Femke Gerritse makes it a one-two finish for SD Worx-Protime at Luxembourg one-day race
Femke Gerritse (left) finishes second to SD Worx-Protime teammate and race winner Marta Lach (centre) at Festival Elsy Jacobs à Garnich(Image credit: Getty Images)
Marta Lach (SD Worx-Protime) threw her bike to the line from a small bunch sprint and won Festival Elsy Jacobs à Garnich for a second consecutive year.
Fellow SD Worx-Protime rider Femke Gerritse grabbed second place, with less than a half of wheel making the difference. Eline Jansen (VolkerWessels Cycling) edged Ilse Pluimers (AG Insurance Soudal Devo) for third place.
It marked the first victory for Lach in one year, to the date, the Polish rider winning a photo finish at last year's race from a five-rider group. This time she worked with her teammate to reach the front in a lead group of 12 riders, and then sprinted against her, as both SD Worx-Protime riders dashed for the line side-by-side.
Article continues below
The 112.4km route began with four laps, 18km each, passing through Clemency and featuring just one categorised climb at 4.3%, taking the peloton on the western side of Luxembourg near the Belgian border. Then a more punchy four circuits with ascents over Rebierg (1.5km at 4.5%), led to the downhill finish to the line in Garnich.
The peloton remained largely together until the final four circuits when the pace picked up with 60km to go. With just under 35km to go, six riders pushed away as a threat: Mikayla Harvey (SD Worx-Protiime), Hannah Ludwig (Cofidis), Sidney Swierenga (Liv AlUla Jayco Continental), Anna Bruneel (AG Insurance Soudal Devo), Cleo Kiekens (Citymesh-Customm Pro Cycling) and Katie Scott (DAS-Hutchinson).
With two laps and 20km to go it was Harvey, Ludwig and Swierenga still setting the pace. The 18-year-old Canadian Swierenga was the final rider of the trio caught just before the bell rang for the final circuit, SD Worx duo Elena Cecchini and Barbara Guarischi doing much of the work to reel in the trio.
The rapid-fire attacks began with under 3km to go, with SD Worx-Protime once again leading the way. Lach and Gerritse worked together to finish the job, going to the line side by side as part of the 12-rider group that contested the sprint.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. On the bike, she has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast), and spends time on gravel around horse farms in north Georgia.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
