Van der Breggen storms to Tour of Flanders victory
Pieters and van Vleuten complete podium
Olympic champion Anna van der Breggen (Boels Dolmans) won the 2018 Tour of Flanders with a 27-kilometre solo after attacking in between the Kruisberg and Oude Kwaremont climbs. From a chase group of nine, Amy Pieters (Boels Dolmans) sprinted to second and becomes the new leader of the UCI Women's WorldTour. Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) came in third.
Starting and finishing in Oudenaarde, the peloton faced 150.9km on two large loops through the Flemish countryside, with five flat cobblestone sections and 11 climbs, three of which were also cobbled. It was dry at the start, but rain began a few kilometres into the race.
Despite a number of attempts, no break ever stayed away for long in the first part of the race. Only Natalie van Gogh (Parkhotel Valkenburg) held a gap of almost a minute for some time before being caught again. There were several crashes on the wet and often narrow roads, and the attrition of the climbs and cobbles reduced the size of the peloton, too, as riders couldn't keep up anymore.
The Muur van Geraardsbergen, 59km from the finish, brought the first real selection of the race with a group of six riders - Jolien D'hoore (Mitchelton-Scott), Christine Majerus (Boels Dolmans), Ellen van Dijk (Team Sunweb), Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM), Lisa Brennauer (Wiggle High5), and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervélo Bigla) - in the lead at the top.
But as the six didn't push on, many riders could get back on, and soon there was a peloton of 30-40 riders again. The race settled down a bit as it passed the feed zone and riders took on fuel for the final. Boels Dolmans riders Amalie Dideriksen and Christine Majerus went to the front on the Kanarieberg, the fourth-to-last climb with 35km to go, and reduced the peloton to some 20 riders.
Elena Cecchini (Canyon-SRAM) attacked, followed by Dideriksen, but they never got far away and were caught in the streets of Ronse as the sun finally came out with 30km remaining. About 40 riders started the Kruisberg climb together, but the group shrunk to only 10 when Amy Pieters applied the pressure on the climb.
Van der Breggen took the opportunity to attack on the rolling roads after the Kruisberg. Van Dijk tried to jump on her wheel, but missed the moment, and the Olympic champion quickly opened up a gap. The chase group included three Boels Dolmans riders who had no interest in chasing their teammate, and the group was caught by a peloton just before the Oude Kwaremont.
At this point, Van der Breggen had increased her advantage to a whole minute. Moolman-Pasio attacked from the peloton on the cobbles of the Oude Kwaremont, splitting up the group. Van Vleuten went after Moolman-Pasio, but was covered by van der Breggen's teammate, world champion Chantal Blaak. A group of nine formed on the run-in to the Paterberg, the final climb of the day.
Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) split that group as only Moolman-Pasio, Pieters, and van Vleuten could follow the Pole's acceleration, though the other five were never far behind. Van der Breggen increased her advantage to 1:29 with five kilometres to go and could celebrate a stunning solo victory in Oudenaarde.
Behind Van der Breggen, the two chase groups merged on the final kilometre. Amy Pieters won the sprint for second place and also took the lead in the UCI Women's WorldTour classification, Annemiek van Vleuten finished in third place.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | 4:08:46 |
2 | Amy Pieters (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | 0:01:08 |
3 | Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott Women | |
4 | Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio ((RSA)) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team | |
5 | Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | |
6 | Malgorzata Jasinska (Pol) Movistar Team Women | |
7 | Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Team Sunweb Women | |
8 | Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Wiggle High5 | |
9 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM Racing | |
10 | Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | 0:01:11 |
11 | Kirsten Wild (Ned) Wiggle High5 | 0:01:48 |
12 | Jolien D'hoore (Bel) Mitchelton-Scott Women | |
13 | Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale Cipollini | |
14 | Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Sunweb Women | |
15 | Susanne Andersen (Nor) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | |
16 | Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | |
17 | Rozanne Slik (Ned) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | |
18 | Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | |
19 | Christina Malling Siggaard (Den) Team Virtu Cycling | |
20 | Annelies Dom (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies | |
21 | Arlenis Sierra (Cub) Astana Women's Team | |
22 | Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women | |
23 | Eva Buurman (Ned) Trek-Drops | |
24 | Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Wiggle High5 | |
25 | Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Astana Women's Team | |
26 | Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | |
27 | Sofia Beggin (Ita) Astana Women's Team | |
28 | Eugenia Bujak (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana | |
29 | Daniela Reis (Por) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | 0:01:52 |
30 | Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team | |
31 | Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Canyon-SRAM Racing | |
32 | Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Ale Cipollini | |
33 | Soraya Paladin (Ita) Ale Cipollini | |
34 | Coryn Rivera (USA) Team Sunweb Women | 0:02:09 |
35 | Marianne Vos (Ned) Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team | |
36 | Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon-SRAM Racing | |
37 | Lauren Kitchen (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | |
38 | Alicia Gonzalez (Spa) Movistar Team Women | |
39 | Lara Vieceli (Ita) Astana Women's Team | |
40 | Erica Magnaldi (Ita) BePink | |
41 | Valerie Demey (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies | |
42 | Abby-Mae Parkinson (GBr) Trek-Drops | |
43 | Sarah Roy (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women | |
44 | Anouska Koster (Ned) Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team | |
45 | Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing | 0:02:12 |
46 | Riejanne Markus (Ned) Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team | 0:05:14 |
47 | Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Sunweb Women | |
48 | Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team | |
49 | Ganna Solovei (Ukr) Parkhotel Valkenburg | 0:05:41 |
50 | Letizia Borghesi (Ita) BePink | |
51 | Katia Ragusa (Ita) BePink | |
52 | Chanella Stougje (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | |
53 | Rossella Ratto (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling | |
54 | Claudia Koster (Ned) Team Virtu Cycling | |
55 | Natalie Van Gogh (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | |
56 | Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | |
57 | Elizabeth Holden (GBr) Trek-Drops | |
58 | Martina Alzini (Ita) Astana Women's Team | |
59 | Ingrid Drexel (Mex) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | |
60 | Kelly Druyts (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | |
61 | Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Valcar PBM | |
62 | Julie Leth (Den) Wiggle High5 | |
63 | Pascale Jeuland (Fra) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | |
64 | Jessica Allen (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women | |
65 | VILMANN Marie Vilmann (Den) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team | |
66 | Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Wiggle High5 | |
67 | Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Team Virtu Cycling | |
68 | Lotta Lepisto (Fin) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team | 0:05:45 |
69 | Trixi Worrack (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing | |
70 | Lucinda Brand (Ned) Team Sunweb Women | |
71 | Monique van de Ree (Ned) Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team | 0:07:05 |
72 | Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | 0:07:42 |
73 | Eug_nie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | 0:12:04 |
74 | Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar PBM | 0:13:03 |
DNF | Alba Teruel (Spa) Movistar Team Women | |
DNF | Ann-Sophie Duyck (Bel) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Alison Jackson (Can) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | |
DNF | Emma Grant (GBr) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | |
DNF | Emma Cecilie Jorgensen (Den) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Brodie Chapman (Aus) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | |
DNF | Moniek Tenniglo (Ned) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | |
DNF | Gloria Rodriguez (Spa) Movistar Team Women | |
DNF | Jenelle Crooks (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women | |
DNF | Tereza Medvedova (Svk) BePink | |
DNF | Maria Vittoria Sperotto (Ita) BePink | |
DNF | Lisa Klein (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing | |
DNF | Marjolein van 'T Geloof (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies | |
DNF | Rachel Neylan (Aus) Movistar Team Women | |
DNF | Puck Moonen (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies | |
DNF | Lisa Morzenti (Ita) BePink | |
DNF | Tetiana Riabchenko (Ukr) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | |
DNF | Nathalie Bex (Bel) Experza-Footlogix | |
DNF | Sara Mustonen Lichan (Swe) Experza-Footlogix | |
DNF | Michela Balducci (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano | |
DNF | Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Aromitalia Vaiano | |
DNF | Julia Soek (Ned) Team Sunweb Women | |
DNF | Severine Eraud (Fra) Experza-Footlogix | |
DNF | Shannon Malseed (Aus) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | |
DNF | Thalita De Jong (Ned) Experza-Footlogix | |
DNF | Lex Albrecht (Can) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | |
DNF | Hannah Payton (GBr) Trek-Drops | |
DNF | Tayler Wiles (USA) Trek-Drops | |
DNF | Abigail Van Twisk (GBr) Trek-Drops | |
DNF | Saartje Vandenbroucke (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | |
DNF | Gracie Elvin (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women | |
DNF | Heidi Dalton (RSA) Aromitalia Vaiano | |
DNF | Lisa De Ranieri (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano | |
DNF | Susanna Zorzi (Ita) Experza-Footlogix | |
DNF | Anastasiia Iakovenko (Rus) BTC City Ljubljana | |
DNF | Roxane Fournier (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | |
DNF | Shara Gillow (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | |
DNF | Simona Frapporti (Ita) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | |
DNF | Lija Laizane (Lat) Aromitalia Vaiano | |
DNF | Angelica Brogi (Ita) Aromitalia Vaiano | |
DNF | Esther Van Veen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | |
DNF | Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Wiggle High5 | |
DNF | Maaike Boogaard (Ned) BTC City Ljubljana | |
DNF | Holly Breck ((USA)) Cylance Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Corinna Lechner (Ger) BTC City Ljubljana | |
DNF | Mia Radotic (Cro) BTC City Ljubljana | |
DNF | Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | |
DNF | Nina Kessler (Ned) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | |
DNF | Sarah Rijkes (Aut) Experza-Footlogix | |
DNF | Nancy Van Der Burg (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | |
DNF | Heidy Pradera Bernal (Cub) Astana Women's Team | |
DNF | Chloe Hosking (Aus) Ale Cipollini | |
DNF | Line Marie Gulliksen (Nor) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | |
DNF | Chantal Hoffmann (Lux) Lotto Soudal Ladies | |
DNF | Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar PBM | |
DNF | Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar PBM | |
DNF | Marta Cavalli (Ita) Valcar PBM | |
DNF | Paulien Rooijakkers (Ned) Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Jelena Eric (Srb) Cylance Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Janneke Ensing (Ned) Ale Cipollini | |
DNF | Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Ale Cipollini | |
DNF | Mieke Kroger (Ger) Team Virtu Cycling | |
DNF | Sara Penton (Swe) Team Virtu Cycling | |
DNF | Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Katarzyna Pawlowska (Pol) Team Virtu Cycling | |
DNF | Sheyla Gutierrez (Spa) Cylance Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies | |
DNF | Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar PBM |
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