Friday, March 29, 2024

2019 Tour de Yorkshire – Stage 1; Asselman Takes a Surprise Win in Selby

-

HomeRaceRace Reviews2019 Tour de Yorkshire - Stage 1; Asselman Takes a Surprise Win...

The wet weather didn’t dampen the spirits on the opening stage of the 2019 Tour de Yorkshire as Jesper Asselman sprinted to a dramatic breakaway victory in Selby.

The riders received a warm welcome in Doncaster’s Market Place at the start of the day and continued to be cheered along by the sizeable crowds who braved the elements to see the world’s best riders in action.

The towns and villages along the 182.5km route turned out in force with 160,000 people in attendance according to police figures. Many were waving flags and banners, and yellow and blue bunting was hanging everywhere.

2019 Tour de Yorkshire
Jesper Asselman takes the win. Photo©SWPix.com

Six riders forged ahead in the breakaway and Jacob Bingham (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes) was the first rider to crest the Cote de Baggaby Hill, earning him a spell in the best climber’s jersey sponsored by LNER.

Once that prize had been decided, the escapes continued to work well together and Dan Bigham was voted the most active rider via a live poll at @letouryorkshire. That means the Ribble Pro Cycling rider will wear the grey jersey sponsored by Dimension Data in Friday’s stage from Barnsley to Bedale.

2019 Tour de Yorkshire
Dan Bigham. Photo©SWPix.com

Fearing a repeat of Harry Tanfield’s breakaway win on the opening stage last year, the peloton kept the break on a relatively tight leash but history was to repeat itself as the frontrunners once again evaded their pursuers.

Asselman picked the right line in the last 100m and unleashed an unstoppable sprint to take the stage win in front of the magnificent Selby Abbey, which is celebrating its 950th anniversary this year. Flippo Fortin (Cofidis) took second place with Jonas Van Genechten (Vital Concept – B&B Hotels) in third.

2019 Tour de Yorkshire
Team Inios enjoy the British summertime. Photo©SWPix.com

That victory meant that Asselman took control of the blue leader’s jersey sponsored by Yorkshire Bank and bonus seconds accrued at the line saw him open a four-second lead at the top of the general classification. The Roompot – Charles rider tops the points classification but Fortini will wear the green jersey sponsored by Asda on Friday as he sits second in that competition.

2019 Tour de Yorkshire
Photo©SWPix.com

After the stage Welcome to Yorkshire Commercial Director Peter Dodd said:

“It’s been a fantastic day. Christian [Prudhomme] and I were blown away by the creativity communities showed to celebrate the race. We saw painted cows and sheep, miles of banners and bunting, and the thousands of schoolchildren lining the route to give an extra special reception.

“Yes, it’s been damp weather but that didn’t dampen the Yorkshire spirit and fantastic images of the county have being broadcast right around the world.

“The shops and eateries offered protection from the rain and looked absolutely packed as we drove through, and I’m sure Doncaster’s fantastic new Market Place must have experienced their busiest day ever. The Tour de Yorkshire is Yorkshire’s greatest street party we’re delighted to see everyone getting involved.

“The racing was really exciting too and no-one knew if the peloton would catch that breakaway. It hung in the balance right until the end making it another classic finish. It sets up the next three stages nicely now and we’re looking forward to seeing what Barnsley to Bedale delivers us.

“Of course, the Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race will add another brilliant sporting contest and we look forward to welcoming even more of the world’s best riders.”

2019 Tour de Yorkshire
Jesper Asselman. Photo©SWPix.com

Stage winner and race leader Jesper Asselman said:

“This is definitely the biggest victory of my career and I still can’t believe it. It’s really awesome and I will never forget today.

“The plan was to get in the break and go for the best climber’s jersey. On the climb I had no explosivity in my legs though so I was angry. I kept pushing out of frustration but I thought we’d get caught because the gap was going down really fast in the last 50km.

We kept riding really hard and everyone worked well together. In the last few kilometres I realised it might be possible and gambled to start my sprint at the right moment. I went full gas and looked under my elbow near the line and saw there was a big gap behind and I couldn’t believe I was going to win.

“We are really happy with this result and it was a beautiful victory. Now let’s see what happens about defending the leader’s jersey. The last day looks really tough but maybe this jersey will give me an extra boost.

“Yorkshire is an awesome place to ride your bike and the fans are always incredible. It’s fantastic that they came out in this weather and it gives you goosebumps to ride through crowds like that. It’s really cool to be here – like being in one of the Classics or the Grand Tours – the public are so enthusiastic. I will never forget today.”

2019 Tour de Yorkshire
Photo©SWPix.com

Brief Results

  1. Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot-Charles 4:05:4
  2. Filippo Fortin (Ita) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
  3. Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel
  4. Boy van Poppel (Ned) Roompot-Charles
  5. Gabriel Cullaigh (GBr) Team Wiggins Lecol

General Classification after stage one

  1. Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot-Charles 4:05:34
  2. Filippo Fortin (Ita) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:00:05
  3. Jacob Hennessy (GBr) Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes
  4. Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept-B&B Hotel 0:00:07
  5. Kevin Vermaerke (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
2019 Tour de Yorkshire
Photo©SWPix.com

Full results and information on the Tour de Yorkshire and Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race can be found at letouryorkshire.com

Martin Williamson
Martin Williamson
Martin is our Editor and web site Designer/Manager. He concentrates on photography. He's been involved in cycle racing for over four decades and raced for much of that time, having a varied career which included time trials, road and track racing - and triathlons. Martin has been the Scottish 25 Mile TT and 100 Mile TT Champion, the British Points Race League Champion on the track, and he won a few time trials in his day, particularly hilly ones like the Tour de Trossachs and the Meldons MTT.

Related Articles

Giro d’Italia 2012 – Stage 5: Modena – Fano 199km. Cav is back!

I have to be careful with this one. Cav: I think I might be turning in to a fan here in Modena! There! - I've said it. To take his first stage, he had to display coolness, decisiveness and pure speed...

La Vuelta a España 2014 – Stage 16; San Martin del Rey Aurelio – La Farrapona, 158.8 km. Alberto Contador From Froome

My son reckons he’s on something and will, ‘get caught; there’s no way he could break his leg in the Tour and then be as strong as he is... Let’s hope (and pray) not; but my perspective is different – I think Alberto Contador is one of the greatest stage racers the world has ever seen and as such you can’t compare him to lesser mortals. People forget that Contador has been as close to death as a man can get and still survive.

Le Tour de France 2014 – Stage 3; Cambridge – London, 159 km. Kittel’s Second

Two riders away all day from kilometre zero, they get caught with six K to go, Giant dominates the finale, Kittel wins. And that was that – but ah, yes, it did rain for the finish. I guess the boys deserve a bit of R & R after yesterday’s mini-Ardennes death race - but a two man break holding the 194 man peloton off until they could almost hear the finish flag flapping? But as they say in the USA; ‘KUDOS’ to Bideau and Barta showing those Pro Tour wheels suckers how it’s done.

Le Tour de France 2009 – Stage 3: Marseille > La Grande-Motte, 196.5km

Mark Cavendish soared to his second straight win in the Tour de France today to La Grande-Motte, winning the sprint from a small bunch and strengthening his overall hold on the green jersey.

At Random

Kuurne Brussels Kuurne 2012

From the point that his Sky Procycling teammates took up station on the front of the peloton with 60km to go in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, Mark Cavendish never looked like losing today, and so it proved as he swept to an easy bunch sprint win over FDJ-Big Mat's Yauheni Hutarovich with Vacansoleil-DCM's Kenny Van Hummel in third.

Le Tour de France 2010, Stage 13: Rodez-Revel; Vino’s Day

Bonjour from Le Tour de France in Rodez-Revel! Vino - he's a boy. Born 16-09-1973 in Petropavlosk, he was a stagiere with Casino in 1997; he won the Dunkirk Four Day in his first full season and finished that year with six wins - an impressive debut.

Iljo Keisse’s Most Exciting Finalé!

The end game of stage seven of the Presidential Tour of Turkey saw a break of seven riders clear with six kilometres to go. Despite their lead plummeting as an angry peloton closed them down, there were riders skiving and scheming. One man was having none of it and with just over five kilometres to go he bolted – Iljo Keisse.

Our Time in Belgium, by Norman Gower

One of VeloVeritas’ functions it seems is unlocking the memories of those stalwarts – like our own mentor and soothsayer, Viktor and indeed, our editor Martin - who beat a path in the 70’s and 80’s to the legendary Mrs. Deene’s boarding house in Gent (and later in Zomergem) to show those Belgies how it should be done. The latest epistle which came our way was from Norman Gower.