Skylar Schneider (L39ION of LA) won the first stage of Joe Martin for the second time in her career (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)Women's classification jerseys: Sarah Van Dam (DNA Pro Cycling) in the best young rider's jersey and Skylar Schneider (L39ION of LA) in the Leaders, Sprint, and QOM jerseys (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
The women's peloton hits KM 0 and beings to race in earnest (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)Other than a few short-lived attacks, the women's peloton stayed together during the first half of the race. (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)Emily Marcolini (ROXO Racing) was the most aggressive rider on the way to Devil's Den, attacking solo and building a bit of a lead (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)The field held pretty much together until the final 1KM of the climb out of Devil's Den when cracks and gaps started to form. (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)It was significantly hotter and in the afternoon for the women's race, the feed zone was full of people handing up ice socks (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)The two groups of five that separated from the rest of the field over the KOM came together to form a break of 10 by the time they got back to I-49 (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)A rolling enclosure brings oncoming traffic to a stop but can not make it disappear entirely (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)Defending champion and current National Champion Emma Langley (EF Education - Tibco - SVB) was one of 10 riders in the break that formed coming out of Devil's Den (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)A diminished peloton caught the break before the sprint point and stayed together until a significant crash with 2km to go. The stage was classified as a sprint finish so the 3KM rule was in effect and all riders caught up in the crash the bunch time (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)Clara Honsinger (EF Education - Tibco - SVB), Emily Newsom (ROXO Racing), and Leah Kirchman (Denver Disruptors) lead the field through West Fork (Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Skylar Schneider (L39ION of Los Angeles) won stage 1’s Arkansas Tourism Devil's Den Road Race and earned the first pink leader’s jersey for pro women at the Walmart Joe Martin Stage Race on Thursday.
The sunny and warm conditions continued after the pro men’s road race as 115 pro women began the 109.2km (67.8 mile) stage 1, the first of four days of the UCI Americas Tour event, but it was a crash-marred final 3km before the sprint to the line.
“I didn’t know there was a crash, so I hope everyone's okay. It’s a really dicey final. I think notoriously this finish usually has something bad happen, so we stayed in the front to try and stay safe,” said Schneider after claiming the victory. “It’s probably one of the fastest sprints we do the whole year because of the downhill run-in, but for me, it was just staying calm and giving it my best shot.”
Her best shot took her over the line ahead of Sarah Van Dam (DNA Pro Cycling) and Marlies Mejias (UCI Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY24), and she had also collected bonuses on the way to the finish line.
The route provided the first Queen of the Mountain points of the race in the first half, with 67.8 miles (109.2km) to go, a 3-mile switchback climb with an average gradient of 8%.
Schneider took full points over the top of the ascent ahead of Cynisca Cycling's Emilie Fortin and Alia Shafi (Fount Cycling Guild).
The field was back together as the race headed toward the one intermediate sprint with 23.6 miles (38km) to go. The sprint offered three bonus seconds for the first rider. Bonus seconds were also on offer at the finish line.
Schneider also won the intermediate sprint ahead of Lauren Stephens (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) and Galen Bolard (3T).
