Verbeke becomes first Belgian winner of Flanders

Grace Verbeke (Lotto Ladies Team) continued her good run of form with the biggest win of her career in Sunday’s women’s Tour of Flanders. The Belgian was one of the main aggressors, attacking on the fourth of nine climbs and then dropping her breakaway companion, Adrie Visser (HTC-Columbia), on the final climb of the Bosberg, with 12 of the 120km remaining, to score a popular solo win in Ninove.

The race was doubly significant for 25-year old Verbeke, being the biggest win of her career and also the first home win in the seventh edition of the women’s race. Her tactics were strongly influenced by the conditions, she explained at the finish.

“On the Molenberg [the fourth climb, after 74km] I forced it, and went hard,” said Verbeke. “It was not the plan - I wanted to go on the Muur [-Kapelmuur, the eighth and penultimate climb, 16km from the finish] but it was very muddy and very tricky, so I just wanted to be first up. I forced it and when I looked back I had a nice gap, which was a surprise.

“On the Muur the atmosphere was fantastic,” continued Verbeke. “Everyone was chanting my name, and I didn’t even feel myself pedalling - I couldn’t feel my legs, it was as though I was being pushed. When I got away on my own I felt I had the legs to stay away.

“I was very strong today. It’s a race I worked very hard for so I was in good shape. It means so much to me, in the first place because I’m a Belgian girl in a Belgian race. This is Flanders, so it’s very big for me and big for the sponsor of my team. It’s amazing.”

Marianne Vos, who was one of several crash victims, recovered to win the sprint for second from a small chasing group in Ninove.

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Full Results
1Grace Verbeke (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team3:09:27
2Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit0:00:03
3Kirsten Wild (Ned) Cervelo TestTeamRow 2 - Cell 2
4Emma Johansson (Swe) Redsun Cycling TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Adrie Visser (Ned) HTC Columbia WomenRow 4 - Cell 2
6Chantal Blaak (Ned) Leontien.nlRow 5 - Cell 2
7Noemi Cantele (Ita) HTC Columbia WomenRow 6 - Cell 2
8Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC Columbia WomenRow 7 - Cell 2
9Regina Bruins (Ned) Cervelo TestTeam0:00:08
10Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Nederland Bloeit0:00:51
11Inga Cilvinaite (Ltu) Safi - Pasta Zara0:01:47
12Monia Baccaille (Ita) Team ValdarnoRow 11 - Cell 2
13Brooke Miller (USA) TIBCORow 12 - Cell 2
14Martine Bras (Ned) Gauss RDZ OrmuRow 13 - Cell 2
15Andrea Bosman (Ned) Leontien.nlRow 14 - Cell 2
16Angela Hennig (Ger) Noris CyclingRow 15 - Cell 2
17Iris Slappendel (Ned) Cervelo TestTeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18Carla Swart (RSA) MTN EnergadeRow 17 - Cell 2
19Sjoukje Dufoer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - ThompsonRow 18 - Cell 2
20Lieselot Decroix (Bel) Cervelo TestTeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Ina Teutenberg (Ger) HTC Columbia WomenRow 20 - Cell 2
22Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Safi - Pasta ZaraRow 21 - Cell 2
23Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Gauss RDZ OrmuRow 22 - Cell 2
24Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Redsun Cycling TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
26Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Nederland BloeitRow 24 - Cell 2
27Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss RDZ OrmuRow 25 - Cell 2
28Nicole Cooke (GBr) Great BritainRow 26 - Cell 2
29Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Vienne FuturoscopeRow 27 - Cell 2
30Irina Molicheva (Rus) Fenixs - PetrogradetsRow 28 - Cell 2
31Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Lotto Ladies TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
32Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) AustraliaRow 30 - Cell 2
33Kim Schoonbaert (Bel) Lotto Ladies TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
34Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo TestTeamRow 32 - Cell 2
35Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Team ValdarnoRow 33 - Cell 2
36Linda Melanie Villumsen (NZl) HTC Columbia WomenRow 34 - Cell 2
37Elena Berlato (Ita) TogoRow 35 - Cell 2
38Trixi Worrack (Ger) Noris CyclingRow 36 - Cell 2
39Alona Andruk (Ukr) Safi - Pasta ZaraRow 37 - Cell 2
40Edwige Pitel (Fra) S.C. Michela Fanini Record RoxRow 38 - Cell 2
41Ruth Corset (Aus) TIBCORow 39 - Cell 2
42Karin Aune (Swe) Fenixs - PetrogradetsRow 40 - Cell 2
43Annelies Van Doorslaer (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team0:04:27
44Andrea Dvorak (USA) United States Of AmericaRow 42 - Cell 2
45Roxane Knetemann (Ned) NetherlandsRow 43 - Cell 2
46Amber Neben (USA) United States Of AmericaRow 44 - Cell 2
47Loes Markerink (Ned) Nederland BloeitRow 45 - Cell 2
48Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Lotto Ladies TeamRow 46 - Cell 2
49Janneke Kanis (Ned) Nederland BloeitRow 47 - Cell 2
50Petra Dijkman (Ned) Redsun Cycling TeamRow 48 - Cell 2
51Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) TIBCORow 49 - Cell 2
52Uenia Fernandes Da Souza (Bra) Acs Chirio - Forno d'AsoloRow 50 - Cell 2
53Marissa Van Der Merwe (RSA) MTN EnergadeRow 51 - Cell 2
54Lucinda Brand (Ned) Leontien.nlRow 52 - Cell 2
56Alexis Rhodes (Aus) AustraliaRow 53 - Cell 2
57Martina Corazza (Ita) Team Valdarno0:06:24
58Maaike Polspoel (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Thompson0:06:32
59Alessandra D'ettorre (Ita) TogoRow 56 - Cell 2
60Marta Vila Josana Andreu (Spa) Team ValdarnoRow 57 - Cell 2
61Martina Zwick (Ger) GermanyRow 58 - Cell 2
62Tania Belvederesi (Ita) Team ValdarnoRow 59 - Cell 2
63Corine Hierckens (Bel) Fenixs - PetrogradetsRow 60 - Cell 2
64Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) HTC Columbia Women0:08:17
65Robyn De Groot (RSA) MTN Energade0:08:54
66Sigrid Corneo (Slo) TogoRow 63 - Cell 2
67Valentina Carretta (Ita) TogoRow 64 - Cell 2
68Giada Borgato (Ita) Gauss RDZ OrmuRow 65 - Cell 2
69Lylanie Lauwrens (RSA) MTN EnergadeRow 66 - Cell 2
70Marie Lindberg (Swe) Redsun Cycling TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
71Isabelle Söderberg (Swe) Hitec Products UCKRow 68 - Cell 2
72Alessandra Borchi (Ita) Gauss RDZ OrmuRow 69 - Cell 2
73Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 - GSD GestionRow 70 - Cell 2
74Jessie Daams (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Thompson0:11:03
76Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Lotto Ladies TeamRow 72 - Cell 2
77Olena Oliinyk (Ukr) Acs Chirio - Forno d'AsoloRow 73 - Cell 2
78Lotte Van Hoek (Ned) NetherlandsRow 74 - Cell 2
79Emma Trott (GBr) Great Britain0:12:07
80Laure Werner (Bel) Redsun Cycling TeamRow 76 - Cell 2
81Fiona Dutriaux (Fra) Vienne FuturoscopeRow 77 - Cell 2
82Elena Kuchinskaya (Rus) Gauss RDZ OrmuRow 78 - Cell 2
83Katie Colclough (GBr) Great BritainRow 79 - Cell 2
84Janel Holcomb (USA) United States Of AmericaRow 80 - Cell 2
85Martina Ruzickova (Cze) S.C. Michela Fanini Record RoxRow 81 - Cell 2
86Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) TogoRow 82 - Cell 2
87Sara Mustonen (Swe) Hitec Products UCKRow 83 - Cell 2
88Barbara Guarischi (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record RoxRow 84 - Cell 2
89Mascha Pijnenborg (Ned) Redsun Cycling TeamRow 85 - Cell 2
90Edita Unguryte (Ltu) Acs Chirio - Forno d'AsoloRow 86 - Cell 2
91Monique Van De Ree (Ned) Leontien.nlRow 87 - Cell 2
92Trine Schmidt (Den) MTN EnergadeRow 88 - Cell 2
93Anne Eversdijk (Ned) Netherlands0:12:35
94Sinead Miller (USA) United States Of AmericaRow 90 - Cell 2
95Bridie O'donnell (Aus) Team ValdarnoRow 91 - Cell 2
96Kristine Saastad (Nor) Hitec Products UCK0:12:53
97Winanda Spoor (Ned) Netherlands0:13:04
98Dani King (GBr) Great Britain0:13:47
99Ine Beyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - ThompsonRow 95 - Cell 2
100Tetyana Mykhaylova (Ukr) Acs Chirio - Forno d'AsoloRow 96 - Cell 2
101Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Safi - Pasta ZaraRow 97 - Cell 2
102Fröydis Waerstad (Nor) Hitec Products UCKRow 98 - Cell 2
103Monica Holler (Swe) Fenixs - PetrogradetsRow 99 - Cell 2
104Nadia Triquet-Claude (Fra) Vienne FuturoscopeRow 100 - Cell 2
105Tone Hatteland (Nor) Hitec Products UCK0:18:51
106Hannah Welter (Ned) NetherlandsRow 102 - Cell 2
107Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) Kuota Speed Kueens0:19:57
108Hannah Mayho (GBr) Great BritainRow 104 - Cell 2
109Bettina Barbara Tesar (Aut) Kuota Speed KueensRow 105 - Cell 2
110Laura Dittmann (Ger) GermanyRow 106 - Cell 2
111Edita Janeliunaite (Ltu) Acs Chirio - Forno d'AsoloRow 107 - Cell 2
112Dorleta Zorrilla Braceras (Spa) Bizkaia - DurangoRow 108 - Cell 2
113Giulia Lazzerini (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record RoxRow 109 - Cell 2

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Richard Moore is a freelance journalist and author. His first book, In Search of Robert Millar (HarperSport), won Best Biography at the 2008 British Sports Book Awards. His second book, Heroes, Villains & Velodromes (HarperSport), was long-listed for the 2008 William Hill Sports Book of the Year.

He writes on sport, specialising in cycling, and is a regular contributor to Cyclingnews, the Guardian, skyports.com, the Scotsman and Procycling magazine.

He is also a former racing cyclist who represented Scotland at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and Great Britain at the 1998 Tour de Langkawi

His next book, Slaying the Badger: LeMond, Hinault and the Greatest Ever Tour de France, will be published by Yellow Jersey in May 2011.

Another book, Sky’s the Limit: British Cycling’s Quest to Conquer the Tour de France, will also be published by HarperSport in June 2011.

 


 

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