The Tour de Suisse Women got underway today with a demanding opening stage starting from Sondrio, Italy. Over a challenging 109.3-kilometre route, Italian champion Elisa Longo Borghini delivered a solid performance to secure a top-10 finish for UAE Team ADQ.
The race was animated by a strong 12-rider breakaway that included Dutch rider Karlijn Swinkels. The group established itself during the second half of the stage and played a decisive role in shaping the outcome. Eventually, Femke de Vries (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Lauren Dickson (FDJ-SUEZ) emerged from the break and stayed clear all the way to the finish, where De Vries sprinted to victory and claimed the first leader’s jersey of the Swiss race.
Behind them, Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) bridged across to the first chasing group before launching an attack on the descent to take third place, 28 seconds behind the stage winner.
Among the general classification contenders, the decisive action came on the final major climb. Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM) increased the pace, with Longo Borghini responding strongly and remaining on the Polish rider’s wheel. Only in the final section of the ascent did the Italian champion lose a few metres, while Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team) managed to rejoin the group. The leading favourites then battled for the remaining top-10 positions, with Longo Borghini crossing the line in seventh place.
After the opening stage, Longo Borghini sits 48 seconds behind stage winner De Vries in the general classification.
The race continues tomorrow with Stage 2 in Locarno, covering 105.6 kilometres.
(ph. Getty Sport)
