few of the downs of spring would have to be my wee string of meetings with the concrete in a few races since The Tour of Flanders. The worst case scenario was a broken rib in the Energiewacht Tour in Holland but apart from that I’ve been pretty darn lucky. Many bike riders have come off worse this winter/spring and I guess it’s just part of the sport. Joy!

Here’s a few photo’s to sum up a good end to the spring season…

I’m now chilling in a sweet hotel on some random island in China. To be honest, no one knows exactly where we are…

We’ve just finished up racing the Tour of Chongming Island and the Chongming Island World Cup off Shanghai. The experience was full of up’s and down’s but all in all a pretty good time with the team.

We worked well together throughout and Giorgia was able to pull off an impressive win in stage 2 and claim 4th in the general classification. This gave us a good confidence kick for the World Cup just a few days later where we began in Shanghai and crossed a 10km bridge (including a KOM)! – over to Chongming Island.

The race was relatively active for a very open, flat course. Our job was to keep things together. At the end of the day we have the ‘quickest’ team mate for a sprint finish in the peloton so we wanted it to keep intact. This meant covering any attacks and keeping Giorgia protected, out of the wind and as fresh as possible so she would have the legs to win come the finish. The best thing about working for Giorgia as a leader is having absolute confidence in knowing she will win or do all she can to, if she is looked after at best. The girl is so strong and when you’ve worked your arse off throughout a race and your leader pulls it off it’s a great feeling. I’ve never really been in this kind of team environment. It’s a cool thing to be part of. Sure we have bad days and sometimes things don’t work out but it’s all a big learning process, especially being a new team. Each bad race only makes us work harder and look to change things for the next. I’m really enjoying the whole experience so far and am happy to be learning from girls like Giorgia, Rochelle and director Simon every event. Another big bonus is that we all get along really well. A good laugh is often shared which is nice especially when stage racing.

Anyway back to the actual race…we played it pretty cool throughout and had everything covered. All was going well and Giorgia was tucked in neatly. Coming into the closing 10km a sole escapee rode clear to about 30seconds. She was hovering around this distance and coming up to 6km to go it was time to get on the front as a team and reel her in. No other teams were making any effort to bring it back so we got up there. We came pretty close and by 2k to go I was certain she’d be caught.

At this point I was absolutely smoked from the effort and we were starting to get swamped by the other teams so I started going backwards but made sure to move down the side of the peloton. Unfortunately for me, luck was not on my side and when some girls in the bunch took a swerve wide myself and another rider were chopped off. NOT AGAIN? It’s been one to many times now that’s for sure! I’m at the point of questioning myself and my team mates, ‘what am I doing wrong?’ But when I look back I know there’s nothing I could have done in each situation – just a bit of bad luck I guess…enough is enough, however

I never got to experience the final few km due to this but from what my team tells me it was absolute chaos from this point onwards. Following my crash, the very fast chasing peloton was then led the wrong way by the lead vehicles…this meant coming to a complete stop and riding through a set of traffic before approaching the final corner with 800m to go. I couldn’t believe my ears – for this to happen at a World Cup! This meant the sole rider was unable to be caught come the finish and Giorgia led it home for 2nd place. The leader ended up winning by a mere 12 seconds so as you can imagine the team as well as most other competitors were pretty frustrated and upset to say the least. It was an emotional moment for everyone after a tough, committed race. At the end of the day there was nothing we could have done more and nothing that could be done to change what happened so I guess it’s just one of those things everyone has to move on from. A big shame for Giorgia and the team but onwards and upwards. We’re still very grateful she proved she is the quickest in the finish!

Following the drama I then had to depart to the Chongming local hospital. After everything had settled down I realised the gash in my knee from a handle bar was pretty deep and needed stitching. When I thought I saw bone I knew a bit of cream and a band aid might not do the trick! Ew!

After experiencing this Chinese hospital it’s definitely made me appreciate good health care and clean hospitals a lot more. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. I couldn’t believe how dirty and chaotic it was. It was an eye opener for sure and made me realise how lucky we are!

Here’s a few fun pic’s of my battle wounds. The clog mark is from a chain ring on stage 2 at Chongming – not during the race but AFTER crossing the line…it was wet and a rider in front slammed on the brakes after crossing leaving myself and a bunch of others with nowhere to go. I hate that feeling when you know you’re going to fall and there’s nothing you can do…it’s like it happens in slomo! Wuhu more fun with the pavement – it can be a vicious cycle this one

Following Chongming we had an interesting travel day including some fun on the bus and a glorious ferry ride over a not so blue sea. Time for a swim?

We did, however arrive to a pretty sweet resort where have been staying the past few days in prep for the Tour of Zhoushan Island beginning tomorrow. We kick things off on this ‘mystery’ island before heading to Zhoushan for the remaining stages.

All up China has been an experience. We’ve had good bike racing, a few spills, plenty of travel, language barriers, interesting hospitals and all sorts of different cuisines and with another week of stay I’m sure there’ll soon be more tales to tell. Let’s hope we stay safe and enjoy it while we’re here. Looking forward to this next adventure.

Next week it’ll be back to Belgium to settle down for a week hanging out with some ‘grouse’ kiwi trackies in Oudenaarde before some more bike racing in my mate Holland.

Thanks again to the very supportive team sponsors of Wiggle Honda and to personal support back home. Also to the New Zealand crew for having me stay – very much appreciated.

I can confidently tell you that High5 products are exactly what your body is looking for. That feeling you get when you grab your bar out of your pocket, knowing it is fuelling your performance (and it is going to taste amazing) is an absolutely satisfied feeling. Just imagine you’re in a stage race, the energy you’re burning, and how much harder it is to refuel with every passing day?

My favourite High5 bars to chew on when I’m racing with the Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling team are the caramel flavoured Sports Bars. Not only does this bar provide a perfect mix of the simple and complex carbohydrates my body needs in a long hard race, it is free from preservatives, artificial sweeteners and tastes like a real chocolate bar. High5 also offer other products to assist your body in the recovery phase to ensure your energy stores are being fully replenished.

Everybody is a bit different when it comes to what they require from their sports nutrition products in the race and High5 provides every member of the team the opportunity to tailor their nutrition products to suit their needs. When we race in hotter climates, I fill my bottles with a combination of High5 Zero Tablets and the High5 Energy Source drink. On harder training rides, I will sip on the Energy Source 4:1 mix because it is helping to reduce the time it takes for my muscles to recover, whilst I’m still out on the bike!

But the fuelling process doesn’t stop there. Post-race nutrition is just as important as the fuel you are feeding your body during the race. When you unclip off the bike you need to start the recovery process straightaway, and with a range of protein bars and protein drinks to suit even the strictest of dietary needs, High5 has got you covered.

I can’t wait for my next race with the Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling team and to be able grab out my yummy Caramel Sports Bar. A big Thank You to the team at High5 for their generous support!

For more information about the  excellent products of High5 Sports Nutrition, visit their website!

Behind Hagiwara, Kaat Hannes (Lotto-Belisol) outsprinted CycleLive Plus-Zannata duo Annelies Van Doorslaer and Liz Hatch in the race for second place.

“It was small race but I’m very happy because it was my first win in Europe,” said a delighted Hagiwara after the race. “I appreciate everybody who supported me and would like to say thank you to the people who supported me in the race today.”

Hagiwara has played a strong supportive role to her teammates so far this season, but now hopes to build on her very first victory in Europe.

“I couldn’t  do a good performance for the team in the pro season, so I want to build up my condition from this win,” Hagiwara said, modestly. “I want to try harder to help the team win, and want to take my chance in Europe.”

With most of the Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling team racing in China, Hagiwara was the only member of the team to line up in Dinant, and was up against a number of strong Belgian teams.  Inge Roggeman (Sengers Ladies) attacked in the lap two, and managed to open up a minute’s lead but a powerful chase from Hagiwara pulled a group of riders up to the Belgian in the final lap.

In the front group with Hagiwara were Hannes, van Doorslaer and Hatch, as well as Julie Leth (Breast Cancer Care) and Belgian cyclocross champion Sanne Cant (Ciclismo Mundial) but, on the last climb of the final lap Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Japanese champion attacked and opened up a gap that continued to widen all the way to the finish line.

Result
1. Mayuko Hagiwara (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
2. Kaat Hannes (Lotto-Belisol)
3. Annelies Van Doorslaer (CycleLive Plus-Zannata)

While Mayuko Hagiwara was winning in southern Belgium and Giorgia Bronzini was winning in China, their Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling teammates were also taking victories elsewhere.  Australian Lauren Kitchen won the “Ladies Komtoer” in Moergestel, Netherlands, while double Olympic champion Laura Trott won the new women’s race at the Elveden Estate in Suffolk, eastern England.

I’ve already won four races this year on my Colnago with the Campagnolo shifter system. It’s really nice to have a sponsor like Campa who gives us the best material for winning bike races. And, to have the possibility to race with the Campagnolo EPS record 11 speed is nothing to complain about!!

For more information about the Campagnolo EPS record 11 speed or about other Campagnolo components, visit  their website.

By the time the bunch got started again Riabchenko had built up an unassailable lead and, despite another hard chase from Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling, was able win by 12 seconds. Bronzini easily took second place, ahead of Amy Pieters (Argos-Shimano), but the two-time road World champion was forced to reflect on what might have been, as she was denied the chance to sprint for her second career victory in the World Cup.

“I’m very happy with the team’s performance today and to be the fastest at the finish, however, we’re obviously very disappointed with the result,” said Bronzini afterwards. “It’s very difficult to accept defeat when I and the team did everything right. We worked very hard to prepare for this World Cup.

“The solo rider who was not stopped won by 12 seconds, the chasing bunch was stopped with two kilometres to go,” the Italian sprinter added. “If you think about the math, a stop from 50kph probably costs more than 12 seconds right?”

“The team worked really hard today and did everything right,” said Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling team manager Rochelle Gilmore. “Every rider was fit and healthy and at their best, and Giorgia was put in the right position and proved again that she’s the fastest in the World.

“Obviously the team’s really disappointed because we did everything right,” Gilmore added.

“It’s frustrating, but what can you do, it’s one of those things,” echoed Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope. “Giorgia definitely had the legs to win, but this isn’t the first time this sort of thing has happened in a race. I remember it happened to Robert Millar at the Tour de France, but yes, it is frustrating.”

Bronzini scored 50 World Cup points for second place, which lifts her to seventh place in the overall standings, while Gilmore also finished in the points, scoring nine for 12th place having led Bronzini into position.

Commonwealth champion Rochelle Gilmore also sprinted to tenth place, to put two Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling riders in the top ten.

“It’s not the result that we wanted,” admitted Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope. “Giorgia’s pretty disappointed with her result, but [Orica-AIS] really got their act together today. I don’t know that they were too far back, or if they did make a mistake by not being far enough up, but Orica were really good.”

The 80km stage, made up of eight laps of a ten kilometre city circuit, was won by Annette Edmondson (Orica-AIS), ahead of 2007 World champion Marta Bastianelli (Faren-Let’s Go Finland) and Edmondson’s own teammate, Swedish champion Emma Johansson. Time bonuses on the line meant that Edmondson also secured the overall race victory.

Bronzini’s fifth place meant that Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Italian superstar held on to her overall fourth place in the final general classifcation.

With the two preceding stages having been affected by crashes to a varying degree, the sprint for stage three was no different with a final kilometre incident threatening to disrupt the final sprint.

“Kim de Baat went down in the last corner,” Cope confirmed, “but I’m not quite sure what caused it, so I’m not quite sure what happened there.”

Thankfully none of the Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling riders were affected by the incident, and Bronzini and Gilmore’s teammates Beatrice Bartelloni, Emily Collins, Amy Roberts and Anna-Bianca Schnitzmeier finished the stage safely after another strong performance.

“They all rode well and covered everything,” said Cope. “The performance from the team was very good, it just didn’t get the end result really.

“Hopefully it’ll be better for the World Cup on Sunday,” he added. “It’s the same finish as yesterday so it should be interesting.”

Since 1953 the Bergamo, (Italy) based organisation has built an enviable reputation within the cycling industry as the producer of the highest quality cycling tyres.

Today, 60 years on, Vittoria is the world’s number one producer of bicycle tyres, with annual production exceeding 7 million units. Its R&D Centre is recognized for developing the best quality and fastest racing tyres to suit all competition levels.

Gilmore said: “As a rider, I am always looking for an edge and the confidence I have in the Vittoria tyres allows me to push harder through corners, the grip levels of the Vittoria tyres are exceptional.

As a team owner I am always seeking equipment of the highest quality and reliability for myself and my riders, Vittoria tyres certainly ticks the boxes on both counts.”

Like Gilmore’s Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling Team, Vittoria tyres were born out of a passion and commitment for perfection.

For more information, please visit Vittoria’s website

Annette Edmondson (Orica-AIS) – who was the rider to have been brought down in front of Bronzini on stage one – finished third as she crossed the line in Bronzini’s wake.

“It was the GreenEdge train again for Edmondson today, and I was on the wheel of Chloe Hosking,” Bronzini explained. “The last teammate to bring me there was Beatrice [Bartelloni]. I felt very good through the whole race, and I told the girls and they worked hard for me to he finish line.

“Most of all in the finish from Beatrice,” Bronzini added. “Because she is able to have the power to bring me up to the front, and she’s not scared to fight with the others. So I was in the right position at the right moment.”

Conditions for the 114km stage were windy once again, on a course that offers few other obstacles, with heavy rain making the roads slick and treacherous and causing numerous punctures. A group escaped midway through the race, containing Bronzini and most of the other big favourites; the peloton split into pieces behind the break, with stage one winner Lucy Garner (Argos-Shimano) trapped in the third group, but the race was all together again as it came into the finish.

“It was a little bit of a hard race today, because there was a break in the middle of the race with the best riders – there were 15 of us I think – and they were pushing hard to try to get to the finish,” said Bronzini. “After the second intermediate sprint, when they saw that the bunch was at 30 seconds, they stopped pulling, the big bunch caught us and we arrived at the finish together.”

A ten-second time bonus on the line means that, despite the disappointment of stage one, Bronzini now sits in fourth place, just nine seconds behind new race leader Hosking, with one stage remaining.

“For tomorrow we will go for the stage – to be in the sprint for the stage – and then the maximum power for the World Cup on Sunday,” Bronzini confirmed.

“There was a crash at one of the intermediate sprints, and then one close to the finish, but luckily none of our riders were brought down,” said Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope.

“Orica had their train going so Rochelle [Gilmore] took Giorgia up to Edmondson’s wheel,” Cope explained “But then a rider cut straight across Edmondson and took her out. Giorgia just about managed to get around it, but Rochelle had to stop and put her foot down.

“I think Giorgia was running on pure adrenaline after that and she ended up sprinting far too early,” he added.

The race was won by World junior champion Lucy Garner (Argos-Shimano), taking her first ever victory in the professional ranks, ahead of Chloe Hosking (Hitec Products) and Oksana Kozonchuk (RusVelo).  11th place for Bronzini was disappointing after having taken two victories in the weeks before, but Cope is optimistic about the remaining two stages, as well as the World Cup race on Sunday.

“Giorgia has the legs, and she’s pretty disappointed about today,” Cope confirmed. “But we’re lucky that she wasn’t taken out in the crash.

“I’m disappointed with the result, but not the performance,” he concluded.

“It was windy in the final kilometre, but I had two of my Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling teammates in front of me in Beatrice Bartelloni and Lauren Kitchen,” explained Bronzini after her victory. “Lauren was the last one to leave me at 300 metres, but I waited a moment because it was so windy, and I think that the other riders were waiting for me to go.

“I began with 200 metres to go with my maximum power and it was good,” she added.

The 112.8km race, which consisted of a winding 52.3km section along the coast, followed by five laps of an elongated 12.1km circuit, saw Bronzini get away as part of an early breakaway group as the peloton split on a long section of cobbles.  The peloton was soon back together again, however, with Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling able to keep control of a number of attacks as the race neared the finish.

“Today I felt good all day,” Bronzini said. “It was a hard day because in the first part of the race there was a break with seven riders; it was windy and I was alone with other riders that had teammates with them.  After the others caught up it was a big group and I was feeling better because my teammates were there.

“We talked many times during the race, and they asked me what I would like to do, and it was perfect.”

The race was subject to several attempted breakaways as it continually changed direction in the stiff North Sea wind, but the riders of Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling were able to keep the peloton together into the finish and lead out Bronzini to victory.

“They finished it off well,” said Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope. “It was a really windy race, and to have six riders there at the end was definitely a bonus.

“Into the headwind nobody was doing anything,” he explained, “and when it turned right [into the tailwind section] it always split but we were always represented. Then they took it on coming into the finish and teed Giorgia up really well.”

“Today I would like to say thanks to Beatrice and Amy Roberts,” Bronzini echoed. “Because they are so young, and they did such strong work.”

British fans who attend the Nocturne will be hugely excited at the chance to see a trio of British medal winners compete on the streets of London, rather than the Olympic Velodrome, after their victory at the London 2012 Olympics.

“I’m really excited about this race, there are always so many fans lining the streets, and we’ll want to put on a great performance,” said double Olympic champion Trott. “The IG London Nocturne will be important for us leading into the National Championships – it will be our last real test against a competitive field.”

“The IG London Nocturne will be the first time Wiggle Honda officially races as a team in the UK, in front of a massive British audience,” added team manager Rochelle Gilmore. “This is a really big and important event for our team. We’re extremely excited about racing in front of a home crowd against a strong line-up of professional women.”

FACE Partnership MD James Pope, the event organiser, said: “We are committed to promoting women’s cycling, and I am delighted that the Nocturne will feature the strongest women’s professional team.”

The 2013 IG London Nocturne promises to be the biggest and best yet: elite competition will be accompanied by the usual favourites like the Time Out London Folding Bike Race and the Brooks Penny Farthing Race.

Follow the IG London Nocturne on Twitter and like it on Facebook to get more updates ahead of this summer’s festival of cycling.

Former two-time World road champion Bronzini outsprinted the rest, just a few lengths behind Vos, ahead of Swedish champion Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS) [Luxembourg champion Christine Majerus (Sengers), who finished fourth, is pictured on the podium].

“It was a bit chaotic coming into the finish,” explained Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope. “It was a very, very fast run final kilometre, with a right hand bend with 500 metres to go – off-camber and downhill – then with about 250 metres to go there was a chicane.

“Vos jumped into the final bend and got a gap over the rest of the field,” he added.

The race, also known as the GP Nicolas Frantz, was made up of a 54.1km opening loop five laps of a 9km circuit. Unlike the previous day’s stage, however, the peloton did not split up on the repeated climbs and arrived at the finish more or less together and ready for the sprint. The Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling team once again did a good job protecting Bronzini from the wind, so that the Italian sprinter would be as fresh as possible for the final dash for the line.

Unfortunately Bronzini was just unable overhaul Vos once the World and Olympic champion had escaped on the final corner. Time bonuses on the line meant that overnight leader Vos held on to win the race overall, but Bronzini moved up to second place, just nine seconds behind her.

“You can’t fault it really,” said Cope. “It was a pretty good effort. Vos must have been confident with that finish, to be able to take Giorgia on, rather than take it to the line. If it had been a straight, normal, head to head sprint I think the race would have been slightly different.

“It’s good, but it’s just a shame that Giorgia couldn’t quite finish it off because it would have been the first stage race that she’s ever won,” he added.

The 102.6km stage was made up of a long, 53.6km opening loop, followed by five laps of a hilly 9.8km finishing circuit.

“On the finishing laps there were two climbs; one short and steep and one longer and less steep,” said Bronzini afterwards. “It was also cold, but we were lucky because it didn’t rain.”

On the final lap the pace up the climb reduced the peloton to a group of just 20 riders, including Bronzini, and the former World champion sprinted to her second victory of the season.

“In the five last laps there were so many attacks from [Orica-AIS] and I was on the wheel of Emma Johansson every time she tried to attack,” Bronzini explained. “In the final there were, I think, 15 girls to the sprint. I was on the wheel of Vos, and when she started to sprint I went out in the last hundred metres.”

Bronzini’s second victory of the season was the result of a big team effort once again, as Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope explained.

“The team did a really good job early on to protect Giorgia, so she’d have the legs for the sprint,” Cope said. “It just whittled down, until there were only 20 riders left at the end.

“They did their job well, to protect Giorgia, and she finished it off pretty well; well, very well really!” he laughed.

“Laura Trott and Dani King [pictured above] were with me until one lap to go,” Bronzini confirmed. “They worked hard for me because the wind was from the side and they covered me so many times so I could reserve my power, and they did a very good job.”

Vos took over the race lead, but a ten-second time bonus for Bronzini moves the Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling rider up to fifth overall, just five seconds behind.

“If she can win tomorrow she’ll win overall,” said Cope.

“I will try to do my best sprint,” Bronzini smiled.

With heavy rain falling throughout the day, and the risk of crashing high, many riders chose to take on the tight, urban circuit on their regular road bikes. Trott chose to ride her Colnago K.Zero time trial machine, however, and – setting off ninth rider from last – rode into provisional third place behind van Vleuten and Annette Edmondson (Orica-AIS). Only Olympic and World road champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank-Liv/Giant), as the last rider to start, was able to deny Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling a place on the podium.

“The rain got quite heavy actually, so no one got it easy, but that was definitely a good ride,” said Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope. “It was good; that’s her speciality – her and Dani King – the track is probably a little bit more controlled, but it’s definitely their speciality for sure.”

“It was around a small town,” he added. “Very good road surfaces, actually. Generally the roads here are very good; there’s quite a bit of money here!”

The two remaining stages of the Elsy Jacobs consist of long countryside loops followed by five laps each of hilly urban finishing circuits.

“We’ll see what tomorrow throws at us,” Cope concluded. “Hopefully she’ll be in the front group tomorrow and we’ll get a shot at taking that jersey.”

Result
1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Rabobank-Liv/Giant)
2. Marianne Vos (Rabobank-Liv/Giant)
3. Annette Edmondson (Orica-AIS)
4. Laura Trott (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)

23. Dani King
28. Lauren Kitchen
50. Giorgia Bronzini
65. Mayuko Hagiwara
74. Rochelle Gilmore

“Lauren came to me and said she felt terrible at the beginning but came around towards the end, but the sprint was just chaotic so she backed out of it a little bit,” explained Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope. “I don’t know whether she’d have been right up there, but she might have been better but.  She’s done well though, as she’s come back from an illness two days on the trot.”

The race was won by Belgian champion Jolien D’hoore (Lotto-Belisol) in a bunch sprint on the cobbled finishing straight, with Martine Bras (Boels-Dolmans) second, and Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Rabobank-Liv/Giant) third.

With Joanna Rowsell the latest member of Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling to come down with illness, the team started the race with one rider fewer than most other teams. The team was soon down to four after rider/manager Rochelle Gilmore succumbed to allergies brought on by dust off the Belgian fields.

“I think there’s a few tired legs from yesterday,” said Cope. “We started with five anyway, because Jo’s sick, then Rochelle dropped out after 20km because of her allergies. The other three are still learning. How to stay at the front; you need to be at the front because it makes life easier. It’s all learning, and that’s what we’ll take from it.

“We had two very young development riders with Elinor Barker and Amy Roberts in there,” he added, “and when you only start with five – and you lose one after 20km – you can’t expect a massive result.”

Result
1. Jolien D’hoore (Lotto-Belisol)
2. Martine Bras (Boels-Dolmans)
3. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Rabobank-Liv/Giant)

34. Lauren Kitchen
71. Mayuko Hagiwara
108. Elinor Barker

“Lauren’s been sick so she bounced back pretty well today,” explained Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling directeur sportif Simon Cope. “She didn’t want to push too hard in that group, so when the attacks were going she was looking after herself a little bit more than normal.”

Vera Koedooder (Sengers Ladies) won the race in a two-up sprint with Loes Gunnewijk (Orica-AIS), while Lucinda Brand (Rabobank-Liv/Giant) took third 27 seconds later.

“It was a typical Dutch race again,” said Cope. “We knew it was going to be chaotic. At the start it went down a main road, onto a smaller road, so with 200-odd riders in the peloton we needed to be in the top 20 going around that corner.  Some achieved it, some didn’t.”

Several crashes shattered the peloton, putting a number of the race favourites out of contention, and sadly the riders of Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling were among those to come down.

“Elinor Barker crashed after about five kilometres,” said Cope. “Then on the next lap Amy Roberts got brought down as well, so those girls had a bit of a chase all day.”

Despite her early crash, however, 18-year-old Barker managed to regain contact with the bunch, and – after her impressive performance in the previous day’s time trial – Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s junior TT World champion finished her first ever UCI senior road race comfortably in the main peloton, and was one of just 72 of the 182 starters to finish inside the time limit.

“Hopefully tomorrow [at the Dwars door de Westhoek] it’ll be a little bit less chaotic and Elinor and Amy will be able to experience a little bit less frantic bike racing,” said Cope. “Especially for Elinor, it was her senior debut, so it’s started off pretty tough really. That’s what Dutch racing’s all about really.”

Result
1. Vera Koedooder (Sengers Ladies)
2. Loes Gunnewijk (Orica-AIS)
3. Lucinda Brand (Rabobank-Liv/Giant)

12. Lauren Kitchen
54. Elinor Barker