Team Novo Nordisk Solid on Opening Stage of Tour of Shanghai

Team Novo Nordisk opened the Tour of Shanghai with a strong team performance on an aggressive opening stage, with Donovan Mackie and Andrea Peron finishing 23rd and 26th respectively after the team rode a cohesive race throughout.

The stage was fast and combative from the start, with attacks flying non-stop from kilometre zero. Bailey McDonald made the race’s decisive move, getting into a large group of around 20 riders that went clear with 30km still to race. The move struggled to work together once away, and with cohesion lacking up front, the gap back to the peloton yo-yoed between 10 and 45 seconds through the finale before the bunch reeled it in with 3km to go.

That set up a bunch finish, where Peron and Mackie had executed the pre-race plan well to be in position. A chaotic final corner undid that work, though, making it difficult for the pair to hold their spot, while Mackie also found himself boxed in on the wrong side of the road and lost places inside the last kilometre, ultimately ruling the team out of contention for the win.

McDonald, who spent the closing part of the stage in the breakaway, was pleased with the team’s aggression and cohesion despite the near miss.

“It was a really fast and aggressive day, with attacking non-stop from the gun,” said McDonald. He praised how the team rode throughout, and pointed to the move’s lack of organisation as the reason the gap never stabilised in the final. “Andrea and Donovan did a great job according to the plan, but the last corner was super messy and they struggled to hold position,” he added, calling it a promising start with more opportunities still to come in the upcoming stages.

Mackie echoed that sentiment, satisfied with how the team had covered the racing.

“Good day out with the lads, covering everything perfectly,” said Mackie. He noted the disappointment of losing positions on the wrong side of the road in the finale, but was already looking ahead: “Tomorrow we go again and make something happen.”

The race continues tomorrow with Stage 2, a 95km stage from Songjiang to Qingpu.