The stage winner Marta Lach (C) of Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team, second-placed Scarlett Souren (L) of Volkerwessels Women's Pro Cycling Team and third-placed Sofie van Rooijen of Volkerwessels Women's Pro Cycling Team celebrate during the awarding ceremony after the 3rd stage of the 2024 Tour of Chongming Island in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 17, 2024. (Photo by Chen Haoming/Xinhua)
SHANGHAI, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Poland's Marta Lach from the Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team clinched the first place in the second stage of the 2024 Tour of Chongming Island on Wednesday.
Lach clocked a winning time of three hours, 23 minutes and five seconds in the stage which saw Ceratizit-WNT riders sweep the podium. Dutch rider Mylene de Zoete, winner of Tuesday's first stage, came in second and retained her yellow jersey. The third place went to Austria's Kathrin Schweinberger.
"I told Marta at least we tried to be one and two. I asked her to pass me because I don't care if we could do that, the order doesn't matter," said De Zoete.
"In the last 400 meters she did and she was still fast, and I saw that it was like just the three of us in the world. It was an amazing result indeed," she added.
Covering a total distance of 129 kilometers, the second stage started from the Changxing Island Country Park and ended at the Chongming Xincheng Park. Cyclists raced through the Shanghai Yangtze River Bridge with the highest climbing point of nearly 70 meters.
For Lach, the track of the second stage is "a bit harder" compared to that of the first stage. "But we like it more for sure, because three of us were on the podium. Everything depends on the pace of the race. This was similar," she said.
The third stage will take place on Thursday, featuring a circuit race which covers 111.4 kilometers. ■
Cyclists ride to the finish line during the 3rd stage of the 2024 Tour of Chongming Island in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 17, 2024. (Photo by Chen Haoming/Xinhua)
Cyclists compete during the 3rd stage of the 2024 Tour of Chongming Island in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 17, 2024. (Photo by Chen Haoming/Xinhua)
Cyclists start during the 3rd stage of the 2024 Tour of Chongming Island in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 17, 2024. (Photo by Chen Haoming/Xinhua)
