Archiv der Kategorie: Frauenradsport

Internationale LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour – Etappe 5

Gotha – 133 Km

1 BIRIUKOVA Yuliia UKR ARKÉA PRO CYCLING TEAM 03:31:41
2 MANLY Alexandra AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 00:04
3 LACH Marta POL CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:04
4 MORICHON Anais FRA ARKÉA PRO CYCLING TEAM 00:07
5 CANT Sanne BEL PLANTUR-PURA 00:07
6 FRAIN Nicole AUS ROXSOLT LIV SRAM 00:07
7 ZANARDI Silvia ITA BEPINK 00:07
8 BAUERNFEIND Ricarda GER CANYON//SRAM GENERATION 00:07
9 GERRITSE Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:07
10 GHEKIERE Justine BEL PLANTUR-PURA 00:07

Gesamt:

1 MANLY Alexandra AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 15:43:14
2 LACH Marta POL CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:31
3 GERRITSE Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:43
4 ZANARDI Silvia ITA BEPINK 00:47
5 BAUERNFEIND Ricarda GER CANYON//SRAM GENERATION 00:50
6 CANT Sanne BEL PLANTUR-PURA 00:53
7 HOLDEN Elizabeth GBR LE COL – WAHOO 00:54
8 MARTURANO Greta ITA TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO 00:56
9 BREDEWOLD Mischa NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:59
10 FRAIN Nicole AUS ROXSOLT LIV SRAM 01:00

Internationale LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour – Etappe 4

Schleiz – 127 Km

1 MANLY Alexandra AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 03:30:56
2 BAUERNFEIND Ricarda GER CANYON//SRAM GENERATION 00:00
3 LACH Marta POL CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:00
4 GERRITSE Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:00
5 CANT Sanne BEL PLANTUR-PURA 00:00
6 BREDEWOLD Mischa NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:00
7 RICHIOUD Greta FRA ARKÉA PRO CYCLING TEAM 00:00
8 ZANARDI Silvia ITA BEPINK 00:00
9 GHEKIERE Justine BEL PLANTUR-PURA 00:00
10 CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia ITA CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:00

Gesamt:

1 MANLY Alexandra AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 12:11:39
2 LACH Marta POL CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:28
3 GERRITSE Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:33
4 CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia ITA CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:34
5 ZANARDI Silvia ITA BEPINK 00:36
6 BAUERNFEIND Ricarda GER CANYON//SRAM GENERATION 00:37
7 CANT Sanne BEL PLANTUR-PURA 00:40
8 HOLDEN Elizabeth GBR LE COL – WAHOO 00:41
9 MARKUS Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:43
10 BREDEWOLD Mischa NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:43

Internationale LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour – Etappe 3

Dörtendorf – 129 Km

1 MANLY Alexandra AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 03:26:57
2 LACH Marta POL CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:00
3 GERRITSE Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:00
4 BAUERNFEIND Ricarda GER CANYON//SRAM GENERATION 00:04
5 HOLDEN Elizabeth GBR LE COL – WAHOO 00:04
6 CANT Sanne BEL PLANTUR-PURA 00:04
7 ADEGEEST Loes NED NETHERLANDS 00:04
8 MARTURANO Greta ITA TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO 00:04
9 VAN EMPEL Fem NED NETHERLANDS 00:04
10 CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia ITA CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:04

Gesamt:

1 MANLY Alexandra AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 08:40:53
2 LACH Marta POL CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:22
3 CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia ITA CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:25
4 GERRITSE Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:25
5 ZANARDI Silvia ITA BEPINK 00:27
6 HOLDEN Elizabeth GBR LE COL – WAHOO 00:31
7 CANT Sanne BEL PLANTUR-PURA 00:33
8 MARKUS Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:33
9 VAN EMPEL Fem NED NETHERLANDS 00:33
10 BREDEWOLD Mischa NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:33

Internationale LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour

2. Etappe: Gera – 100 Km

1 BAKER Georgia AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 02:41:58 9
2 CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia ITA CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:00
3 MARKUS Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:00
4 ROSEMAN-GANNON Ruby AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 00:00
5 GÅSKJENN Ingvild NOR TEAM COOP – HITEC PRODUCTS 00:00
6 KASPER Romy GER GERMANY 00:00
7 MANLY Alexandra AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 00:00
8 BARIANI Giorgia ITA TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO 00:00
9 VERHULST Gladys FRA LE COL – WAHOO 00:00
10 DOCX Mieke BEL LOTTO SOUDAL LADIES 00:00

Gesamt:

1 MANLY Alexandra AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 05:14:09
2 MARKUS Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:06
3 CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia ITA CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:08
4 ROSEMAN-GANNON Ruby AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 00:12
5 ZANARDI Silvia ITA BEPINK 00:12
6 HOLDEN Elizabeth GBR LE COL – WAHOO 00:14
7 LACH Marta POL CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:15
8 GÅSKJENN Ingvild NOR TEAM COOP – HITEC PRODUCTS 00:16
9 KASPER Romy GER GERMANY 00:16
10 VERHULST Gladys FRA LE COL – WAHOO 00:16

Internationale LOTTO Thüringen Ladies Tour Etappe 1

Hof – 94 Km

1 MANLY Alexandra AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 02:32:27
2 MARKUS Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:00
3 ZANARDI Silvia ITA BEPINK 00:00
4 BREDEWOLD Mischa NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:00
5 GÅSKJENN Ingvild NOR TEAM COOP – HITEC PRODUCTS 00:00
6 LACH Marta POL CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:00
7 CANT Sanne BEL PLANTUR-PURA 00:00
8 HOLDEN Elizabeth GBR LE COL – WAHOO 00:00
9 CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia ITA CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 00:00
10 ROSEMAN-GANNON Ruby AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 00:00
11 VERHULST Gladys FRA LE COL – WAHOO 00:00
12 RIEDMANN Linda GER GERMANY 00:00
13 KASPER Romy GER GERMANY 00:00

14 GERRITSE Femke NED PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG 00:00
15 GOOSSENS Marthe BEL BELGIUM 00:00

Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes – 142 Km

1 VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek NED MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 03:52:32
2 BROWN Grace AUS FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 00:43
3 VOLLERING Demi NED TEAM SD WORX 00:43
4 MOOLMAN-PASIO Ashleigh RSA TEAM SD WORX 00:43
5 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa ITA TREK – SEGAFREDO 00:43
6 CAVALLI Marta ITA FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 00:47
7 SIERRA CANADILLA Arlenis CUB MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN 01:58
8 LIPPERT Liane GER TEAM DSM 01:58
9 NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna POL CANYON // SRAM RACING 01:58
10 SPRATT Amanda AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO 01:58
11 ROOIJAKKERS Pauliena NED CANYON // SRAM RACING 01:58
12 LABOUS Juliette FRA TEAM DSM 02:05
13 GARCIA CAÑELLAS Margarita Victo ESP UAE TEAM ADQ 02:55
14 KOSTER Anouska NED TEAM JUMBO VISMA 02:55
15 PALADIN Soraya ITA CANYON // SRAM RACING 02:55
16 VAN ANROOIJ Shirin NED TREK – SEGAFREDO 02:55
17 SANTESTEBAN GONZALEZ Ane ESP TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO 02:55
18 FISHER-BLACK Niamh NZL TEAM SD WORX 02:55
19 KASTELIJN Yara NED PLANTUR-PURA 02:55
20 MUZIC Evita FRA FDJ NOUVELLE – AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 02:55

Van Vleuten flies again in the Ardennes

After a series of places of 2nd in recent classics, Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team Women) capped off her spring with an impressive one-woman show on the final ascents of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes. Already a winner in the Ardent City in 2019, the Dutch star put the hammer down on the Côte de la Redoute, and eventually went solo on the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons. The ITT Olympic champion then made the most of her power to hold off her rivals and claim victory ahead of Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) and Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx). With a second victory in Liège, Van Vleuten matches Anna van der Breggen’s record (winner in 2017 and 2018) and maintains the Dutch dominance.
Liège Bastogne Liège Femmes 2022 – Stage summary

It’s an early and fast start for the 128 riders setting off from Bastogne at 8:35. Despite some headwinds, the pace is high from the gun, with some early downhill sections. It takes many attempts and 32km of battle for a group of four attackers to make the break with Magdeleine Vallieres Mill (EF Education-Tibco-SVB), Jeanne Korevaar, Quinty Ton (Liv Racing Xstra) and Flora Perkins (Le Col-Wahoo).

The early attackers don’t make it far
The peloton control the gap under 2 minutes on the way to the first ascent of the day, Côte de Mont-le-Soie, to be summited at km 55.3. Flora Perkins is the first rider over the top.
The peloton move closer on the Côte de Wanne (km 63.6) and Team SD Worx set a strong pace on the way to Côte de La Haute-Levée (km 72). The gap is down to 15’’ at the bottom of the ascent. The attackers are reeled in on the climb and Ton is the last breakaway rider to be caught, 500m from the summit.

An impressive counter-attack
A new group of attackers gets away ahead of the ascent of the Col du Rosier with some strong contenders: Marlen Reusser (SD Worx), Sara Martin (Movistar), Leah Thomas (Trek-Segafredo), Soraya Paladin (Canyon//Sram Racing), Evita Muzic (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Amanda Spratt (Team BikeExchange), Leah Kirchmann (Team DSM) and Clara Honsinger (EF Education-Tibco-SVB).
UAE Team ADQ try to organise the chase, but the gap is up to 1’10’’ at Col du Rosier (km 82.6). The attackers push their lead to 1’30’’ on the climb up Côte de Desnié (km 99.5).

Van Vleuten moves on La Redoute
The peloton pick up the pace as the main favourites battle for the front positions ahead of the main ascents of the day. The gap is down to 1’ at the bottom of Côte de La Redoute. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (SD Worx) light the first fireworks on the ascent, then Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) puts the hammer down.
The Dutch star, winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes in 2019, bridges the gap to the front of the race and keeps pushing. Only Marlen Reusser manages to follow her over the top. But the chasers only trail by 10’’ and a group of 16 favourites get back together with 22.5km to go.

Van Vleuten flies up la Roche-aux-Faucons
Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) immediately counter-attacks and opens a gap of 23’’ at the bottom of the final ascent of the day. Van Vleuten attacks again and goes solo at the front of the race 500m away from the summit of Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons. Her lead is up to 12’’ over the top, with 13.4km to go to the finish in Liège.
She enters the last 10km with a lead of 20’’. And increases her lead to 30’’ for the last 3km, giving herself all the time necessary to celebrate victory. Grace Brown dominates the sprint for 2nd ahead of Demi Vollering.
@ASO

Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes : an ardent summit

Key points:
 Following her victories in the Amstel Gold Race and La Flèche Wallonne Femmes, Marta Cavalli is aiming for a historic treble on Sunday on the roads of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes.
 The Italian rising star will battle again with her compatriot Elisa Longo Borghini, winner in Roubaix, after a spring dominated by transalpine riders.
 The Oranje stars, with Annemiek van Vleuten and Demi Vollering leading the way, want to bounce back to the top step of the podium on roads that have often favored them.

Liège, the Ardent City, can also be a land of conquest, redemption or consecration for the pedaling stars gearing up for a last summit in the Spring Classics campaign. On Sunday, some 144 riders are expected to start the 6th edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, including the champions who have just shone on the cobblestones of the North and the Ardennes hills.
From Bastogne, where the peloton will set off for 142.5 hilly kilometres, Marta Cavalli will be particularly watched. After a surprise win in the Amstel Gold Race, the Italian impressed in Paris-Roubaix Femmes (5th) and imposed her talent on the slopes of the Mur de Huy. She is moving towards a potential historic triple Amstel-Flèche-Liège, a performance that only Anna van der Breggen has achieved (in 2017).
On the roads of the Ardennes, Cavalli will vie with her compatriot Elisa Longo Borghini, winner in Roubaix, 6th in La Flèche Wallonne Femmes, and 3rd in Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes last year. The Italian star will once again enjoy a very strong support in the ranks of Trek-Segafredo, which notably counts on the Dutch powerhouses Ellen van Dijk and Lucinda Brand.
The Oranje are used to shining in Liège, and several of them are expected to be at the forefront on the slopes of La Roche-aux-Faucons. Second in Huy on Wednesday, also second in the Strade Bianche and the Ronde van Vlaanderen earlier this season, Annemiek van Vleuten is looking for a way back to success in Liège, where she won in 2019.
She will have to face the young SD Worx armada, led by defending champion Demi Vollering (3rd in the Flèche), with the support of the experienced Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio and the guidance of the young retiree Van der Breggen. Another Dutch star, Marianne Vos is uncertain after missing Paris-Roubaix Women with Zwift following a positive Covid-19 test.

24 teams, the leading riders :
Australia:
Team BikeExchange-Jayco: Amanda Spratt (Aus)
Belgium:
Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire-Van Eyck Sport: Denise Betsema (Ned)
Lotto Soudal Ladies: Kyie Waterreus (Ned)
Plantur-Pura: Yara Kastelijn (Ned)
France:
Arkéa Pro Cycling Team: Morgane Coston (Fra)
Cofidis Women Team: Rachel Neylan (Aus)
FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope: Marta Cavalli (Ita)
Germany:
Canyon//Sram Racing: Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol), Soraya Paladin (Ita)
Great-Britain:
Le Col-Wahoo: Eider Merino (Esp)
Italy:
Bepink: Silvia Zanardi (Ita)
Valcar-Travel & Service: Olivia Baril (Can)
Luxembourg:
Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch: Nina Berton (Lux)
Norway:
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team: Joscelin Lowden (Gbr)
Spain:
Movistar Team Women: Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned)
Switzerland:
Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad: Tamara Dronova
The Netherlands:
Liv Racing Xstra: Sabrina Stultiens (Ned)
Parkhotel Valkenburg: Mischa Bredewold (Ned)
Team DSM: Liane Lippert (Ger), Floortje Mackaij (Ned)
Team Jumbo Visma: Marianne Vos (Ned), Anouska Koster (Ned)
Team SD Worx: Demi Vollering (Ned), Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Rsa)
The UAE:
UAE Team ADQ: Mavi Garcia (Esp)
The USA:
EF Education-Tibco-SVB: Lauren Stephens (Usa)
Human Powered Health: Barbara Malcotti (Ita)
Trek-Segafredo: Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita), Ellen van Dijk (Ned)

©A.S.O.

Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2022 – 133km

Cavalli and the Mur are unique


Photos by HERBERT MOOS

1 CAVALLI Marta ITA FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE 03:38:37
2 VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek NED MOVISTAR TEAM 00:00
3 VOLLERING Demi NED TEAM SD WORX 00:10
4 MOOLMAN Ashleigh RSA TEAM SD WORX 00:17
5 GARCÍA Mavi ESP UAE TEAM ADQ 00:21
6 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa ITA TREK – SEGAFREDO 00:30
7 LIPPERT Liane GER TEAM DSM 00:33
8 DOEBEL-HICKOK Kristabel USA EF EDUCATION-TIBCO-SVB 00:37
9 KASTELIJN Yara NED PLANTUR-PURA 00:40
10 SANTESTEBAN Ane ESP TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 00:42
11 ROOIJAKKERS Pauliena NED CANYON//SRAM RACING 00:46
12 NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna POL CANYON//SRAM RACING 00:52
13 VAN ANROOIJ Shirin NED TREK – SEGAFREDO 00:52
14 KOSTER Anouska NED TEAM JUMBO-VISMA 01:01
15 SIERRA Arlenis CUB MOVISTAR TEAM 01:07
16 BARIL Olivia CAN VALCAR – TRAVEL & SERVICE 01:07
17 FISHER-BLACK Niamh NZL TEAM SD WORX 01:07
18 PATIÑO Paula Andrea COL MOVISTAR TEAM 01:07
19 MAGNALDI Erica ITA UAE TEAM ADQ 01:07

Marta Cavalli’s beautiful spring became even more impressive on Wednesday, as the Italian leader from FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope powered to victory on the mighty slopes of the Mur de Huy.

Only four days after she came 5th of Paris-Roubaix, the winner of Amstel Gold Race got the best of Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) to become the second Italian winner of La Flèche Wallonne Femmes, whose first conqueror, Cavalli’s compatriot Fabiana Luperini, returned to the event and followed the race from the car of the event director François Lemarchand before joining Cavalli on the podium. At 24 years old, she succeeds Anna van der Breggen, winner of the past 7 editions, now a sports director for Team SD Worx and Demi Vollering (3rd).

Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2022 – Last KM
It’s an early start for the 128 women lining up in Huy to take on 133.4km, including three ascents of the Mur de Huy, a first on the occasion of the 25th edition of La Flèche Wallonne Femmes. After a handful of attempts in the first part of the race, Katia Ragusa (Liv Racing Xstra) is the first attacker to get away from the bunch. Anastasia Carbonari (Valcar-Travel & Service) and Kylie Waterreus (Lotto Soudal Ladies) join her at the front 10km later, while the peloton trail by 30“.

Not much of a gap for the first attackers
More riders try to make the break, and three attackers successfully do so: Federica Piergiovanni (Valcar-Travel & Service), Pauline Allin (Arké Pro Cycling Team) and Silvia Zanardi (Bepink). The gap to the peloton is up to 52’’ at km 50, as they get closer to the first ascent of the Côte de Cherave (summit at km 65.4).
The attackers reach the bottom of the climb with a lead of 1’50’’. Zanardi leads the way to the summit, and the gap to the bunch is down to 1’10’’. The Italian rider also sets the pace on the first ascent up Mur de Huy (km 71.1). Waterreus can’t keep up with her pace, while the intensity picks up in the peloton, bringing the gap down to 45’’ at the summit.

An impressive counter-attack
The five leaders manage to build a bigger advantage after the summit (1’30’’), but more attackers try to get away from the bunch on the way to Côte d’Ereffe. A group of 10 are eventually able to go free and bridge the gap to Ragusa, Carbonari, Piergiovanni, Allin and Zanardi at km 95: Anna Shackley (SD Worx), Alena Amialiusik, Elise Chabbey (Canyon//Sram), Leah Thomas (Trek-Segafredo), Jelena Eric (Movistar), Esmée Peperkamp (Team DSM), Amanda Spratt (BikeExchange-Jayco), Anouska Koster (Jumbo-Visma), Krista Doebel-Hickock (EF Education-Tibco-SVB), and Yara Kastelijn (Plantur-Pura).
They open a gap of 2 minutes on the next ascent of Côte de Cherave (km 96.5). Marta Cavalli’s FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope react to bring the gap down to 1’45’’ atop the penultimate ascent of the Mur de Huy (31.2km to go), and 1’25’’ as the race enters the last 25km.

Van Vleuten tries to break Cavalli
Eric drops down from the breakaway to the bunch to participate in the chase behind her nine former companions. The attackers are only 20’’ away with 10km to go. They’re eventually caught as SD Worx put the hammer down on the final ascent up Côte de Cherave, just before the final 5km.

Some 15 riders get back together on the way to Huy. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) has two teammates to set her up, and the Dutch star sets a strong pace on the steepest slopes, as she tries to drop all her rivals with 400m to go. Cavalli is the only one who can follow Van Vleuten… And she even has enough strength to move past her just at the summit.
© A.S.O.

Paris-Roubaix Féminin – 125 Km

1 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa ITA TREK-SEGAFREDO 03:10:54
2 KOPECKY Lotte BEL TEAM SD WORX 00:23
3 BRAND Lucinda NED TREK-SEGAFREDO 00:23
4 CHABBEY Elise SUI CANYON//SRAM RACING 00:23
5 CAVALLI Marta ITA FDJ-NOUVELLE AQUITAINE-FUTUROSCOPE 00:23
6 MACKAIJ Floortje NED TEAM DSM 00:23
7 VAN DIJK Ellen NED TREK-SEGAFREDO 00:23
8 VAN DEN BROEK-BLAAK Chantal NED TEAM SD WORX 00:32
9 GEORGI Pfeiffer GBR TEAM DSM 02:22
10 ALONSO DOMINGUEZ Sandra ESP CERATIZIT-WNT PRO CYCLING 02:22
11 NORSGAARD Emma DEN MOVISTAR TEAM 02:22
12 BROWN Grace AUS FDJ-NOUVELLE AQUITAINE-FUTUROSCOPE 02:22
13 JACKSON Alison CAN LIV RACING XSTRA 02:54
14 BEEKHUIS Teuntje NED TEAM JUMBO-VISMA 02:54
15 BASTIANELLI Marta ITA UAE TEAM ADQ 02:54

Longo Borghini and Trek-Segafredo rule the cobbles

After Lizzie Deignan’s inaugural one-woman-show, Trek-Segafredo imposed their collective strength in the 2nd edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift until Elisa Longo Borghini went solo to claim victory in the André Pétrieux velodrome.

Ellen van Dijk and Lucinda Brand lit the first matches on the cobbles for the American squad before the Italian Champion launched her decisive move with 34km to go, to claim another major success in the classics, after the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Trofeo Alfredo Binda, Strade Bianche, GP de Plouay… Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) dominated the sprint for 2nd, ahead of Lucinda Brand, and Ellen van Dijk joined her Trek-Segafredo partners in the top 10 (7th).

The 139-woman peloton roll from Denain with beautiful weather conditions but without Meava Squiban (Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime) and the Dutch icon Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), who returned a positive test to Covid-19 hours before the start.

Attacks and tension ahead of the cobbles
The opening circuit in Denain, with 4 laps to cover, sees early attackers launch an intense battle for the breakaway. Gaia Masetti (AG Insurance-NXTG Team), Leonie Bos (Parkhotel Valkenburg), Amalie Lutro (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) and Katie Clouse (Human Powered Health) are the first riders to manage to get away. Tanja Erath (EF Education-Tibco-SVB) makes it a 5-woman group at the front at km 6.
More riders try to join them but the peloton control the counter-attacks. The attackers exit Denain with a lead of 1’40’’. The gap increases to a maximum of 1’55’’ at km 32. But Trek-Segafredo up the pace as they get closer to the cobbles.

First skirmishes
The gap is done to 1’10’’ as the peloton hit the sector from Hornaing to Wandignies (4*). At the front, Bos and Klouse are dropped by their breakaway companions. The bunch explodes with Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo) setting a strong pace on the cobbles.
The race of attrition is on, and Trek-Segafredo are willing to make the selection, but they quickly lose two cards on the third sector of the day. Van Dijk suffers a puncture. Then Chloe Hosking crashes on the side of the cobbles. Meanwhile, Erath goes solo at the front, with a gap of 20’’ to the bunch with 69km to go.
The German attacker is eventually reeled in with 61km to go, just ahead of the Orchies sector, where Chantal van den Broek-Blaak ups the pace for Team SD Worx, whose leader Lotte Kopecky won the Ronde van Vlaanderen a couple of weeks ago.

Kopecky goes from far
Van Dijk returns to the bunch just ahead of sector 12, from Auchy-lez-Orchies to Bersée (4*). But Kopecky immediately attacks. Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ) is the first to react, and Lucinda Brand joins them at the front, while her Trek-Segafredo partner Elisa Balsamo suffers a mechanical. She is then disqualified as the jury of commissaires rules the World Champion had an irregular return after her mechanical.
The three leaders increase their lead to 20’’ on the first 5* sector of the day, Mons-en-Pévèle, with 46km to go. Emma Norsgaard’s Movistar lead the chase, and the attackers are reeled with 33km to go, on the cobbles of Templeuve (sector 8).
Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) immediately launches a counter-attack. She enters the last 30km with a lead of 30’’. She survives a near miss on the cobbles of Camphin-en-Pévèle and enters Carrefour de l’Arbre (17km to go) with a gap of 25’’.

Another 1-3 for Trek-Segafredo
Kopecky puts the hammer down in pursuit. Only Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) and two riders from Trek-Segafredo, Brand and Van Dijk. The Belgian champion doesn’t manage to get closer than 20’’ behind Longo Borghini, who keeps setting a strong pace at the front.
The gap is back up to 40’’ when the chasers are joined by Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (SD Worx), Floorte Mackaij (Team DSM) and Elise Chabbey (Canyon//Sram Racing) with 12km to go. This support is not enough to get back to Elisa Longo Borghini.
The Italian champion savours her triumph in the velodrome, eventually claiming victory 23’’ ahead of Kopecky. Brand finishes 3rd, repeating Trek-Segafredo’s 1-3 from 2021.
@ASO

La Flèche Wallonne Femmes: a throne up for grabs

Olympic Champion Anne van der Breggen wins the Fleche the 4th time in a row!
Photo by Plomi

Key points:
 Edition 25 of the Flèche Wallonne Femmes, on Wednesday, 20th April, will, for the first time, feature three climbs of the Mur de Huy.
 The retirement of seven-time title holder Anna van der Breggen has whetted appetites. But the Dutch are still the favourites, with the duo Demi Vollering and Annemiek van Vleuten.
 Four days later, on Sunday, 24th April, the best female punchers in the world will gather at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, a Doyenne that the legendary Marianne Vos wants to win at last.

A new era of the Flèche Wallonne Femmes will begin on Wednesday, 20th April. After seven consecutive victories, the legendary Anna van der Breggen ended her career this winter and left her throne at the top of the Mur de Huy vacant. The race to succeed her looks wide open, but the Dutch riders, winners of 12 of the last 15 editions, are still holding the line despite the retirement of the two-time world champion. Second in 2015 and 2019, the nearly forty-year-old Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team Women) would like nothing more than to win one of the few races that she still has not won in her career. And Demi Vollering, 14 years younger than her and the climbing star of Dutch cycling, has all the talent necessary to be the new queen of the „Mur“, which for the first time will be climbed three times on a course of 133.4 kilometres. 5th in 2019, 3rd in 2020, she finished 10th last year as she worked for Van der Breggen. Van der Breggen, who is now a sports director, advises her from the SD Worx team car, which will be worth its weight in gold on Wednesday.

Of course, not everything revolves around the Dutch clan. Italy’s Marta Cavalli has provided brilliant proof of this in their backyard on the Amstel Gold Race, offering FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope the most prestigious triumph in its history. The French team wants to keep the momentum going with Danish rider Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, who contracted Covid just before the Amstel, but her profile as a puncher ideally suits the Mur de Huy (2nd in 2020). Respectively 2nd and 3rd last year, Polish rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon//Sram Racing) and Italian champion Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) also have lofty ambitions.

All the contenders will meet again four days later, on Sunday, 24th April, for the 6th edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, with seven climbs spread over 142,1 kilometres, including La Redoute and La Roche-aux-Faucons. Amstel Gold Racerunner-up, Demi Vollering, is the favourite to repeat and will lead a strong Team SD Worx. If she wins for the second time in a row, she will equal Anna van der Breggen, who won in 2017 and 2018. Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma) will want to mark the best climbers to then defeat the peloton in the sprint on the Quai des Ardennes. She has never won Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes (4th in 2020, 6th in 2021). One of the very few titles absent from her resume.

24 teams, the leading riders

Australia
Team BikeExchange-Jayco: Amanda Spratt (Aus)

Belgium
Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire-Van Eyck Sport: Denise Betsema (Ned)
Lotto Soudal Ladies: Mieke Docx (Bel)
Plantur-Pura: Yara Kastelijn (Ned)

France
Arkea Pro Cycling Team: Morgane Coston (Fra)
Cofidis Women Team: Rachel Neylan (Aus)
FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope: Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den), Marta Cavalli (Ita), Evita Muzic (Fra)

Germany
Canyon//Sram Racing: Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol), Elise Chabbey (Che)

Great Britain
Le Col Wahoo: Elizabeth Holden (Gbr), Eider Merino (Spa)

Italy
Valcar-Travel & Service: Olivia Baril (Can), Elena Pirrone (Ita)
Bepink: Silvia Zanardi (Ita)

Luxembourg
Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch: Claire Faber (Lux)

Norway
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team: Hannah Barnes (Gbr)

Spain
Movistar Team Women: Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned), Arlenis Sierra (Cub)

Switzerland
Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad: Tamara Dronova

The Netherlands
Liv Racing Xstra: Sabrina Stultiens (Ned)
Parkhotel Valkenburg: Femke Gerritse (Ned)
Team DSM: Juliette Labous (Fra)
Team Jumbo-Visma: Anouska Koster (Ned)
Team SD Worx: Demi Vollering (Ned), Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Rsa), Blanka Vas (Hun)

United Arab Emirates
UAE Team ADQ: Mavi Garcia (Spa), Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita)

United States
EF Education-Tibco-SVB: Veronica Ewers (Usa)
Human Powered Health: Nina Buijsman (Ned)
Trek-Segafredo: Elisa Longo-Borghini (Ita), Lucinda Brand (Ned)

Brabantse Pijl Frauen und Männer

ELITE Männer 205km:

1 SHEFFIELD Magnus USA INEOS GRENADIERS 04:53:21
2 COSNEFROY Benoit FRA AG2R CITROEN TEAM 00:37
3 BARGUIL Warren FRA TEAMARKEA-SAMSIC 00:37
4 TURNER Ben GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 00:40
5 PIDCOCK Thomas GBR INEOS GRENADIERS 00:41

6 EVENEPOEL Remco BEL QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 00:41
7 MATTHEWS Michael AUS TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE – JAYCO 00:41
8 TEUNS Dylan BEL BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS 00:41
9 WELLENS Tim BEL LOTTO SOUDAL 00:41
10 MEURISSE Xandro BEL ALPECIN FENIX 00:51
11 HUNDAHL Michael Valgren DEN EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST 01:46
12 DE PLUS Laurens BEL INEOS GRENADIERS 01:46
13 IMPEY Daryl RSA ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH 01:46
14 VANSEVENANTMauri BEL QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM 01:46
15 GODON Dorian FRA AG2R CITROEN TEAM 01:46
16 HOULE Hugo CAN ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH 01:46
17 BERCKMOES Jenno BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 01:46
18 NIZZOLO Giacomo ITA ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH 01:46
19 NAESEN Oliver BEL AG2R CITROEN TEAM 01:46
20 BRAETVito BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 01:46

Frauen 142km:

1 Demi Vollering (Ned) SD Worx 3:38:00
2 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-Sram Racing 0:00:22
3 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM Women
4 Marlen Reusser (Swi) SD Worx 0:00:27
5 Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM Women 0:00:44
6 Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Canyon-Sram Racing 0:00:58
7 Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:01:02
8 Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) SD Worx
9 Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) UAE Team ADQ
10 Alexandra Manly (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco Women