Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) was the fastest in the 3.1km prologue that opened the Baloise Ladies Tour on Wednesday in Yerseke.
The 20-year-old covered the distance with a winning time of 00:04.06, beating Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) and Charlotte Kool (Picnic PostNL) by one second to take the stage win and the event's first leader's jersey.
The Baloise Ladies Tour is a six-stage race held over five days from July 16 to 20. The event kicked off with a 3.1km prologue in Yerseke, treating the peloton to a pan-flat and fast race against the clock to determine the stage winner and first overall leader.
Femke Markus (SD Worx-Protime) set the early benchmark covering the course with a time of 4.11, and only a fraction of a second faster than her teammate Barbara Guarischi.
Other mid-race fast times were posted by Rachele Barbieri (Picnic PostNL), Sophie von Berswordt (Visma-Lease a Bike), Elizabeth Holden (UAE Team ADQ) and Ava Holmgren (Lidl-Trek), all within a second of Markus.
As the time trial progressed, Martina Findaza (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Lidl-Trek) crossed the finish line with times fast enough to slot into the top 10.
But closer to the end of the event, it was Margaux Vigié (Visma-Lease a Bike), who was the first rider to break through Markus' early benchmark with a new fastest time.
Her time in the hot seat was short-lived, however, as Bäckstedt raced through six seconds faster.
Then came Van Dijk and Kool, Marthe Goossens (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Marie Schreiber (SD Worx-Protime), all slotting in just behind Bäckstedt in the top five.
Bäckstedt will lead the Baloise Ladies Tour into stage 1's 127.2km from Jabbeke to Knokke-Heist on Thursday.
Results
Pos. |
Rider (Team) |
Time |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) |
00:04:06 |
2 |
Ellen Van Dijk (Lidl-Trekl) |
00:00:01 |
3 |
Charlotte Kool (Picnic-PostNL) |
|
4 |
Marie Schreiber (SD Worx-Protime) |
00:00:04 |
5 |
Marthe Goossens (AG Insurance-Soudal Team) |
00:00:05 |
6 |
Margaux Vigié (Visma-Lease a Bike) |
00:00:06 |
7 |
Femke Markus (SD Worx-Protime) |
00:00:08 |
8 |
Barbara Guarischi (SD Worx-Protime) |
|
9 |
Fien van Eynde (Fenix-Deceuninck) |
00:00:09 |
10 |
Martina Fidanza (Visma-Lease a Bike) |
