As the women’s season draws to a close, every second counts in the three flat stages of the Tour of Chongming Island. Lorena Wiebes has already won the first stage, whilst her rivals are looking to find that crucial gap in the final sprint.
The Tour of Chongming Island is the final Women’s WorldTour race of the year and the only one taking place in October. The Tour de Romandie and the Tour of Guangxi have been cancelled, making Chongming the last opportunity of the season to compete on cycling’s biggest stage. The race runs from 9 to 11 October, with the first stage already completed. As expected, Lorena Wiebes took the win ahead of Clara Copponi, whilst Kathrin Schweinberger finished tenth.
Flat, but not without suspense
There are no geographical challenges on the island in the Yangtze estuary; this is where the sprinters will make the difference. The three stages cover 110.4, 129.4 and 108.6 kilometres. According to the organisers, the stage through the east of the island is 129.4 kilometres long. The wind can also play a role along the coast. Seconds are crucial, as there are two intermediate sprints on each stage. Just how close the competition can be was demonstrated in 2025, when Anne Knijnenburg won the general classification by a margin of just one second.
The undisputed favourite at the Tour of Chongming Island
Wiebes is the clear favourite. In 2019, aged 20, she won all three stages and the overall classification; this year, she claimed the Green Jersey at the Tour de France Femmes and numerous major victories. Recently, there have been hardly any close sprints; the Dutch rider dominates her rivals at will. Nevertheless, there remains a slim chance of an upset due to poor positioning or other unforeseen factors.
Clara Copponi, who finished second on Stage 1, could benefit from this. Behind her, Lara Gillespie and Maggie Coles-Lyster are hot on her heels. Kathrin Schweinberger can also hope to improve her position in the general classification. Having finished tenth on the first stage, she is not far off the top places, and in this stage race, every second counts. Nevertheless, everything points to an overall victory for Wiebes at the Tour of Chongming Island.
Leon Weidner
Editor
