Team Earns V-TdF's First White Jersey, Sits Second on GC
Cotè finishes second in opening stage, Doebel-Hickok 10th.
A brilliant performance in the sprint finale on stage 1 of the Virtual Tour de France saw Pier-André Coté snatching second place, putting Rally Cycling into the lead of the white jersey classification for best young rider, as well as securing second in the yellow jersey classification for best overall team.
Not content with having one rider in the top 10, the team managed to place Matteo Dal-Cin in seventh, with his points adding to Coté's in the race for the maillot jaune.
Coté, a former Canadian national criterium champ, was spend after the stage.
"That was, without a doubt, the most intense race I have ever done, indoor or outdoor. Flat out from start to finish. I was excited to get over the last climb and knew I could sprint far back since the speed was so high."
Practice makes perfect, the men's team takes fully advantage of their numbers in the front group.
Virtual racing experience paid off once again for the young Canadian.
"I left until 250 meters to go, where a lot of others went at about 400 - allowing me to pass quite a few. I'm delighted that we're in the white jersey and second in the yellow classification. We knew stacking guys in the front was the way to go!"
Ryan Gibbons (NTT Pro Cycling) won the stage, with Nick Schultz (Mitchelton-Scott) in third.
Rally Cycling was one of only a few teams that remained fully intact following the final KOM climb.
Krista Doebel-Hickok held up for a top 10 after a "tough" first stage of the women's Virtual Tour. Leigh Ann Ganzar followed up with 14th.
"Welcome to Zwift racing with some of the strongest riders in the world," said Doebel-Hickok. "There is no 'sitting in' option when you're in the lead group of an elite Zwift race. I'm ready for stage two!"
April Tracey won the finishing sprint in the women's finale and secured the race's first yellow jersey for Drops Cycling.
Rally Cycling's Virtual Tour de France Primer:
Check out our men's and women's rosters
How to watch and stream the Virtual Tour live
What is Virtual Racing?
Men's Stage 1 results
1. Ryan Gibbons (RSA) NTT Pro Cycling 45:17
2. Pier-André Coté (CAN) Rally Cycling
3. Nick Schultz (AUS) Mitchelton-Scott
4. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin Fenix
5. Freddy Ovett (USA) Israel Startup Nation
6. Edvald Boasson-Hagen (NOR) NTT Pro Cycling
7. Matteo Dal-Cin (CAN) Rally Cycling
8. Harry Sweeney (AUS) Lotto Soudal
9. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) CCC Team
10. MIchal Kwiatkowski (POL) Team INEOS
Women's Stage 1 results
1. April Tracey (GBr) Drops Cycling 51:07
2. Kristen Faulkner (USA) TIBCO-SVB
3. Chantal Blaak (NED) Boels Dolmans
4. Leah Dixon (GBR) TIBCO-SVB
5. Chloe Dygert (USA) Sho-Air TWENTY20
6. Tanja Erath (GER) Canyon SRAM
7. Hannah Ludwig (GER) Canyon SRAM
8. Jos Lowden (GBR) Drops Cycling
9. Jess Pratt (AUS) Canyon SRAM
10. Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Rally Cycling
Men's Yellow Jersey Classification
1. NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM 80
2. RALLY CYCLING 79
3. ALPECIN - FENIX 72
4. MITCHELTON - SCOTT 35
5. CCC TEAM 31
6. ISRAEL START - UP NATION 27
7. LOTTO SOUDAL 21
8. TEAM INEOS 17
9. CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT 11
10. AG2R LA MONDIALE 10
Men's Best Young Rider Classification
1. RALLY CYCLING 10
2. ALPECIN - FENIX 9
3. LOTTO SOUDAL 8
4. NTT 7
5. TREK - SEGAFREDO 6
6. COFIDIS 5
7. TEAM INEOS 4
8. GROUPAMA - FDJ 3
9. BORA - HANSGROHE 2
10. AG2R LA MONDIALE 1
