Boels Ladies Tour: Van Vleuten wins prologue

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Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) lined up for the Boels Ladies Tour as defending champion, both of the overall race and the starting prologue. Starting last, the Dutch rider lived up to her billing, covering the 3.3-kilometre course in 4:22, and beating her closest competitor Anna van der Breggen (Boels Dolmans) by a whole seven seconds. Ellen van Dijk (Team Sunweb) rounded out an all-Dutch podium.

The city-centre course in Arnhem included a few technical turns, some cobblestones and the inevitable Dutch road furniture. But long straights on a bike path, and along the Rhine riverbank, meant that power output was as important as bike-handling skills, if not more so.

In overcast, but dry conditions, Anabelle Dreville (Lotto Soudal Ladies), Rozanne Slik (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Pauliena Rooijakkers (WaowDeals), and Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) all briefly occupied the hotseat before Jolien D'hoore (Mitchelton-Scott) set a benchmark time of 4:36.

This was beaten by D'hoore's teammate Sarah Roy who shaved another two seconds off the leading time, but then Leah Kirchmann (Team Sunweb) took the hotseat with a time of 4:31. The Canadian's time stood for a long while many riders failed to best her benchmark. Lucinda Brand (Team Sunweb), Lisa Klein (Canyon-SRAM), and Amy Pieters (Boels Dolmans) all came within two seconds of Kirchmann but could not beat her. Lisa Brennauer (Wiggle High5) was only a few tenths of a second slower.

The last three riders off the start ramp were the three top favourites: European ITT champion Ellen van Dijk bested her teammate's time and took the lead with 4:30. But van Dijk barely got off her bike before penultimate starter, Olympic champion Anna van der Breggen, came to the finish, stopping the clock at 4:29.

But this time did not stand for long, either. Annemiek van Vleuten did a great prologue in her time trial world champion's skinsuit, shaving an astonishing seven seconds off van der Breggen's effort for a winning time of 4:22.

"I almost could not believe how big my advantage was, last year in Wageningen it was five seconds on 4.3 km," van Vleuten said in a TV interview before the podium ceremony.

"I rode the course in reconnaissance until I was not allowed to any more, trying to find the perfect line. I really wanted to do my very best. Maybe I could have taken some turns even better, there is always something to improve. But I am preparing for the world championships, today was not a now-or-never day. I took a few risks, but not extremely so."

Van Vleuten will start the first road stage of the race, 137.9 kilometres around Nijmegen, in the orange race leader's jersey. The white jersey for the best U23 rider will be worn by Lisa Klein.

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