Tour of Flanders Women - Live Coverage

Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the 2022 Tour of Flanders Women.

We're in Oudenaarde for the 19th edition of the women's Tour of Flanders 

Things are already off to a great start 

158.6km of climbs and cobbles await the women's peloton today including, for the first time, the hallowed slopes of the Koppenberg. 

There are 11 climbs and 11 cobbled sectors in total. 

The snow has finally stopped in Belgium but it's still pretty cold out there: 6°C 

Amongst the pre-race favourites is SD Worx's Demi Vollering, who is returning to racing for the first time since Strade Bianche in March

30 minutes to go until the flag drop 

At 13:25 local time the riders will roll out of Oudenaarde for 4.6km of neutral 

It's going to be a wheelie good race...

Liane Lippert (Team DSM) and Nina Kessler (BEX) will not start today due to illness 

All of the favourites are still in the running, however. To see which 10 riders to watch click here. 

This is officially the cutest thing ever 

They're off for the neutral rollout!

🏁 they're off 

159km to go

The riders will complete three difference loops. The first contains two cobbled sectors starting after 45km 

After 5km of racing the peloton are all together 

144km to go

Two riders have a small gap 

5 leaders have a 23 second gap, they are: 

Clara Honsinger (EF Education - Tibco - SVB), Sofie van Rooijen (Parkhotel Valkenburg), Olivia Baril (Valcar - Travel & Service), Maria Martins (Le Col - Wahoo), Kristyna Burlova (Lotto Soudal).

Elise Chabbey of Canyon SRAM has crashed 

The gap is already being brought down, it is now 16 seconds. 

The break is now down to 4 riders with a 30 second gap 

139km to go

Reminder that the four riders are:

Clara Honsinger (EF Education - Tibco - SVB), Sofie van Rooijen (Parkhotel Valkenburg), Olivia Baril (Valcar - Travel & Service), Maria Martins (Le Col - Wahoo)

A chase group of three riders is now 42" behind the break. The peloton is 50" behind.

The chase group have now been caught 

The gap to the four leaders has now gone out to 1'18 

130km to go

World Champion, Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo), is one of the out-and-out favourites for the win today. She has won the previous three rounds of the women's WorldTour and if she can get over the climbs she will be hard to beat in a sprint.

SD Worx have other ideas, however, they plan to drop the Italian and isolate another of the pre-race favourites: defending champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) 

But, "good luck with that" says Balsamo's teammate, Ellen van Dijk. 

The leading four riders have 2 minutes on the peloton. Meanwhile four more have countered from the peloton: 

Makayla MacPherson (Human Powered Health)

Katrijn de Clercq (Lotto Soudal)

Lotte Popelier (Bingoal Casino - Chevalmeire - Van Eyck Sport)

Naomi De Roeck (Bingoal Casino - Chevalmeire - Van Eyck Sport)

At 1 minute

124km to go

Makayla MacPherson (Human Powered Health) is having trouble staying with the group 

2'35" to the front group now and 1'36" to the chasers 

In 5km the peloton will reach the first cobbled sector: Lippenhovestraat

115km to go

Crash for Tanja Erath (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) 

Just under 10 minutes until the live broadcast starts. Click here to find out how to watch. 

Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon SRAM) has attacked from the peloton

It has started to rain slightly 

104km to go

Cromwell has bridged to the chasing group 

The leaders have just over four minutes on the peloton and there are two chase groups at 2'37" and 3'03"

Gulnaz Khatuntseva (Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad) and Alena Ivanchenko (UAE) are the two riders who make up the third chase group 

Recap of race situation:

Original break:  Clara Honsinger (EF Education - Tibco - SVB), Sofie van Rooijen (Parkhotel Valkenburg), Olivia Baril (Valcar - Travel & Service), Maria Martins (Le Col - Wahoo)  

+ 2'55 - 4 chasers: Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon - SRAM), Naomi De Roeck, Lotte Popelier (both Bingoal Casino - Chevalmeire - Van Eyck), Katrijn DeClercq (Lotto Soudal) 

+ 2'37 - 2 chasers: Gulnaz Khatuntseva (Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad) and Alena Ivanchenko (UAE)

+ 3'53 - Peloton

The peloton have already gone back through Oudenaarde and are starting the second loop where the climbs start

Gulnaz Khatuntseva (Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad) and Alena Ivanchenko (UAE) have bridged to the chase group. The gap to the front four is 3'50" with the six-rider chase at 2'37"

The break are on the first climb of the day: the Wolvenberg 

Uno-x and Team DSM are at the front of the peloton 

The peloton are now on the Wolvenberg and it's still DSM and Uno-x on the front 

87km to go

The gap is coming down, it's 3'17" now for the leading four and 2'36" for the chase 

The leading four are on the Jagerij cobbled sector 

Clara Honsinger (EF Education First TIBCO) is US national champion of cyclocross and the winner of the 2021 'Koppenbergcross' which takes place on the very same climb that she will be riding over in around 40km time 

Speaking of cyclcross riders, Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) is here and riding at the front of the peloton in her first road race of the year 

It's Marlen Reusser (Team SD Worx) riding on the front now with her teammate, and race favourite, Belgian champion Lotte Kopecky on her wheel 

One of the Bingoal Casino - Chevalmeire - Van Eyck from the chase group has been caught by the peloton

The leading group is now down to just two riders: Honsinger and Baril. Their advantage is 2'34"

The chase is now down to Alena Ivanchenko (UAE) and Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon SRAM)

Ivanchenko is the junior European and world ITT champion 

Situation:

Baril and Honsinger 

Martins and van Rooijen 12"

Cromwell and Ivanchenko 2'10"

Peloton 2'24" 

The leaders are just about to hit the Molenberg

78km to go

The two leaders have started to climb the Molenberg. Will the climb make a difference to their advantage? 

The bunch are on the Molenberg, there is congestion at the back as the riders turn into the climb and at the front Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) puts the hammer down 

Ivanchenko is caught 

1'59" now for the front two

Brands move has caused splits 

All strung out after the Molenberg with Trek, DSM, and Liv Racing at the front 

Aude Biannic (movistar), Valerie Demey (Liv Racing Xstra), Christine Majerus (SD Worx), Pffeifer Georgi (Team DSM) and Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) have a small gap off the front of the peloton. The original leading two have 1'51

Martins and van Rooijen are about to be caught by the peloton as they approach the Marlboroughstraat 

1'39" now for the two who remain in front 

Attack by Amanda Spratt from the peloton who catches and passes Martins and van Rooijen 

1'30 for leaders Honsinger and Baril at the foot of the Berendries.

Spratt already has around 10 seconds on the peloton

The two leaders are on the Berendries which is 900m in length and maxes out at 10.5%, pretty much straight after is the Valkenberg which has a similar profile before the first ever time up the Koppenberg for the women which comes just under 20km later

Annemiek van Vleuten is on the front of the peloton as they climb the Berendries 

1'19" for the leading two now 

Spratt is caught 

Attack from Marta Jaskulska (Liv Racing Xstra) from the peloton

The advantage for the two leaders is now just over one minute 

65km to go

Correction: 1'23" for the two leaders and around 20 seconds for Jaskulska

Attack from Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo) on the Valkenburg 

Alena Amialusik (Canyon SRAM) jumps straight onto her wheel

Van Dijk brings Mischa Bredewold (parkhotel Valkenburg), Christine Majerus (SD Worx), Amialusik, and two other with her and the group catch Jaskulska

57 seconds now for Honsinger and Baril at the front 

The gap to the split caused by van Dijk is closed but she stays on the front keeping the pace high 

The fight for the Koppenberg starts here! ⛰️

The pressure goes out of the chase for a moment and Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) takes her chance to attack again taking Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) with her 

The aggression behind has brought the gap down to 43 seconds 

36 seconds

60km to go

📢 15km until the Koppenberg 📢

Attack from Camilla Alessio (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling) 

The peloton are about to catch the two leaders 

The peloton have slowed and are letting the gap to Baril and Honsinger go out slightly again with just over 10km to go until the Koppenberg

Alessio brought two other riders with her and they have joined Baril and Honsinger 

Will they be able to stay away until the Koppenberg? 

The peloton look to be letting them go 

The gap is back out to 26 seconds 

Valerie Demey (Liv Racing Xstra) attacks in an attempt to bridge to the leading five

Very little has been seen of either Lotte Kopecky or Elisa Balsamo today, the fast finishers are doing a good job of staying out of the wind and staying out of danger, but can they survive the succession of climbs leading into the finish? 

The leading five are: Marit Raaijmakers (Human Powered Health), Maike van der Duin (Le Col - Wahoo), Camilla Alessio (Ceratizit-WNT), Olivia Baril (Valcar Travel & Service), Clara Honsinger (EF Education First Tibco) they have an advantage of 1'30" 

6.4km until the Koppenberg

Leading five: 1'37"

Valerie Demey 50"

Trek-Segafredo are amassed at one side of the peloton with Uno-x on the other 

📢 4km until the Koppenberg 📢

2'09" now for the five leaders as Movistar and Team DSM come up to the front of the peloton in the run-in to the Koppenberg

Jumbo Visma are also active for Marianne Vos 

Teams are really fighting for position now, aware of the importance of positioning going into the Koppenberg 

Lorena Wiebes is on the front for Team DSM, it looks like they are working for Mackaij today 

The cobbled climb of the Koppenberg may not be where the race is won but it can be lost on the 600m climb with an average gradient of 11.6% with max gradients of 22% 

The leading five are on the Koppenberg 

Maike van der Duin (Le Col - Wahoo) leads. These are the first riders to ever race up the Koppenberg in the women;s tour of Flanders 

Aude Biannic of Movistar leads the peloton into the bottom of the climb 

Demi Vollering, Lotte Kopecky, Floortje Mackaij, Elisa Balsamo, and Marlen Reusser are leading the bunch up the Koppenberg

Annemiek van Vleuten is  the first rider in the peloton to crest the Koppenberg 

Honsinger has been dropeped from the front 

Maike van der Duin attacks the break 

A group of 9 riders have split from the peloton over the Koppenberg including Demi Vollering, Marlen Reusser, Annemiek van Vleuten, Lotte Kopecky, Elisa Longo Borghini, Emma Norsgaard, and Arlenis Sierra 

Just under one minute for the front four 

The next climb, Steenbeekdries, comes in just 1km 

The group including Demi Vollering, Marlen Reusser, Annemiek van Vleuten, Lotte Kopecky, Elisa Longo Borghini, Emma Norsgaard, and Arlenis Sierra has been caught 

30 seconds for the leading four as Annemiek van Vleuten leads the peloton 

Two km until climb number 8, the Taaienberg, 

The peloton is split to pieces now 

It's Lucinda Brand again on the front for Trek-Segafredo with Marlen Reusser behind with Lotte Lotte Kopecky on her wheel 

Attack from Anna Henderson (Jumbo Visma)

It's van der Duin again attacking the break on the Taaienberg 

Demi Vollering leads the peloton with her teammate Marlen Reusser on her wheel 

The break are caught with the exception of Maike van der Duin (Le Col Wahoo)

van der Duin is caught 

Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) is now leading the peloton 

Attack from Arlenis Sierra (Movistar) 

Brodie Chapman (FDJ) closes it down 

Ellen van Dijk counters with Chantal van den Broek Blaak on her wheel 

A group of six have broken away 

The group is: Anna Henderson (Jumbo Visma), Christine Majerus (SD Worx), Brodie Chapmaman (FDJ), Arlenis Sierra (Movistar), Maria Guilia Confalonieri (Ceratizit-WNT), Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) 

A chase group of 18 riders have just caught the peloton making it around 30 riders 

The leading group consists of: Bertizzolo, Majerus, Henderson, Sierra, Confalonieri, Alessio, Baril, Chapman, Raaijmakers & van der Duin

Niewiadoma leads the peloton up the Kruisberg/Hotond

28km to go

Annemiek van Vleuten, Lotte Kopecky, and Grace Brown have a gap on the peloton 

Annemiek van Vleuten attacks from the group of three

Baril has been dropped from the break 

The remaining riders have 16 seconds 

Marlen Reusser attacks from the chase group 

van der Duin has been caught and it's Movistar driving the peloton

They are approaching the Oude Kwaremont

It's starting to rain heavily 

122km to go

Trek have missed this move 

Marlen Reusser has caught and passed the break

There are around 20 riders in the bunch behind 

Elisa Balsamo is still there as is Lotte Kopecky

Reusser has been caught by the break 

The leaders: Majerus, Reusser, Alessio, Confalonieri, Bertizzolo, Niewiadoma, Henderson, Chapman, Raaijmakers and Sierra have 25 seconds 

They are approaching the Oude Kwaremont

Christine Majerus (SD Worx) is driving the break 

The roads are soaking wet 

Marit Raaijmakers (Human Powered Health) is dropped from the break as Brodie Chapman drives the front 

Reusser catches and passes Chapman who holds her wheel. Kasia Niewiadoma is right behind 

It's Reusser and Chapman with a small gap to Niewiadoma and Sierra 

Confalonieri and Bertizzolo are behind and then Henderson and Majerus 

Chapman and Reusser have a gap 

16km to go

Kopecky, Chantal van den Broek Blaak, van Vleuten, Anna Henderson, Sofia Bertizzolo, and Maria Giulia Confalonieri are chasing 

Chantal van den Broek Blaak attacks from the chase 

van den Broek Blaak is dragging the group up to her teammate Reusser and Brodie Chapman

The leading two are on the Paterberg

Chapman and Reusser have been caught 

Annemiek van Vleuten attacks but Lotte Kopecky and Marlen Reusser are on her 

Reusser, van Vleuten, and Kopecky have a gap over the top of the Paterberg

Niewiadoma and Chapman are chasing 

Reusser, Kopecky, van Vleuten, Niewiadoma, Chapman, and van den Broek Blaak are all together now 

van den Broek Blaak attacks 

van Vleuten is chasing with Kopecky on her wheel 

van Vleuten and Kopecky have caught van den Broek BLaak 

Chapman is leading the chase with Niewiadoma and Reusser 

In the reduced peloton behind it's Movistar leading the chase...for some reason 

The leading three have 19 seconds to Chapman, Reusser, and Niewiadma and 45 seconds on the peloton 

5.8km to go

31" and 59" now for the two groups 

3.6km to go

It looks like van den Broek Blaak, Kopecky, and van Vleuten will go to the line together 

53" and 1'10" now 

1.8km to go

Chapman's teammates Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig and Grace Brown have bridged to the second group with van Vleuten's Movistar teammate Arlenis Sierra.

The leading trio have gone under the flamme rouge 

It's a tailwind into the finish - who will win the sprint? 

Lotte Kopecky is the first Belgian woman to win Ronde van Vlaanderen for 12 years 

Annemiek van Vleuten takes second and Chantal van den Broek Blaak third 

Kopecky:

"it's quite overwhelming, I'm very thankful to my teammates and I think this victory is not only for me but for them...I normally I know I'm faster than Annemiek but after a hard race we also know Annemiek is fast and that you cannot be too confident but still I really...I was quite confident but you're never sure." 

Annemiek van Vleuten on her second place:

"Actually I was hoping it would be a little harder, especially the middle part it would have been better for me if it had been raced harder so that I had more opportunity to drop the girls in the final. I couldn't drop Lotte Kopecky and the others. The race wasn't hard enough to play my advantage.

To go to the line with a sprinter as fast as Lotte Kopecky, you know it's hard to beat her in the sprint but I always want to try. To get second to be there again in the mix and go again for the podium it shows I have really strong results here. Maybe next year we try again. The legs are good and also my team got stronger this year so it was nice to play the game together."

Thanks for following our live coverage of the Tour of Flanders. Join us next time for the sixth round of the Women's WorldTour, Amstel Gold Race on Sunday 10th April.