Ellen van Dijk, the three-time individual-time trial World Champion from Lidl-Trek, showcased her prowess once again in the opening stage of the Tour de Normandie Féminin. The 10.3km time trial around Bagnoles-de-l’Orne saw van Dijk secure both the stage victory and the coveted leader’s jersey.
Returning to competition after giving birth just a few months ago, van Dijk proved unstoppable, completing the course with an impressive average speed of over 45.6 km/h. Her time of 13:32 firmly placed her in the lead, 19 seconds ahead of her closest competitor, Riejanne Markus from Team Visma | Lease a Bike, whose teammate Lieke Nooijen was also 3rd on 24 seconds.
The challenging course, featuring technical turns and a sharp climb, did little to deter van Dijk, who demonstrated her exceptional form and skill on the time trial bike. Her victory sets a strong tone for the rest of the race and establishes her as a formidable contender for the overall title. Even with bonus seconds at intermediate sprints and for stage wins, it will be tough to close the gap without distancing Van Dijk somehow.
Despite strong performances from other riders, including French time trial champion Cédrine Kerbaol, who finished sixth, van Dijk’s dominance was evident throughout the stage. With three more stages to come, including a challenging route from Le Neubourge to Pavilly, van Dijk is poised to maintain her lead and continue her impressive run in the Tour de Normandie Féminin so far.
2024 Tour de Normandie Féminin Stage 1 result
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