Hosking sprints to stage and GC lead in Chongming

Canberran Chloe Hosking (Wiggle High5) sprinted to the Stage 2 victory in the Tour of Chongming Island. Alongside time bonuses gained in the intermediate sprints, the victory has catapulted her into the general classification lead with one stage remaining.

Chloe Hosking (Wiggle High5) celebrates after Stage 2 at the Tour of Chongming Island Source: Velofocus

The 25-year-old Australian opened her sprint early, but was able to kick again to hold off the challenge from Canadian Leah Kirchmann (Liv-Plantur) by half a bike length at the finish line. Jip van den Bos (Parkhotel Valkenburg) finished third at the end of a complicated stage that saw the peloton split several times.

“Today was a very different day from yesterday,” Hosking said. “It was windy and the course was a lot more technical which was a lot a better for our team so we wanted to take full advantage of that.

“We had highlighted a point about 15km from the finish line where we knew there would be crosswinds but as it turned out Liv-Plantur hit it about 20km earlier and totally shattered the peloton catching out a lot of the main general classification riders.

“Dani [King] and I were there and rolled with them but it all came back together which was a bummer but I do think it took a bit of sting out of the peloton’s legs.”

Hosking finished third on stage one citing bad legs but felt stronger from the gun on Stage 2.

“It sounds stupid but as soon as the race started I just had a good feeling in my legs so I went for both intermediate sprints and picked up five of the maximum six bonus seconds on offer. That was a big confidence boost,” she said.

With a more technical course than the previous day’s wide, straight boulevards, the stronger teams in the race were able to put more pressure on the peloton to split up the race.

“In the final I was sort of just surfing trains between Alé-Cipollini and Liv and just went at the right moment. With the downhill sprint I knew that I could start my sprint a bit earlier and it paid off,” said Hosking.

“I'm so pleased to get the win today for the team but there's still one more day to go.”

For Hosking the victory was all the sweeter for personal reasons too. Just as Lucy Garner had been able to race to the podium in front of her parents in the Tour de Yorkshire the previous week, the Australian had a special fan of her own in the crowd this time.

“Mum is here watching so it’s fantastic to win with her here,” she said. “I mean, Australia’s just a short 13-hour flight away, so how could she miss it?”