Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta 2020 – Stage 1 [Highlights]

November 6, 2020

Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta 2020 – Stage 1 – Toledo – Escalona : 82 km

Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta has moved from it’s traditional September spot on the Women’s WorldTour calendar and will now take place from November 6-8 and will include three stages. The UCI announced the revised-late season calendar in May as a result of COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, and although there have been some cancellations since then, the Women’s WorldTour has retained 15 of the original 22 events. It will now include four stage races and 11 one-day races. In its three first editions (2015, 2016 and 2017), the Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta, consisted of one circuit race stage through Madrid’s city centre. In 2018 and 2019, the race added a new time trial stage that took place in the locality of Boadilla del Monte. The 2020 edition will be the first time the event hosts three consecutive stages.

Lorena Wiebes (Team Sunweb) won stage 1 of Ceratizit Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta, using her sprint and power to dominate the uphill finish in Escalona.

Wiebes beat Elisa Balsamo (Valcar-Travel & Service) and Lisa Brennauer (Ceratizit-WNT) to the line after a fast race and a brief suspension of the action after the race was sent the wrong way.

Wiebes will now defend the leader’s red jersey in Saturday’s 9.3km time trial around Boadilla del Monte.

“Today was a fast race and the second half was both headwind and crosswind, which made it nervous,” Wiebes said after the stage. “The team did an amazing job to keep me out of the wind all the time and we had lots of cards to play today depending on how the race went.

“In the end, it ended up in a bunch sprint and we were all there in the final where we all did our best to keep me in a good position towards the climb. It was a really hard finale and I’m happy that I could finish it off in a good way with the win today.”

How it unfolded

For the first time in the race’s six-year history, the Madrid Challenge consisted of three stages. The first day saw the peloton tackle 82.9km from to the Castle-Palace of Escalona after an uphill finish. The stage was not broadcast live on television.

With strong winds pushing the riders along, the stage was run at high speed, and there were no attacks until 55km to go when Mireia Benito (Massi-Tactic) went away alone.

Benito established a 40-second gap, but the race then had to be stopped when both she and the chasing peloton were led off course.

After the re-start, Benito continued to lead alone until she was stopped by a front wheel puncture some 35km from the finish.

Elisabet Escursell (Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte) and Silvia Valsecchi (BePink) launched a breakaway around the 20-kilometre mark but were quickly caught. With 11km to go, Malgorzata Jasinska (Cronos Casa Dorada) was the next to attack. She quickly pulled out a gap of 30 seconds before the peloton realised the danger and reeled her in again seven kilometres from the line.

The race stayed together in the final kilometres, setting up an uphill sprint where Wiebes was the strongest after making a huge effort.

Elisa Balsamo (Valcar-Travel & Service) and Lisa Brennauer (Ceratizit-WNT) finished second third but were more than a bike length behind her.

It was Wiebes’ second Women’s WorldTour race in a row after the Driedaagse Brugge-De Panne.

Results :
1 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team Sunweb Women 2:00:16
2 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
3 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
4 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women
5 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-Sram Racing 0:00:03
6 Silvia Zanardi (Ita) Bepink 0:00:04
7 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-Sram Racing
8 Laura Asencio (Fra) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
9 Vittoria Guazzini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
10 Sarah Roy (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women
11 Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo Women
12 Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Trek-Segafredo Women
13 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott Women
14 Lucy Van der Haar (GBr) Hitec Products-Birk Sport
15 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Trek-Segafredo Women
16 Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
17 Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo Women
18 Giorgia Catarzi (Ita) Bepink
19 Christina Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
20 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Sunweb Women
21 Minke Bakker (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
22 Elizabeth Holden (GBr) Bizkaia-Durango
23 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
24 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women
25 Susana Perez Conejero (Spa) Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte
26 Camilla Alessio (Ita) Bepink
27 Sara Martin Martin (Spa) Sopela Women’s Team
28 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
29 Malgorzata Jasinska (Pol) Cronos-Casa Dorada
30 Christa Riffel (Ger) Canyon-Sram Racing
31 Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
32 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team Sunweb Women
33 Julie Leth (Den) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
34 Sandra Alonso Dominguez (Spa) Cronos-Casa Dorada
35 Urska Pintar (Slo) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
36 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
37 Rotem Gafinovitz (Isr) Canyon-Sram Racing
38 Hannah Ludwig (Ger) Canyon-Sram Racing
39 Georgia Williams (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott Women
40 Emilie Fortin (Can) Bizkaia-Durango
41 Rachel Neylan (Aus) Cronos-Casa Dorada
42 Simona Frapporti (Ita) Bepink
43 Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
44 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-Sram Racing
45 Julia Soek (Ned) Team Sunweb Women
46 Marieke de Groot (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
47 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Bepink
48 Mireia Trias Jordan (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team
49 Belen Lopez Morales (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team
50 Nicole Hanselmann (Swi) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
51 Marta Cavalli (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
52 Alessia Vigilia (Ita) Cronos-Casa Dorada
53 Barbara Malcotti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
54 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women
55 Katrine Aalerud (Nor) Movistar Team Women
56 Alba Teruel Ribes (Spa) Movistar Team Women
57 Sarah Rijkes (Aut) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
58 Lara Vieceli (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
59 Mieke Kröger (Ger) Hitec Products-Birk Sport
60 Jessica Allen (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women
61 Jessica Roberts (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott Women
62 Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products-Birk Sport
63 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
64 Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
65 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott Women
66 Paula Diaz Lopez (Spa) Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte 0:03:35
67 Claire Steels (GBr) Sopela Women’s Team 0:05:55
68 Carolina Esteban Fernandez (Spa) Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte
69 Lydia Iglesias Bares (Spa) Cronos-Casa Dorada 0:05:57
70 Vania Canvelli (Ita) Bepink
71 Mireia Benito Pellicer (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team
72 Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin (Can) Massi Tactic Women Team
73 Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
74 Emma Ortiz Bonilla (Spa) Sopela Women’s Team 0:06:21
75 Martina Moreno (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team 0:09:13
76 Ariana Gilabert Vilaplana (Spa) Bizkaia-Durango
77 Patricia Ortega Ruiz (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team
78 Laura Tenorio ((Spa) Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte 0:09:21
79 Elisabet Escursell Valero (Spa) Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte 0:00:04
DNF Iurani Blanco Calbet (Spa) Bizkaia-Durango
DNF Martin Gjøs (Nor) Hitec Products-Birk Sport
DNF Naia Amondarain Gaztañaga (Spa) Sopela Women’s Team
DNF Maria Banlles Santamaria (Spa) Sopela Women’s Team
DNS Wilma Olausson (Swe) Team Sunweb Women

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team Sunweb Women 2:00:01
2 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:00:05
3 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro 0:00:10
4 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women 0:00:15
5 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon-Sram Racing 0:00:18
6 Silvia Zanardi (Ita) Bepink 0:00:19
7 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-Sram Racing
8 Laura Asencio (Fra) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
9 Vittoria Guazzini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
10 Sarah Roy (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women
11 Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo Women
12 Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Trek-Segafredo Women
13 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott Women
14 Lucy Van der Haar (GBr) Hitec Products-Birk Sport
15 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Trek-Segafredo Women
16 Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
17 Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo Women
18 Giorgia Catarzi (Ita) Bepink
19 Christina Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
20 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Sunweb Women
21 Minke Bakker (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
22 Elizabeth Holden (GBr) Bizkaia-Durango
23 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
24 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women
25 Susana Perez Conejero (Spa) Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte
26 Camilla Alessio (Ita) Bepink
27 Sara Martin Martin (Spa) Sopela Women’s Team
28 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
29 Malgorzata Jasinska (Pol) Cronos-Casa Dorada
30 Christa Riffel (Ger) Canyon-Sram Racing
31 Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
32 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team Sunweb Women
33 Julie Leth (Den) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
34 Sandra Alonso Dominguez (Spa) Cronos-Casa Dorada
35 Urska Pintar (Slo) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
36 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
37 Rotem Gafinovitz (Isr) Canyon-Sram Racing
38 Hannah Ludwig (Ger) Canyon-Sram Racing
39 Georgia Williams (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott Women
40 Emilie Fortin (Can) Bizkaia-Durango
41 Rachel Neylan (Aus) Cronos-Casa Dorada
42 Simona Frapporti (Ita) Bepink
43 Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
44 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-Sram Racing
45 Julia Soek (Ned) Team Sunweb Women
46 Marieke de Groot (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
47 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Bepink
48 Mireia Trias Jordan (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team
49 Belen Lopez Morales (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team
50 Nicole Hanselmann (Swi) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
51 Marta Cavalli (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
52 Alessia Vigilia (Ita) Cronos-Casa Dorada
53 Barbara Malcotti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
54 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women
55 Katrine Aalerud (Nor) Movistar Team Women
56 Alba Teruel Ribes (Spa) Movistar Team Women
57 Sarah Rijkes (Aut) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
58 Lara Vieceli (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro
59 Mieke Kröger (Ger) Hitec Products-Birk Sport
60 Jessica Allen (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women
61 Jessica Roberts (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott Women
62 Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products-Birk Sport
63 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
64 Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
65 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott Women
66 Elisabet Escursell Valero (Spa) Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte
67 Paula Diaz Lopez (Spa) Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte 0:03:50
68 Claire Steels (GBr) Sopela Women’s Team 0:06:10
69 Carolina Esteban Fernandez (Spa) Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte
70 Lydia Iglesias Bares (Spa) Cronos-Casa Dorada 0:06:12
71 Vania Canvelli (Ita) Bepink
72 Mireia Benito Pellicer (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team
73 Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin (Can) Massi Tactic Women Team
74 Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
75 Emma Ortiz Bonilla (Spa) Sopela Women’s Team 0:06:36
76 Martina Moreno (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team 0:09:28
77 Ariana Gilabert Vilaplana (Spa) Bizkaia-Durango
78 Patricia Ortega Ruiz (Spa) Massi Tactic Women Team
79 Laura Tenorio ((Spa) Rio Miera-Cantabria Deporte 0:09:36