Heavy rain causes unsafe areas of standing water on route
Team Scotland will be led by captain Katie Archibald at the 2019 Women's Tour of Scotland (Image credit: Women's Tour of Scotland)
Organisers of the inaugural Women's Tour of Scotland were forced to cancel the opening stage due to extreme weather conditions on Friday. Heavy rainfall in the area caused sections of standing water on the course, and after consulting with local authorities, organisers made the decision to stop the race at the halfway point between Dundee and Dunfermline.
"Due to extreme weather conditions we have taken the unfortunate decision together with Police Scotland and the other relevant authorities to abandon today's stage," organiswer confirmed on Twitter.
"Conditions have proven impossible due to heavy sections of standing water. Rider safety is therefore paramount and conditions were no longer safe to continue."
Friday's stage 1 started in Dundee with a 103km route to Dunfermline. The riders crossed Tay Road Bridge, into Fife, with a sprint in Cupar followed by the race's first classified climb at Grange of Lindores. There were two more sprints in Falkland and Leslie ahead of the second climb on Cleish Hill before the finish in Pittencrief Park.
The peloton lined up and started the race under heavy rain in Dundee. The riders were all together approaching the first intermediate sprint in Cuper with Marjolien Van 't Geloof (Ale Cipollini) taking top points ahead of Leah Thomas (Bigla) and Dani Christmas (Lotto Soudal).
The field then climbed over Grange of Lindores, 53km into go, with Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (BIgla) taking the points. The field was still intact for the second sprint in Falkland where Eugenia Bujak (BTC City Ljublhana) took full points ahead of Mikayla Harvey (Bigla) and Chiara Consonni (Valcar-Cylance) with 44km to go.
The rain continued to pour down and standing water on the course forced organisers to cancel the stage after the the sprint in Falkland.
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While there would be no stage winner or general classification leader, organisers announced that they would present the leader's jerseys for the mountain classification, Uttrup Ludwig, and the sprint classification, Bujak, at the finish line in Dunfermline.
"The winners of today's Event Scotland Queen of the Mountains and Motorola Solutions Sprints classifications will still be presented in Dunfermline, however the rest of the teams have returned to their accommodation."
Saturday's stage 2 starts in Glasgow with 139.4km of racing to Perth. The riders set off from George Square, crossing Lamb Hill with a sprint in Aberfoyle coming just before the only climb of the day at Duke's Pass. The riders will contest two more intermediate sprints in Strathyre and Crief before the flat finish in front of Perth's Council Chambers.
Watch the Women's Tour of Scotland stage 1 video highlights below.
