Gent–Wevelgem Women 2014: Results

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Lauren Hall celebrates victory (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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The 2014 podium of Janneke Ensing (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Lauren Hall (USA) gives the crowd a good spray (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Lauren Hall wins the 2014 Gent-Wevelgem Women's race (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Liesbet De Vocht (Lotto Belisol) was sixth (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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A happy Lauren Hall post-win (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Champagne for the podium (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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The podium on display (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Lauren Hall (USA) wasn't racing for her trade team, Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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The sprint for second place (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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The podium of Janneke Ensing (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team), Lauren Hall (USA) and Vera Koedooder (Bigla) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

The third edition of Gent-Wevelgem Women was won by 35-year-old American Lauren Hall (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) as she attacked her breakaway companion to record a one second one ahead Janneke Ensing (Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team) and Vera Koedooder (Bigla).

In the final kilometre the trio escaped from a leading group of eight in the winning move while Sofie De Vuyst sprinted to fourth place (Futurumshop.nl-Zannata).

For the first time in the race's short history, the race went up the Kemmel and Monteberg twice and it was on the second ascent of the Monteberg, 35km from the finish, that a selection was made of 27 riders. Lotto Belisol's Liesbet De Vocht accelerated again almost immediately to force another break and was joined by seven riders: Hall, Sensing, Koedooder, De Vuyst, Claire Thomas, Anouska Koster and Roxane Knetemann.

The eight riders worked together to stay away and had quickly built a lead of one minute back to the bunch. Then in the final kilometre as riders started to play their cards, Koedooder and Hall jumped clear and in the sprint, Hall was the fastest or the two. Hall now adds her name alongside Elizabeth Armitstead and Kirsten Wild as winners of the race.

Result

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Lauren Hall (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)	3:02:57
2	Janneke Ensing (Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team)	0:00:01
3	Vera Koedooder (Bigla Cycling Team)
4	Sofie De Vuyst (Futurumshop.nl-Zannata)	0:00:06
5	Roxane Knetemann (Rabobank-Liv Woman Cycling Team)
6	Anouska Koster (Futurumshop.nl-Zannata)
7	Liesbet De Vocht (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
8	Claire Thomas
9	Kirsten Wild Team Giant-Shimano)	0:01:42
10	Nina Kessler (Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team)