Silvia Zanardi sprinted to ninth place on stage 1 of Vuelta a Burgos, scoring her second WorldTour top-ten finish this month in the 127 km opening stage from Burgos back to Burgos (Gamonal).
With Marit Raaijmakers and Titia Ryo also finishing inside the top 30, Human Powered Health heads into stage 2 at the top of the team standings.
“I’m happy, but I know I can do better than this,” the 26-year-old said afterwards. “I did a great sprint in the last two kilometers to gain positions behind Katia, and then entered the last corner well. I tried to do my best, but I lost a few positions instead of gaining them.”
After an uneventful start, stage 1 was earmarked for a bunch sprint. Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx – Protime) came away the winner with Zanardi sprinting among the chasers.
This result continues Zanardi’s form in WorldTour sprints, as she finished tenth on stage 5 of the Vuelta a España Femenina, but today’s experience leaves her with room to grow and improve in the coming days.
She is backed up by Raaijmakers, Ryo, Petra Stiasny, Yurani Blanco, and Katia Ragusa in the four-day race in Spain’s Castile and León region.
“My teammates were all great,” says Zanardi. “We were always close, and I’m really proud of the work they did for me. We’ll definitely try again tomorrow.”
Elsewhere, climber Stiasny stayed safe within the peloton, her eyes firmly set on the hillier stages to come.
Tomorrow’s stage could follow a similar playbook. There are no categorized climbs on stage 2, but the finish does provide a sting in the tail with the race taking in a circuit around Bodega Viña Pedrosa. Pedrosa de Duero before a final kick to the line. It’s not a very technical run-in, but it is only on a two-lane road, so sprinting space may be at a premium.
Vuelta a Burgos stage 1 results
1 WIEBES Lorena – Team SD Worx – Protime 3:14:41
2 CONSONNI Chiara – CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto ”
3 BAKER Georgia – Liv AlUla Jayco ”
4 VIGIÉ Margaux – Team Visma | Lease a Bike ”
5 BOSSUYT Shari – AG Insurance – Soudal Team ”
6 JASTRAB Megan – UAE Team ADQ ”
7 TONETTI Cristina – Laboral Kutxa – Fundación Euskadi ”
8 ANDERSEN Susanne – Uno-X Mobility ”
9 ZANARDI Silvia – Human Powered Health ”
10 WOLLASTON Ally – FDJ United – SUEZ ”
Stage Gallery
Photos: GettySport and HPHCycling
