Monia Baccaille (MCipollini-Giambenini) won the second stage of the Tour of Chongming Island, in Chongxi, as the flat race went to another bunch sprint. The former two-time Italian champion, who’d finished third in the first stage, outpaced Australian Chloe Hosking (Specialized-lululemon) and American Shelley Olds (AA Drink-Leontien.nl) in the dash for the line at the end of the 118.4km stage.
“Yesterday wasn’t so good,” said Baccaille, referring to her third place in stage one. “I just went too early in the sprint. That’s why it was beautiful to see my team ride so perfectly today. We were on the front for the last five kilometres; it was a race between GreenEDGE and MCipollini.
“I feel like I’m getting stronger and of course now I hope to win overall,” she added.
With the course run over wide, flat roads once more, there were precious few opportunities for breakaways to get clear. Mariake van Wanroij (AA Drink-Leontien.nl) managed to get away as the roads narrowed however, opening up a gap of 32 seconds on that ten kilometre section. The roads widened once more however, and the Dutchwoman was quickly recaptured.
After stage one winner and race leader Melissa Hoskins (Orica-GreenEdge) had beaten Baccaille and Liesbet De Vocht (Rabobank) to the intermediate sprint line, a break went from Whitney Gaggioli (Forno d’Asolo-Colavita) and Sunae Choe (Korea); they were quickly joined by Natalia Boyarskaya (RusVelo), and the ever-aggressive Russian persisted alone after the other two drifted back.
Boyarskaya managed to get 24 seconds clear, but was recaptured before the next intermediate sprint, where Baccaille took the maximum bonus, ahead of Olds and Hoskins.
Into the closing kilometres of the stage, Baccaille’s MCipollini-Giambenini team took control of the peloton, stringing it out for the final ten kilometres. There was a crash in the pack as the sprinters began to accelerate, but Baccaille was already up to speed by then, taking the stage by a clear margin.
Time bonuses on the line, along with the fact that Hoskins could only managed fourth this time, meant that Baccaille exchanged the green jersey - that she was keeping warm for the Australian - for the yellow of race leader.
Result stage 2
1. Monia Baccaille (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini
2. Chloe Hosking (Aus) Specialized-lululemon
3. Shelley Olds (USA) AA Drink-Leontien.nl
4. Melissa Hoskins (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
5. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Faren-Honda
6. Romy Kasper (Ger) RusVelo
7. Jessie MacLean (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
8. Hsiao Mei Yu (Tai) Axman Team Taiwan
9. Jutatip Maeephan (Tha) Thailand
10. Marlen Johrend (Ger) ABUS-Nutrixxion
Standings after stage 2
1. Monia Baccaille (Ita) MCipollini-Giambenini
2. Melissa Hoskins (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge @ 3s
3. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Faren-Honda @ 16s
4. Shelley Olds (USA) AA Drink-Leontien.nl
5. Chloe Hosking (Aus) Specialized-lululemon
6. Liesbet De Vocht (Bel) Stichting Rabo Women @ 17s
7. Lucy Martin (GBr) AA Drink-Leontien.nl @ 22s
8. Emilie Moberg (Nor) Hitec Products-Mistral Home
9. Jutatip Maeephan (Tha) Thailand
10. Liu Xin (Chn) China Chongming-Giant Pro Cycling