Annemiek van Vleuten wins women's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) took her first victory as the new world champion at the Spring Classic's opener Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday. The versatile Dutch rider attacked a select lead group over the Muur-Kapelmuur and soloed to the win in Ninove.

Chantal Van den Broek-Blaak (Boels-Dolmans) started her chase-group sprint early but was passed by Marta Bastianelli (Ale BTC Ljubljana) in second and Floortje Mackaij (Sunweb) third. Van den Broek-Blaak had to settle for fourth place while Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo) finished fifth.

"I can’t believe this has happened because I am always such a slow starter and I know I usually grow into the season. So to start like this, I really didn’t expect to be solo over the Muur, I thought more girls would follow me," Van Vleuten said in a press statement.

"If you win solo you can really enjoy the last kilometres and I really enjoyed those moments today, it is my first win here and in the rainbow jersey is an incredible feeling."

How it unfolded

The Spring Classics traditionally kick off at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad where the women race 127km from Gent to Ninove.

It's a notoriously tough race held under the colder, and often times rainy, conditions of northern Europe. The race is even more challenging because of the 10 climbs on route: Leberg (45km), Wolvenberg (57km), Molenberg (69.5km), Rekelberg (83.5km), Elvererberg (90km), Terbosse (94.5km), Eikenmolen (99.5km), Muur-Kapelmuur (109.5km) and the Bosberg (113.5km).

A select group of riders were among the leaders of the race with just 20km to go and they held a 40-second gap over a second chase group.

The lead group included defending champion Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, Lonneke Uneken, Christine Majerus and Jip van den Bos (Boels Dolmans), world champion Annemiek van Vleuten and Gracie Elvin (Mitchelton-Scott), Marta Bastianelli and Eugenia Bujak (Ale), Hannah Barnes and Elena Cecchini (Canyon-Sram), Jeanne Korevaar (CCC-Liv), Aude Biannic (Movistar), Floortje Mackaij (Sunweb), Ellen van Dijk and Ruth Winder (Trek-Segafredo), Elizabeth Banks and Marien Reusser (Bigla-Katusha), Abby-Mae Parkinson (Lotto Soudal), , Lorena Wiebes (Parkhotel) and Chloe Hosking (Rally Cycling).

Van Vleuten set a fast pace into the bottom of the Muur-Kapelmuur that caused massive separations on the climb. Half way up the climb, and on the steeper cobbled sections, the world champion was alone as she raced past the church at the top.

Mackaij tried to follow Van Vleuten, and for a short time covered the ascent at just a few seconds behind, however, by the time she crested the top, the remaining riders of the original front group caught back up.

Van Vleuten’s gap pushed out to 15 seconds as she descended off the Muur-Kapelmuur and raced along the flat sections into the final climb of the Bosberg, which is a straight climb with pitches as steep as 12 per cent near the top. 

Five riders pushed to try and catch Van Vleuten on the last climb; Van den Broek-Blaak, Bujak, van Dijk, Bastianelli, Mackaij and Banks.

Van Dijk attached the chase group with 12km to go that caused Banks and Bujak to struggle off the back.  

Four riders carried on in pursuit of Van Vleuten. Van den Broek-Blaak, van Dijk, Bastianelli and Mackaij work together to try and catch the former two-time time trial world champion, Van Vleuten, but their efforts were not successful.

Van Vleuten’s gap continued to push out second-by-second and she raced into the finish in Ninove with her first victory of the season.

Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Full Results
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Mitchelton Scott 3:34:55
2Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale' Btc Ljubljana 0:00:42
3Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Sunweb
4Chantal Van Den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
5Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Trek - Segafredo 0:00:44
6Elizabeth Banks (GBr) Bigla - Katusha 0:01:13
7Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale' Btc Ljubljana
8Chloe Hosking (Aus) Rally Cycling 0:01:30
9Jip Van Den Bos (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
10Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
11Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon / /Sram Racing
12Sarah Roy (Aus) Mitchelton Scott
13Marlen Reusser (Swi) Bigla - Katusha
14Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Ccc - Liv
15Ruth Winder (USA) Trek - Segafredo
16Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon / /Sram Racing 0:01:36
17Soraya Paladin (Ita) Ccc - Liv
18Franziska Koch (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:01:38
19Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 0:01:58
20Abby-Mae Parkinson (GBr) Lotto Soudal Ladies
21Gracie Elvin (Aus) Mitchelton Scott
22Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:03:09
23Alison Jackson (Can) Team Sunweb 0:03:14
24Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Fdj Nouvelle - Aquitaine Futuroscope
25Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon / /Sram Racing 0:03:17
26Susanne Andersen (Nor) Team Sunweb
27Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Ccc - Liv 0:03:20
28Anastasiia Chursina (Rus) Ale' Btc Ljubljana
29Natalie Van Gogh (Ned) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
30Sara Poidevin (Can) Rally Cycling
31Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Ale' Btc Ljubljana
32Danique Braam (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:04:05
33Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 0:04:10
34Coryn Rivera (USA) Team Sunweb 0:04:25
35Sara Penton (Swe) Drops
36Marieke Van Witzenburg (Ned) Doltcini - Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling
37Danielle Christmas (GBr) Lotto Soudal Ladies
38Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chi) Wcc Team
39Grace Brown (Aus) Mitchelton Scott
40Riejanne Markus (Ned) Ccc - Liv
41Eva Buurman (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
42Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Ccc - Liv 0:04:28
43Valerie Demey (Bel) Ccc - Liv
44Janneke Ensing (Ned) Mitchelton Scott 0:04:35
45Tanja Erath (Ger) Canyon / /Sram Racing 0:05:52
46Maria Apolonia Van 'T Geloof (Ned) Drops
47Quinty Ton (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
48Kylie Waterreus (Ned) Multum Accountants - Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
49Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
50Nicole Steigenga (Ned) Doltcini - Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling 0:05:54
51Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products - Birk Sport
52Emily Newsom (USA) Team Tibco - Silicon Valley Bank
53Rozanne Slik (Ned) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
54Eugénie Duval (Fra) Fdj Nouvelle - Aquitaine Futuroscope
55Emma Cecilie Norsgaard Jørgensen (Den) Bigla - Katusha
56Romy Kasper (Ger) Parkhotel Valkenburg
57Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon / /Sram Racing
58Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) Fdj Nouvelle - Aquitaine Futuroscope
59Esther Van Veen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
60Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women
61Brodie Chapman (Aus) Fdj Nouvelle - Aquitaine Futuroscope
62Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Fdj Nouvelle - Aquitaine Futuroscope
63Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek - Segafredo
64Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar - Travel & Service
65Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar - Travel & Service
66Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Lotto Soudal Ladies
67Julia Soek (Ned) Team Sunweb 0:07:47
68Kathrin Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini - Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling
69Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar - Travel & Service
70Silvia Pollicini (Ita) Valcar - Travel & Service
71Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
72Kirstie Van Haaften (Ned) Ciclotel
73Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
DNFBelle De Gast (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
DNFEvita Muzic (Fra) Fdj Nouvelle - Aquitaine Futuroscope
DNFJelena Erić (Srb) Movistar Team Women
DNFAlicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women
DNFTeniel Campbell TTO Valcar - Travel & Service
DNFEyeru Tesfoam Gebru (Eth) Wcc Team
DNFMoniek Tenniglo (Ned) Mitchelton Scott
DNFAnastasiya Kolesava (Blr) Wcc Team
DNFVeronika Jandová (Cze) Wcc Team
DNFAkvile Gedraitytė (Ltu) Wcc Team
DNFSkylar Schneider (USA) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
DNFHeidi Franz (USA) Rally Cycling
DNFNina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco - Silicon Valley Bank
DNFSilvia Persico (Ita) Valcar - Travel & Service
DNFJenelle Crooks (NZl) Team Tibco - Silicon Valley Bank
DNFMaaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale' Btc Ljubljana
DNFAnna Trevisi (Ita) Ale' Btc Ljubljana
DNFDiana Carolina Peñuela Martinez (Col) Team Tibco - Silicon Valley Bank
DNFSheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women
DNFSarah Gigante (Aus) Team Tibco - Silicon Valley Bank
DNFHannah Ludwig (Ger) Canyon / /Sram Racing
DNFLeah Dixon (GBr) Team Tibco - Silicon Valley Bank
DNFLeigh Ann Ganzar (USA) Rally Cycling
DNFMelanie Klement (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
DNFDésirée Ehrler (Swi) Multum Accountants - Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
DNFAnna Badegruber (Aut) Multum Accountants - Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
DNFCéline Van Houtum (Ned) Multum Accountants - Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
DNFValeriya Kononenko (Ukr) Ciclotel
DNFOlha Kulynych (Ukr) Ciclotel
DNFDaniela Reis (Por) Ciclotel
DNFBryony Van Velzen (Ned) Ciclotel
DNFSara Van De Vel (Bel) Ciclotel
DNFLucinda Brand (Ned) Trek - Segafredo
DNFMerel Hofman (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
DNFAlana Castrique (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNFMaike Van Der Duin (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
DNFNienke Wasmus (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
DNFMikayla Harvey (NZl) Bigla - Katusha
DNFNatalie Irene Midtsveen (Nor) Hitec Products - Birk Sport
DNFLeah Thomas (USA) Bigla - Katusha
DNFSophie Wright (GBr) Bigla - Katusha
DNFElizabeth Bennett (GBr) Drops
DNFEmilie Moberg (Nor) Drops
DNFLucy Van Der Haar (GBr) Hitec Products - Birk Sport
DNFInez Beijer (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
DNFRozemarijn Ammerlaan (Ned) Nxtg Racing
DNFEmily Wadsworth (GBr) Nxtg Racing
DNFCharlotte Kool (Ned) Nxtg Racing
DNFBritt Knaven (Bel) Nxtg Racing
DNFLotta Pauliina Henttala (Fin) Trek - Segafredo
DNFFinja Smekal (Ger) Drops
DNFEva Jonkers (Ned) Nxtg Racing
DNFCathalijne Hoolwerf (Ned) Nxtg Racing
DNFAudrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek - Segafredo
DNFRoxane Fournier (Fra)
DNFFien Delbaere (Bel) Multum Accountants - Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
DNFFebe Schokkaert (Bel) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
DNFLara Defour (Bel) Multum Accountants - Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
DNFMieke Docx (Bel) Doltcini - Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling
DNFNicole Hanselmann (Swi) Doltcini - Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling
DNFChristina Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini - Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling
DNFAmalie Lutro (Nor) Hitec Products - Birk Sport
DNFGreta Richioud (Fra) Hitec Products - Birk Sport
DNFMagdeleine Vallieres Mill (Can) Wcc Team
DNFJulie Van De Velde (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNFIngrid Lorvik (Nor) Hitec Products - Birk Sport
DNFGloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
DNFRossella Ratto (Ita) Chevalmeire Cycling Team

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Kirsten Frattini
Deputy Editor

Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.

Latest on Cyclingnews