- Start: Maldon, 11:00
- Finish: Maldon, 14:30 – 14:50
- Distance: 5K (five climbs, 1,033 vertical metres)
The opening stage starts and finishes in the ancient Essex town of Maldon. It will feature two laps of the Abberton Reservoir on the outskirts of Colchester and pass Tiptree, home to the world-famous Tiptree jam, before finishing with two circuits around Maldon.
No big difficulty, a stage for the fastest girls, just a final climbing in the last kilometer.
CC2004
Lotte Kopecky – Can make it over the hills towards the end of stage as shown earlier in the year.
Elisa Balsamo – The finishing circuit is similar to how she won Worlds last year.
Emma Norsgaard – Won this season on circuit finishes.
Coryn Labecki – Good punchy rider who can climb and sprint.
Lorena Wiebes – Great sprinter but needs to be in the correct position over the climb to stand a chance of a good result.
| Lulu | CC2004 | |
| ★★★★★ | Lorena Wiebes | Lotte Kopecky |
| ★★★★ | Marta Bastianelli | Elisa Balsamo |
| ★★★ | Chloe Hosking | Emma Norsgaard |
| ★★ | Emma Norsgaard | Coryn Labecki |
| ★ | Chiara Consonni | Lorena Wiebes |
