Team News: Madison Genesis at Normandie

The riders in British UCI team Madison Genesis battle the cross winds as the opening stage of the 2019 Tour de Normandie in France lived up to its billing of a tough stage race.

Team News: Madison Genesis at Normandie

The team’s Connor Swift (British RR Champion), Joey Walker and Mike Cuming finished in the lead group of 96 riders, having survived a fractious first day in the north of France. The sun was out and the temperatures pleasant, but it was an invisible enemy making for a tough 159 kilometres of racing.

As the early breakaway was caught, the race was torn apart, with the peloton in several groups. Swift and Cuming made it into the front group of 40-riders and between them were marking key moves on the finishing circuit, however with two of four short laps complete, the wind relented. This allowed some riders – including Joey Walker – to rejoin the main group, for a sprint finish in Le Neubeorg, where Swift chose to play it safe.

Connor Swift: “The way the final went, it was like you needed nine lives, so I kept it safe and saved it for another day. The way the race was going, we were expecting a smaller group to go clear, but the wind backed off in the last couple of laps and instead of getting really decisive, everything came back together. But overall, I am happy with the legs. It’s good to be back in the bunch getting used to the twitchiness and guys attacking. And of course I was happy to make the front splits.”

Swift, Walker and Cuming finished on the same time as the stage winner, with Rowsell and Handley in the second group, 25-seconds back. The Tour de Normandie continues with stage two heading inland, with 169.5km to Forges Les Eaux over similar relentless terrain.

Result: 2019 Tour de Normandie – stage one

1. Nicolai Brochner Riwal Readynez Cycling Team 3:49.47

38. Connor Swift Madison Genesis st
87. Joey Walker Madison Genesis st
92. Mike Cuming Madison Genesis st
111. Rich Handley Madison Genesis +0:00.25
113. Erick Rowsell Madison Genesis +0:00.25
121. Johnny McEvoy Madison Genesis +0:01.34