Gunnewijk wins Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Close to the finishing laps and still leading, Loes Gunnewijk (GreenEDGE-AIS) on her own.

Close to the finishing laps and still leading, Loes Gunnewijk (GreenEDGE-AIS) on her own. (Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)

GreenEdge scored its first European victory courtesy of Dutch rider Loes Gunnewijk, who out-sprinted her breakaway companion Eleonora Van Dijk (Specialized-Lululemon) on the line in Ghent.

Gunnewijk attacked on the cobbles of the Paddestraat with some 30km left to race, and was later joined by Van Dijk. The pair was able to hold off the chase group by more than a minute before contesting the sprint for victory.

Gunnewijk got the better of Van Dijk to cruise to her first win in the event, while German Trixi Worrack (Specialized-Lululemon) won the sprint for the final podium spot over Martine Bras (Dolmans-Boels).

"It's really special for me to take my first win and for us to win the first European race of the season to continue our winning streak," said Gunnewijk. "We have a really good spirit and work ethic in the team. Everyone wants to work for the leader in any given race. We're happy to race as a team, and this is obvious in our results."

Just before the halfway point of the 119.4km race, a group of 12 riders split on the Côte de Trieu, one of seven climbs on the women's course.

Ten riders powered away with the Greenedge-AIS team being the strongest force in there with three riders, Gunnewijk, Amanda Spratt and Tiffany Cromwell. The other riders in the group were Lise Nöstvold ander Elisa Longo Borghini (Hitec Products-Mistral Home), Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Stichting Rabo Women), Worrack, Elizabeth Armitstead (AA Drink-Loentien.nl), Noemi Cantele (Be Pink) and Martine Bras (Dolmans-Boels).

Once the gap on the peloton was more than a minute, Van Dijk started a solo attempt to get back to the front. It was the move of the race and somehow she pulled it off. “Too bad I wasn’t rewarded more for it. Early on I sat a bit too far when the group got away. I was a bit surprised when they turned right at the Paterberg. It was a mistake from my side that I didn’t know the course well enough but it’s been five years since I rode here,” Van Dijk said.

At the cobbles of the Lange Munte after 98km Gunnewijk upped the pace again. “The co-operation in the group wasn’t perfect and I noticed that my teammates started struggling to keep the pace high. I attacked and only Eleonora [Van Dijk] managed to join me,” Gunnewijk said. T

he duo headed to Ghent together. “Loes sat on my wheel so I reacted once she started her sprint. I was confident and when she attacked with 300m to go I overtook her but then she overtook me again. It was a bit uphill. I should’ve won,” Van Dijk said.

It was an ideal sprint for Gunnewijk. “I needed a long sprint. I returned on her and realized I was faster. I was able to celebrate in the final meters,” Gunnewijk said.

Worrack easily won the sprint for third place and felt the team did a good job on Saturday. “We were in the best position with somebody in front and behind; Van Dijk is fast too,” Worrack told Cyclingnews.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Greenedge-AIS3:17:14
2Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Team Specialized-LululemonRow 1 - Cell 2
3Trixi Worrack (Ger) Team Specialized-Lululemon0:01:10
4Martine Bras (Ned) Dolmans-Boels CyclingteamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling TeamRow 4 - Cell 2
6Noemi Cantele (Ita) Be PinkRow 5 - Cell 2
7Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Hitec Products-Mistral Home Cycling TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Greenedge-AISRow 7 - Cell 2
9Amanda Spratt (Aus) Greenedge-AISRow 8 - Cell 2
10Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Lise Nöstvold (Nor) Hitec Products-Mistral Home Cycling Team0:01:19
12Chloe Hosking (Aus) Team Specialized-Lululemon0:01:33
13Latoya Brulee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012Row 12 - Cell 2
14Christine Majerus (Lux) Team Gsd GestionRow 13 - Cell 2
15Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling TeamRow 14 - Cell 2
16Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Lotto Belisol LadiesRow 15 - Cell 2
17Sarah Düster (Ger) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling TeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18Romy Kasper (Ger) RusveloRow 17 - Cell 2
19Thalita De Jong (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Sara Mustonen (Swe) Hitec Products-Mistral Home Cycling TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Maaike Polspoel (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012Row 20 - Cell 2
22Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) Dolmans-Boels CyclingteamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Madeleine Olsson (Swe) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Jessie Daams (Bel) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Ann-Sophie Duyck (Bel) Lotto Belisol LadiesRow 24 - Cell 2
26Iris Slappendel (Ned) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling TeamRow 25 - Cell 2
27Alexis Rhodes (Aus) Greenedge-AISRow 26 - Cell 2
28Chantal Blaak (Ned) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Fröydis Waerstad (Nor) Hitec Products-Mistral Home Cycling TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Carlee Taylor (Aus) Vienne FuturoscopeRow 29 - Cell 2
31Regina Bruins (Ned) Skil 1T4I0:04:46
32Lucy Martin (GBr) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling Team0:07:17
33Katie Colclough (GBr) Team Specialized-LululemonRow 32 - Cell 2
34Kaat Hannes (Bel) Lotto Belisol LadiesRow 33 - Cell 2
35Jolien d'Hoore (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012Row 34 - Cell 2
36Marlen Jöhrend (Ger) Abus NutrixxionRow 35 - Cell 2
HDAnne Arnouts (Bel) Kleo Ladies Team0:10:01
HDEmma Silversides (GBr) Sengers Ladies Cycling TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
HDKelly Druyts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012Row 38 - Cell 2
HDRochelle Gilmore (Aus) Faren Honda TeamRow 39 - Cell 2
HDDaniela Gass (Ger) Abus NutrixxionRow 40 - Cell 2
HDEvelyn Arys (Bel) Kleo Ladies TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
HDAnnelies Dom (Bel) Wielerclub Steeds Vooraan V.Z.W.Row 42 - Cell 2
HDLaura Van Der Kamp (Ned) Dolmans-Boels CyclingteamRow 43 - Cell 2
HDMascha Pijnenborg (Ned) Dolmans-Boels CyclingteamRow 44 - Cell 2
HDAlena Amialiusik (Blr) Be PinkRow 45 - Cell 2
HDKimberly Buyl (Bel) Sengers Ladies Cycling TeamRow 46 - Cell 2
HDBirgit Lavrijssen (Ned) Sengers Ladies Cycling TeamRow 47 - Cell 2
HDLauren Kitchen (Aus) Stichting Rabo Women Cycling TeamRow 48 - Cell 2
HDPetra Dijkman (Ned) Kleo Ladies TeamRow 49 - Cell 2
HDIsabelle Söderberg (Swe) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
HDGeerike Schreurs (Ned) Sengers Ladies Cycling TeamRow 51 - Cell 2
HDInge Roggeman (Bel) Sengers Ladies Cycling TeamRow 52 - Cell 2
HDSofie De Vuyst (Bel) Lotto Belisol LadiesRow 53 - Cell 2
HDMarieke Van Wanroij (Ned) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling TeamRow 54 - Cell 2
HDWilleke Knol (Ned) Van ArckelRow 55 - Cell 2
HDFiona Dutriaux (Fra) Vienne FuturoscopeRow 56 - Cell 2
HDBelinda Goss (Aus) Abus NutrixxionRow 57 - Cell 2
HDMarijn De Vries (Ned) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
HDAndrea Graus (Aut) Vienne FuturoscopeRow 59 - Cell 2
HDYulia Blindyuk (Rus) Faren Honda TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
HDElena Utrobina (Rus) Faren Honda TeamRow 61 - Cell 2

 

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