Cromwell wins women's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Tiffany Cromwell (Orica-AIS) won a two-up sprint against Megan Guarnier (Rabobank) to capture the first European race of the season. With two former winners as teammates, Cromwell was part of a three-pronged attack for Orica-AIS at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Patience paid off for the young Australian, who initiated the race winning move between the final two sections of cobbles.

"It's a fantastic team effort," said Cromwell. "Any one of us could take the win today. As always, we supported each other, and I was happy to finish off the job."

The opening hour of racing was a fairly quiet affair. The peloton first split up the Côte de Trieu.

"The race unfolded as we had expected," said Cromwell. "Usually not much happens until around the 50-kilometre mark. Until then, we are just meant to keep out of trouble and ensure we had numbers when the [cobbled] sectors start."

The peloton split into three groups following the Côte de Trieu. The groups came back together. The field split again over the Patersberg. The small groups that formed merged to create a 60-strong lead group ahead of the Edelareberg.

With all eight climbs completed and five cobbled sections yet to come, a 16-rider front group solidified. Orica-AIS was the best represented with Loes Gunnewijk, Emma Johansson and Gracie Elvin joining Cromwell in the move.

"We had representation each time the race split, but nothing was really happening despite all the action," noted Cromwell. "There was a strong headwind, and most teams weren't willing to help force the split."

Cromwell took matters into her own hands with the final pavé sector looming. "We had been using our numbers to our advantage and launching attacks that were going nowhere," said Cromwell. "Finally, I went and Megan came with me. We got a gap immediately but she wasn't working with me. I still considered it a good opportunity, so I worked - maybe a bit too much. Eventually Megan started rolling through. It was enough to hold off the chasing bunch."

Cromwell forced Guarnier to the front in the last kilometre. She came around the American to open up the sprint.

"I started sprinting with 300 metres," Cromwell said. "Megan didn't contest the sprint. I don't think she had anything left."

With a lead-out from Elvin, Johansson won the bunch sprint to take third, giving Orica-AIS two riders on the podium in Ghent. Johansson is a two-time former Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner while Cromwell earned her first Classics victory today.

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