Bastianelli wins women's Tour of Flanders
Van Vleuten second, Uttrup Ludwig third in three-up sprint
Marta Bastianelli (Team Virtu Cycling) won the women's Tour of Flanders in a sprint of three, beating Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Bigla).
"It was an incredible race," Bastianelli said in a post-race flash interview. "I'm really happy about this incredible result. It was a very hard race but I pulled it off.
"I've got a great team. I attacked on the Kwaremont as they told me to do. Today we had Bjarne Riis in the team car and so I couldn't make any mistakes. I kept going on the Paterberg and kept working all the way to the finish. I got on Van Vleuten's wheel and gave it everything to pull off the win.
"I've won some big races but this is a very, very important one for me."
A group of four formed on the Oude Kwaremont, however, Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) was dropped on the Paterberg, leaving three riders in front. The trio of Bastianelli, Van Vleuten and Uttrup Ludwig held off a chasing group on the run-in to the finish.
How it unfolded
With four cobblestone sections and ten hills, four of them cobbled, on 159.2km, and big crowds at the roadside, the Tour of Flanders is arguably the most prestigious classic on the women's calendar. The first hours of the race were dominated by a seven-rider breakaway.
Ilaria Sanguineti (Valcar Cylance), Sévérine Éraud (Doltcini-Van Eyck), Giulia Marchesini (Aromitalia-Basso Bikes-Vaiano), Kylie Waterreus (Health Mate-Cyclelive), Kseniya Dobrynina (Servetto-Piumate-Beltrami TSA), Silvia Valsecchi (BePink), and Chanella Stougje (Hitec Products-Birk Sport) were given an unusually large advantage for a women's race and were three minutes ahead at one point.
The Muur van Geraardsbergen broke up the break, and the chase work by the peloton reeled in the escapees in on the Kanarieberg with 46km to go. Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM) countered but could not get away. However, the speed over the climb broke up the race that was also marred by crashes and punctures.
Niewiadoma attacked on the Hotond climb and was followed by Uttrup Ludwig and Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) but did not get away. The same fate befell Gracie Elvin (Mitchelton-Scott) and Lisa Klein (Canyon-SRAM) who tried next, so it was a group of about 30 riders hitting the penultimate climb, the Oude Kwaremont, with 18km to go.
Bastianelli opened proceedings with an attack on the cobbles and attacked once more when she was reeled in, bringing Uttrup Ludwig, Van Vleuten, Niewiadoma, and Vos with her. Vos then punctured out of the front group while Uttrup Ludwig went solo over the top of the climb. Van Vleuten brought Bastianelli and Niewiadoma back to the Dane, and the quartet entered the Paterberg together. An acceleration by Van Vleuten dropped Niewiadoma while the other two could stay with the Dutchwoman.
After the Paterberg, the leading trio was 28 seconds ahead of a chase group with Chantal Blaak (Boels Dolmans), Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo), Sofia Bertizzolo (Team Virtu Cycling), and Niewiadoma.
Van Vleuten made a final move on the flat run-in to the finish in Oudenaarde. Bastianelli was quick to close the gap, though, and after that they rode to the finish together. The Italian easily won the sprint ahead of Van Vleuten and Uttrup Ludwig. Sofia Bertizzolo (Team Virtu Cycling) led home the second group seven seconds later.
With the victory, Bastianelli extended her lead in the UCI Women’s WorldTour ranking, Bertizzolo reconquered the lead in the youth ranking.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Team Virtu Cycling | 4:16:50 |
2 | Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott Women | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Team Virtu Cycling | 0:00:07 |
5 | Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo Women | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | 0:00:10 |
8 | Lisa Brennauer (Ger) WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling | 0:00:55 |
9 | Lucinda Brand (Ned) Team Sunweb Women | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Amy Pieters (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Marta Cavalli (Ita) Valcar-Cylance Cycling | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Soraya Paladin (Ita) Ale Cipollini | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Gracie Elvin (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Lisa Klein (Ger) Canyon-SRAM | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Alison Jackson (Can) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Parkhotel Valkenburg | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Trek-Segafredo Women | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Sunweb Women | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Amanda Spratt (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women | 0:00:58 |
21 | Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon-SRAM | 0:01:00 |
22 | Marianne Vos (Ned) CCC-Liv | 0:01:55 |
23 | Emilia Fahlin (Swe) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Anouska Koster (Ned) Team Virtu Cycling | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Aromitalia-Basso Bikes-Vaiano | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Valcar-Cylance Cycling | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Julie Van de Velde (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Erica Magnaldi (Ita) WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Ruth Winder (USA) Trek-Segafredo Women | 0:02:49 |
30 | Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Sunweb Women | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) CCC-Liv | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Lotte Kopecky (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies | 0:03:26 |
33 | Sarah Roy (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women | 0:03:48 |
34 | Arlenis Sierra (Cub) Astana Women's Team | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Brodie Chapman (Aus) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) BePink | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Julie Leth (Den) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Ale Cipollini | 0:03:51 |
39 | Romy Kasper (Ger) Ale Cipollini | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Evy Kuijpers (Ned) CCC-Liv | 0:04:38 |
41 | Jolien D'Hoore (Bel) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Chloe Hosking (Aus) Ale Cipollini | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Kirsten Wild (Ned) WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Anastasiia Chursina (Rus) BTC City Ljubljana | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Leah Thomas (USA) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Hanna Nilsson (Swe) BTC City Ljubljana | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Severine Eraud (Fra) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Shara Gillow (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Jesse Vandenbulcke (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Demi de Jong (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Urska Pintar (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Daniela Reis (Por) Doltcini | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Sarah Rijkes (Aut) WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling | 0:05:18 |
57 | Lara Vieceli (Ita) WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) CCC-Liv | 0:05:51 |
60 | Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | 0:06:21 |
62 | Katia Ragusa (Ita) BePink | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Valerie Demey (Bel) CCC-Liv | 0:06:24 |
64 | Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-SRAM | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Liane Lippert (Ger) Team Sunweb Women | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar-Cylance Cycling | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Elena Pirrone (Ita) Astana Women's Team | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Belle de Gast (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | 0:07:41 |
70 | Bryony van Velzen (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Kathrin Schweinberger (Aut) Health Mate-Ladies Team | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Diana Carolina Peñuela Martinez (Col) Ale Cipollini | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Danielle Christmas (GBr) Lotto Soudal Ladies | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Maria Vittoria Sperotto (Ita) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Kylie Waterreus (Ned) Health Mate-Ladies Team | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Vittoria Guazzini (Ita) Valcar-Cylance Cycling | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Lizbeth Yareli Salazar Vazquez (Mex) Astana Women's Team | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Pascale Jeuland (Fra) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Carmela Cipriani (Ita) Aromitalia-Basso Bikes-Vaiano | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Annelies Dom (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Saartje Vandenbroucke (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Ingrid Lorvik (Nor) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Marit Raaijmakers (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Sofia Beggin (Ita) Aromitalia-Basso Bikes-Vaiano | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Anna Potokina (Rus) Servetto-Piumate-Beltrami TSA | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Riejanne Markus (Ned) CCC-Liv | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Anja Longyka (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Esther van Veen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Rozanne Slik (Ned) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Lauren Stephens (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Charlotte Becker (Ger) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Lauren Kitchen (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Team Virtu Cycling | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Sara Mustonen (Swe) Health Mate-Ladies Team | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women | 0:07:53 |
99 | Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Alba Teruel Ribes (Spa) Movistar Team Women | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nina Kessler (Ned) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Letizia Borghesi (Ita) Aromitalia-Basso Bikes-Vaiano | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michela Balducci (Ita) Aromitalia-Basso Bikes-Vaiano | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christina Schweinberger (Aut) Health Mate-Ladies Team | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kirstie van Haaften (Ned) Health Mate-Ladies Team | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fien Delbaere (Bel) Health Mate-Ladies Team | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Francesca Balducci (Ita) Conceria Zabri-Fanini | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mónika Király (Hun) Servetto-Piumate-Beltrami TSA | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexandra Goncharova (Rus) Servetto-Piumate-Beltrami TSA | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Roxane Fournier (Fra) Movistar Team Women | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Cylance Cycling | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Giulia Marchesini (Ita) Aromitalia-Basso Bikes-Vaiano | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Francesca Pattaro (Ita) BePink | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nicole Steigenga (Ned) BePink | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Chiara Perini (Ita) BePink | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon-SRAM | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Julie Solvang (Nor) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo Women | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Chanella Stougje (Ned) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) BePink | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Martina Alzini (Ita) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Coryn Rivera (USA) Team Sunweb Women | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Julia Soek (Ned) Team Sunweb Women | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lotta Pauliina Lepistö (Fin) Trek-Segafredo Women | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-SRAM | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christina Malling Siggaard (Den) Team Virtu Cycling | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Katarzyna Pawlowska (Pol) Team Virtu Cycling | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Cylance Cycling | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jessica Allen (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott Women | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Pernille Larsen Feldmann (Nor) Hitec Products-Birk Sport | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nadia Quagliotto (Ita) Ale Cipollini | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kseniia Dobrynina (Rus) Servetto-Piumate-Beltrami TSA | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mikayla Harvey (NZl) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mia Radotic | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maaike Boogaard (Ned) BTC City Ljubljana | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jip van den Bos (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Faina Potapova (Kaz) Astana Women's Team | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Makhabbat Umutzhanova (Kaz) Astana Women's Team | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marie Soleil Blais (Can) Astana Women's Team | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo Women | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Moniek Tenniglo (Ned) Mitchelton-Scott Women | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
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Lukas Knöfler started working in cycling communications in 2013 and has seen the inside of the scene from many angles. Having worked as press officer for teams and races and written for several online and print publications, he has been Cyclingnews’ Women’s WorldTour correspondent since 2018.
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