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Despite windy conditions, the flat 73.4 kilometer/45 mile first stage of Tour of Chongming Island finished in a bunch sprint with Argos Shimano's Lucy Garner timing her sprint for the line just perfectly and claiming the stage victory.
This is the first professional victory for the 18-year-old.
Hitec Products’ Chloe Hosking was right behind her, taking second. Hosking, a former winner of this Tour, claimed the day's first intermediate sprint, earning three valuable bonus seconds and five sprint points which, combined with the six-second finish line time bonus and 12 sprint points, puts her in the green points jersey.
“It was a bit crazy coming into the finish,” stated Chloe. “The race was so short and really fast and it was the first stage so everyone was feeling really fresh. In the last few kilometres I was just trying to stay in the best possible position and out of trouble."
Russian Oksana Kozonchuk took third, Emma Johansson, fourth and Shelley Olds, fifth.
The second stage taking place today is 113.7 km/70 miles on more flat and windy terrain.