Olivia Baril wins Stage 1 of the Vuelta Extremadura Féminas
Quebec rider has company on the podium with Movistar teammate Meijering in third
Photo by:
Avituallamiento Ciclista @EVTMO_
Rouyn-Noranda’s Olivia Baril took a big win on the opening stage of the Vuelta Extremadura Féminas in Spain on Friday. The first day of competition at the three-day stage race was 91.7km from Nuñomoral Coria with 1051 m of climbing. The Canadian put two seconds into Australian Brodie Chapman (Lidl – Trek) with her teammate Mareille Meijering coming in third.
🏆 Victoria de Olivia Baril en la 1ª etapa de la Vuelta a Extremadura
👊 La ciclista del Movistar Team ha logrado imponerse al grupo en los últimos metros#EsenciaCiclista #OliviaBaril #MovistarTeam pic.twitter.com/huHJ3tgUvO
— Esencia Ciclista (@EsenciaCiclista) March 8, 2024
Baril transferred to Movistar for 2024 from WorldTeam UAE-Team ADQ after a year with Continental team Valcar-Travel & Service. She had a great 2023, taking two of her three career victories this season. That included repeating as champion of the 1.1-rated, one-day Spanish race Gran Premio Ciudad de Eibar. She also took a stage of the 2.1-rated Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche on her way to fourth on GC.
As far as WorldTour races, Olivia came fourth in Itzulia Women, sixth in the Tour of Scandinavia, 11th in the Tour de Suisse Women and 29th in the Tour de France Femmes.
Saturday’s second stage is 96.6 km from Trujillo Pico Villuercas. It has a summit finish, which is great for Baril, given her climbing prowess. The final stage is a 17.2-km flat TT.
