In a huge surprise, Danish rider Christina Siggaard (Team Virtu Cycling) won Saturday's re-vamped Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, sprinting clear of a group of 30 women. The 23-year-old finished ahead of Alexis Ryan (Canyon-SRAM) and Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Valcar-PBM).

"It's a dream come true," Siggaard said. "Sometimes everything just comes together; riders, team and sponsors, that's what makes this great."

Despite their presence in that front group, Siggaard beat favourites the calibre of Chloe Hosking (Alé-Cipollini), Coryn Rivera (Sunweb) and Jolien D'hoore (Mitchelton-Scott) to take undoubtedly the best result of her career.

Siggaard herself could barely believe her success, and was comforted by other riders after bursting into tears and sobbing just over the finish line in Meerbeke.

She had survived a tough final half of the race, remaining with many of the sport's top names through the new final which included the climbs of Kapelmuur and the Bosberg in the final 20km.

How It Unfolded

The 122.1km race began in Ghent, with both start and finish the same as the men's event, which ran concurrently.

The opening kilometres were raced in combative fashion, with plenty of attacks neutralised by the bunch. Only a group of eight, who gained 15 seconds after just 21km got away, though were soon neutralised by a hungry peloton fresh from their winter break.

Even when British rider Keira McVitty, riding for the Isorex Cycling Team, escaped alone ten kilometres from the Katteberg - after 59km, the first of eight climbs - the peloton were in no mood to let her.

Despite continued aggression and a short lived break of three riders, the race entered the final 35km with a group of 70 at the front, and it was only here, after the Berendries that a notable nine woman group escaped.

Consisting of Floortje Mackaij (Sunweb), Dani Rowe (Waowdeals), Elena Cecchini (Canyon-SRAM), Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle High5), Amanda Spratt (Mitchleton Scott), Chloe Hosking (Alé Cippolini), Polona Batagelj and the Boels-Dolmans duo of Christine Majerus and Karol-Ann Canuel, the break built 50 seconds advantage in just ten kilometres, and it seemed this was the race winning combination, especially as all the major teams were represented.

However, with Geraardsbergen and its feared Kapelmuur looming, the gap inexplicably tumbled, the group caught before the climb, with just over 15km to ride.

The Muur caused chaos, splitting the recently re-formed peloton, leaving the final group of 25 for the four-kilometre lead in to the final climb, the Bosberg.

While Lucinda Brand's 2017 win set the tone for the spring, it is unlikely Siggaard's Virtu team will dominate this year like Brand's Sunweb outfit did. It is, however, a major success for the Danish outfit who have strengthened over the winter in what is only their second year.

With former world champion Amalie Dideriksen and Women's WorldTour best young rider already at the top of the sport, Siggaard's win is further evidence of the strength of Danish women's cycling.

Full Results