During the crucial climb that takes the race to the heart of Siena, Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar Team) was duelling with Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx) for glory at Strade Bianche Women. The Belgian champion held firm on the steep sections and struck out in the final bend to gain the advantage she needed for the victory at the Piazza del Campo, leaving Van Vleuten to settle for the position of runner-up.
Both were considered favourites to win the opening contest of the Women’s WorldTour, the Movistar rider pegged with a slight advantage as a two-time winner of Strade Bianche, and coming off a win last weekend at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Saturday’s 136-kilometre contest across the Tuscan hillsides with its white, gravel roads came down to a slugfest of positioning and power on the final kilometre in Siena.
“We were both fighting to go first through that last corner, because you know that there’s no room to overtake after that and you win if you go first – and Kopecky won that battle,” Van Vleuten said at the finish.
“It was such a big battle – for sure I’d have liked to drop her on the climbs, but she was just super strong. I also didn’t have the best day, struggled with some stomach problems, and maybe I missed that last extra one per cent to be able to drop her. She was super strong, as I said, and she was still with me after the last slope, so I had to go for the sprint, too – it was a big battle.”
The eighth edition of Strade Bianche Donne included six steep climbs and eight gravel sectors, providing ample opportunities for teams to launch attacks. Several breakaway attempts were closed down and with 24 kilometres to go Movistar went to work to move Van Vleuten to the front group.
With just under 15km remaining, Chantal van den Broeck-Blaak launched another attack for Team SD Worx, and Van Vleuten rocketed across the final gravel sector to close down the gap and begin to distance herself from the lead group, only Kopecky able to follow.
“That situation we had over the last 10km – SD Worx played it well, I was a bit outnumbered and they made the race so hard in the finale. I needed to stay smart but I also needed to follow everything, because I couldn’t let anyone go, otherwise the race would be gone,” Van Vleuten said.
The pair were caught with seven kilometres to the finish, but Van Vleuten surged ahead again on the steepest section of the final climb, though couldn't drop the eventual winner. Kopecky had the advantage with positioning in the final turn and held on for the victory.
“For sure I’m disappointed, I would have loved to win this event for the third time, it’s such a beautiful race. But after all, I’ve won two races, I took second here, I’m still at the front, racing well,” said Van Vleuten, who in addition to winning the one-day race in Belgium last week also won a stage and the overall at the four-day Setmana Ciclista Valenciana in mid-February.
“I can take some confidence from today’s effort, because it shows I’m still in good shape.”
Van Vleuten will next take part in a training camp at Tenerife and will return to competition at the end of March at Dwars door Vlaanderen and Tour of Flanders, both races she won in 2021.
