The first stage of the 2024 Tour de la Semois delivered a stunning victory for 18-year-old Cat Ferguson. Competing as a stagiaire for Movistar, Ferguson took her first professional win on the 110km course from Bohan to Vresse-sur-Semois, which featured nearly 2,000 metres of climbing. Despite her age, Ferguson held her own against seasoned riders, securing a triumph in just her third race for the team.
In the final 30km, the riders faced two ascents of the Col du Conrad, a 2.3km climb averaging 7.5%, with the second summit positioned just 14km from the finish. The challenging route caused significant splits throughout the day, with an elite group of 14 forming in the closing stages. Among them were riders like Maud Oudeman, Lieke Nooijen, and Elise Uijen, but the race would come down to a sprint between a select group of favourites.
Ferguson, who had already posted two top-10 finishes for Movistar, surprised many by launching a well-timed sprint. Reflecting on the race, she said, “The sprint was actually not so hard compared to the rest of the race, which was really tough. My teammates made it super easy for me.” It marked a landmark moment for the young Brit, building on her previous success at the recent GP Stuttgart (7th) and GP Fourmies Choralis (2nd).
Meanwhile, the Arkea-B&B Hotels team also had a strong showing. Maeva Squiban secured second place after a late breakaway attempt by team-mate Océane Mahé was reeled in by the peloton. Squiban expressed mixed feelings after the stage, commenting, “I came 2nd, which was good but also a bit frustrating. But there was no contest, I was beaten by stronger riders today.”
Squiban’s sports director, Grégoire Le Calvé, noted that a pivotal moment halfway through the race helped thin the bunch, with Arkea-B&B Hotels riders well-positioned. He remarked, “There was a power move in the peloton which helped to reduce it considerably. Maeva arrived for the win.” Despite missing out on the victory, the team remains optimistic for the final stage, with Le Calvé adding that they have “several cards up our sleeves” for the last day of racing.
Elise Uijen of Team dsm-firmenich PostNL had a solid performance, finishing 10th, with Francesca Barale just ahead in 7th. Barale reflected on the day, saying, “The parcours was up and down throughout. I think overall the teamwork was good as we were always in the front and in the right moves.” Although Barale just missed the podium, she noted that the team will approach the next stage with confidence, adding, “We were with the best on the climb, so we will give it our all again.”
2024 Tour de la Semois Stage 1 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Movistar Team
