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Drawbridge ends breakaway’s chance at Ladies Tour of Norway

Leah Kirchmann and three breakaway companions absorbed by peloton while stopped

August 21, 2017
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Sprinter Chloe Hosking (Alé Cipollini) won Stage 2 of the Ladies Tour of Norway on Saturday but the race did not unfold without incident. The day’s breakaway, which held around a 30-second gap over the peloton with 5 km to race, was held up when a draw bridge on route went up stopping the four riders progress. In that group was Canadian Leah Kirchmann (Team Sunweb), Katarzyna Pawlowska, Rossella Ratto and Mieke Kröger. When the draw bridge was lifted the racing resumed with the riders reabsorbed in the peloton.

The four-women breakaway escaped on the 140-km stage after another early move that went after the intermediate sprint was brought back. The breakaway containing Kirchmann gained a maximum advantage of 50 seconds but were halted with 5-km to go on the stage that took the peloton from Sarpsborg to Fredrikstad. The four riders looked poised to contest the win but the race was neutralized to allow a boat to pace under the drawbridge. When the stage resumed the race was back together as the four riders held less than 30 seconds on the peloton.

Organizers said that the bridge was scheduled to stay open to allow the race to pass but as the race was slower than expected the riders reached the bridge approximately 15-seconds too late. The bridge lifted to allow waiting boats to pass through while the riders had to wait.

When the race concluded on Sunday Marianne Vos, who finished second behind Hosking on Stage 2, took the general classification victory. Kirchmann’s Team Sunweb topped the team classification while Kirchmann’s teammate Ellen van Dijk was third overall.