Chiara Consonni claimed her first victory of 2025 with a perfectly timed sprint in Zamość, taking stage 1 of the 2025 Tour de Pologne Women ahead of Clara Copponi and Kathrin Schweinberger. The Italian’s burst in the final 50 metres not only ended a 400-day win drought but also put her into both the race leader’s jersey and the intermediate sprints classification after a calculated, disciplined day from Canyon SRAM zondacrypto.
The 105.7km stage started and finished in Zamość, with early racing shaped by the undulating roads in the opening 30km. Several riders tried to escape, each attack gaining only a handful of seconds before being reeled back in. Human Powered Health’s Yurani Blanco was the most persistent, launching a solo move that stretched her advantage to just under a minute. The Spanish rider pressed on through rolling countryside, forcing the peloton to keep her within reach while Lidl-Trek and Canyon SRAM took up the responsibility of pacing.
Blanco’s effort was reeled in as the race approached the intermediate sprint in Szczebrzeszyn with 29km to go. Consonni, already targeting bonus seconds, emerged from the bunch to win the sprint and collect three valuable seconds for the general classification. Kathrin Schweinberger took second in the intermediate to keep herself in contention on GC.
From there, the race entered calmer territory. With only 610 metres of total climbing, the flat terrain encouraged a fast, tight peloton. A few lone accelerations came and went without sticking, the bunch clearly committed to a sprint finish. Canyon SRAM kept Consonni protected near the front, with Tiffany Cromwell and Emily Dixon doing early positioning work, and Zoe Backstedt, Maria Martins, and Agnieszka Skalniak preparing for the final lead-out.
The tension rose inside the last 10km as teams massed at the head of the race. Lidl-Trek, UAE Team ADQ, and Human Powered Health all fought for control of the wide, exposed roads leading into Zamość. With 5km to go, the pace ramped up further, the bunch strung out as riders jostled for position. The final kilometre began with a sweeping corner that proved decisive – Canyon SRAM lost a few places, leaving Consonni further back than planned.
“I think that in the last 2km, especially in the last 1km, I was a bit far back because we lost some positions in the final corner, but then I felt really good and I could jump back to the first group super easy,” she said afterwards.
Schweinberger, launched by Silvia Zanardi, was the first to open her sprint at 400 metres to go after latching onto UAE Team ADQ’s lead-out. Copponi came through next, but Consonni’s acceleration in the last 50 metres carried her clear, the Italian raising her arms as she crossed the line.
For Schweinberger, third place was a strong start after also collecting bonus seconds in the intermediate sprint. “We moved up with Wiktoria Pikulik, then it was Silvia and me, and we were flexible. We followed some wheels, led out ourselves, but constantly stayed together because we have a big trust in one another. It was not enough for first place, but I’m feeling good in my legs,” she said.
Stage 2 will keep the sprinters interested but adds a sting in the tail – a 500-metre, 5% climb over cobbles into Chełm’s old town. Consonni is aiming to defend her lead but hinted the team could switch tactics if needed. “We know we can play other cards with Aga or Zoe. If we arrive in another sprint, I will try to do my best and gain some seconds for the GC in the bonus sprints too.”
2025 Tour de Pologne Women Stage 1 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Thomas Maheux
