Blaak wins Gent-Wevelgem Women

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Chantal Blaak (Boels-Dolmans) soloed to victory at Gent Wevelgem on Easter Sunday to assume the lead in the UCI Women’s WorldTour. The 26-year-old slipped away from a select group of around 20 riders with ten kilometres still to race. Gap gained, Blaak never looked back, eventually reaching the finish line 1:24 ahead of a seven-rider chase group. Lisa Brennauer (Canyon-SRAM) edged out Lucinda Brand (Rabo-Liv) in the small group sprint for second.

“It feels so good,” said Blaak in a post-race interview with Voxwomen. “I’m really happy to win this race.”

It’s a continuation of a stellar spring for Blaak, who finished second at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad to teammate Lizzie Armistead and won Le Samyn and Ronde van Drenthe. Blaak’s results are part of a dominate early season for Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team. The Dutch-registered squad has won every round to date of the inaugural UCI Women’s WorldTour. Armitstead opened the series with a win at Strade Bianche. Blaak won from a small group at Ronde van Drenthe. Armistead snagged a second victory in Italy with a late race attack at Trofeo Binda. And today Blaak won Gent Wevelgem.

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“The plan was to have numbers in the front and we had,” said Blaak. “Then you have to finish it together. It was cool that we did it.”

The 2016 women’s edition of Gent Wevelgem covered 115 kilometres with the race’s five ‘hellingen’ grouped mid-course. By the time the race had reached the first ascent of the Kemmelberg at the 51-kilometre mark, the peloton had split into two distinct groups. Following the first passage of the Kemmelberg, and elite selection had been made. Twenty-seven riders formed the leading group, and Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team had the full squad of six amongst the leaders.

“It was a really windy race,” said Blaak. “It split already early. The Kemmelberg was really hard, and after the Kemmelberg, we were still with the whole team, so that was impressive. The girls did such a good job.”

The attacks came thick and fast over the cobbles and climbs that make the region of Flanders famous in the sport of cycling. The attacks softened the reduced bunch and caused a further selection following the second time up the Kemmelberg.

With the climbs completed and 30 kilometres still to race, world champion Lizzie Armistead attacked twice in quick succession. A counter-attack by Blaak followed Armistead’s catch. The Dutchwoman immediately opened up a small gap on three chasers – Lisa Brennauer (Canyon-SRAM), Emma Johansson (Wiggle High5) and Annemiek van Vleuten (Orica-AIS).

“We started to play with numbers,” said Blaak. “In the end, I have an attack and the confidence that the girls were behind me. It was really good teamwork today.”

The UCI Women’s WorldTour continues next Sunday with the Tour of Flanders. “Next week is Flanders,” said Blaak. “I’m really looking forward to starting in this [Women’s WorldTour] jersey at my favourite classic.”

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