Gunnewijk wins Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

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.

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