Verbeke becomes first Belgian winner of Flanders
Lotto rider takes emotional win ahead of bunch
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.
1 | Grace Verbeke (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team | 3:09:27 |
2 | Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | 0:00:03 |
3 | Kirsten Wild (Ned) Cervelo TestTeam | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Emma Johansson (Swe) Redsun Cycling Team | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Adrie Visser (Ned) HTC Columbia Women | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Chantal Blaak (Ned) Leontien.nl | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Noemi Cantele (Ita) HTC Columbia Women | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC Columbia Women | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Regina Bruins (Ned) Cervelo TestTeam | 0:00:08 |
10 | Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | 0:00:51 |
11 | Inga Cilvinaite (Ltu) Safi - Pasta Zara | 0:01:47 |
12 | Monia Baccaille (Ita) Team Valdarno | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Brooke Miller (USA) TIBCO | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Martine Bras (Ned) Gauss RDZ Ormu | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Andrea Bosman (Ned) Leontien.nl | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Angela Hennig (Ger) Noris Cycling | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Iris Slappendel (Ned) Cervelo TestTeam | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Carla Swart (RSA) MTN Energade | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Sjoukje Dufoer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Thompson | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Lieselot Decroix (Bel) Cervelo TestTeam | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Ina Teutenberg (Ger) HTC Columbia Women | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Safi - Pasta Zara | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Redsun Cycling Team | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
26 | Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
27 | Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
28 | Nicole Cooke (GBr) Great Britain | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
29 | Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
30 | Irina Molicheva (Rus) Fenixs - Petrogradets | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
31 | Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Lotto Ladies Team | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
32 | Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australia | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
33 | Kim Schoonbaert (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
34 | Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo TestTeam | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
35 | Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Team Valdarno | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
36 | Linda Melanie Villumsen (NZl) HTC Columbia Women | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
37 | Elena Berlato (Ita) Togo | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
38 | Trixi Worrack (Ger) Noris Cycling | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
39 | Alona Andruk (Ukr) Safi - Pasta Zara | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
40 | Edwige Pitel (Fra) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
41 | Ruth Corset (Aus) TIBCO | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
42 | Karin Aune (Swe) Fenixs - Petrogradets | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
43 | Annelies Van Doorslaer (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team | 0:04:27 |
44 | Andrea Dvorak (USA) United States Of America | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
45 | Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Netherlands | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
46 | Amber Neben (USA) United States Of America | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
47 | Loes Markerink (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
48 | Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Lotto Ladies Team | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
49 | Janneke Kanis (Ned) Nederland Bloeit | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
50 | Petra Dijkman (Ned) Redsun Cycling Team | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
51 | Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) TIBCO | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
52 | Uenia Fernandes Da Souza (Bra) Acs Chirio - Forno d'Asolo | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
53 | Marissa Van Der Merwe (RSA) MTN Energade | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
54 | Lucinda Brand (Ned) Leontien.nl | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
56 | Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Australia | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
57 | Martina Corazza (Ita) Team Valdarno | 0:06:24 |
58 | Maaike Polspoel (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Thompson | 0:06:32 |
59 | Alessandra D'ettorre (Ita) Togo | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
60 | Marta Vila Josana Andreu (Spa) Team Valdarno | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
61 | Martina Zwick (Ger) Germany | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
62 | Tania Belvederesi (Ita) Team Valdarno | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
63 | Corine Hierckens (Bel) Fenixs - Petrogradets | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
64 | Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) HTC Columbia Women | 0:08:17 |
65 | Robyn De Groot (RSA) MTN Energade | 0:08:54 |
66 | Sigrid Corneo (Slo) Togo | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
67 | Valentina Carretta (Ita) Togo | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
68 | Giada Borgato (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
69 | Lylanie Lauwrens (RSA) MTN Energade | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
70 | Marie Lindberg (Swe) Redsun Cycling Team | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
71 | Isabelle Söderberg (Swe) Hitec Products UCK | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
72 | Alessandra Borchi (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
73 | Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 - GSD Gestion | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
74 | Jessie Daams (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Thompson | 0:11:03 |
76 | Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Lotto Ladies Team | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
77 | Olena Oliinyk (Ukr) Acs Chirio - Forno d'Asolo | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
78 | Lotte Van Hoek (Ned) Netherlands | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
79 | Emma Trott (GBr) Great Britain | 0:12:07 |
80 | Laure Werner (Bel) Redsun Cycling Team | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
81 | Fiona Dutriaux (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
82 | Elena Kuchinskaya (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
83 | Katie Colclough (GBr) Great Britain | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
84 | Janel Holcomb (USA) United States Of America | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
85 | Martina Ruzickova (Cze) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
86 | Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Togo | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
87 | Sara Mustonen (Swe) Hitec Products UCK | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
88 | Barbara Guarischi (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
89 | Mascha Pijnenborg (Ned) Redsun Cycling Team | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
90 | Edita Unguryte (Ltu) Acs Chirio - Forno d'Asolo | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
91 | Monique Van De Ree (Ned) Leontien.nl | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
92 | Trine Schmidt (Den) MTN Energade | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
93 | Anne Eversdijk (Ned) Netherlands | 0:12:35 |
94 | Sinead Miller (USA) United States Of America | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
95 | Bridie O'donnell (Aus) Team Valdarno | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
96 | Kristine Saastad (Nor) Hitec Products UCK | 0:12:53 |
97 | Winanda Spoor (Ned) Netherlands | 0:13:04 |
98 | Dani King (GBr) Great Britain | 0:13:47 |
99 | Ine Beyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Thompson | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
100 | Tetyana Mykhaylova (Ukr) Acs Chirio - Forno d'Asolo | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
101 | Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Safi - Pasta Zara | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
102 | Fröydis Waerstad (Nor) Hitec Products UCK | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
103 | Monica Holler (Swe) Fenixs - Petrogradets | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
104 | Nadia Triquet-Claude (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
105 | Tone Hatteland (Nor) Hitec Products UCK | 0:18:51 |
106 | Hannah Welter (Ned) Netherlands | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
107 | Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) Kuota Speed Kueens | 0:19:57 |
108 | Hannah Mayho (GBr) Great Britain | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
109 | Bettina Barbara Tesar (Aut) Kuota Speed Kueens | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
110 | Laura Dittmann (Ger) Germany | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
111 | Edita Janeliunaite (Ltu) Acs Chirio - Forno d'Asolo | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
112 | Dorleta Zorrilla Braceras (Spa) Bizkaia - Durango | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
113 | Giulia Lazzerini (Ita) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox | Row 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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