The opening stage of the 2024 Tour de Romandie Féminin kicked off with a 133.8 km route from La Grande Béroche to Lausanne, featuring rolling hills and several third-category climbs. The early part of the race was marked by a series of attempted breakaways, none of which managed to stick, with the peloton remaining tightly bunched for most of the stage. UAE Team Emirates’ Elizabeth Holden and Christine Majerus of Luxembourg were among those trying their luck in the final 14 kilometres, but their efforts were brought back by the chasing group.
As the race entered the final stretch, it was clear the day would be decided in an uphill bunch sprint. World Champion Lotte Kopecky, supported by her SD Worx teammates, appeared to be in control. Demi Vollering, last year’s overall winner, set a fierce pace on the final kilometre climb, positioning Kopecky perfectly for the sprint. The Belgian launched her attack early, hoping to hold off the competition, but Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) followed closely on her wheel and powered past her in the final metres to claim the stage win.
Kopecky acknowledged her miscalculation after the race, admitting, “I launched my sprint early, and Elisa was able to follow and pass me right at the end.” Liane Lippert of Movistar took third place, finishing just behind Kopecky.
Swiss rider Noemi Rüegg delivered a standout performance, finishing in fourth place. The 23-year-old stayed with the lead group and showed her strength on home soil, building on her impressive results from the Paris Olympics road race.
Despite multiple attempts to break away, the peloton remained under control, with the major teams keen to set up their sprinters for the finish. “The plan was to set a hard pace on the final climb to give Lotte the best shot at victory,” said SD Worx’s sports manager, Danny Stam. “We executed well but unfortunately came up short.”
Photo Credit: GettyWith her victory, Balsamo takes the overall lead going into Saturday’s second stage, which features a much tougher challenge for the climbers. The decisive day will see the riders tackle a 10 km ascent to Vercorin, which could have a significant impact on the general classification.
Stam was already looking ahead to stage two, saying, “Tomorrow is a very different day. We will be focusing on Demi [Vollering] to make the difference on the final climb.”
2024 Tour de Romandie Féminin result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Pascal Muller/Freshfocus
