Van Vleuten wins inaugural women's Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic

Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands) won the inaugural edition of the women’s Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic, pipping Movistar’s Malgorzata Jasisnska to the line in a two-up sprint. Van Vleuten and Jasinka escaped the peloton with just over 30 kilometres remaining and built up a lead of two minutes as they approached the finish line.

Lorena Wiebes (Parkhotel Valkenburg) won the sprint in the bunch behind to make the final step of the podium, beating Lotte Kopecky (Lotto Soudal) and Maria Vittoria Sperotto (BePink).

A strong field lined up under clear skies for the first edition of the women’s Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic. The 136.8km route took the riders on a circuitous course that crossed five short climbs.

A fast start made it difficult for a breakaway to jump clear and saw the peloton split in two after 25 kilometres of racing. The gap between the two groups grew to 45 seconds before the chasers began to make ground on the bunch up front and the field regrouped after 45 kilometres.

The truce didn’t last very long and five riders finally did break free of the peloton’s clutches. Floortje Mackaij (Netherlands), Valerie Demey (Lotto Soudal Ladies), Alicia Gonzalez (Movistar Women), Rotem Gafinovitz (Waowdeals) and Kylie Waterreus (GRC Jan van Arckel-Dames) distanced the peloton, while Demi Vollering (SwaboLadies.nl) attempted to chase them down.

As the leaders crossed the finish line for the first time after 61 kilometres, they had a tenuous lead of 55 seconds. Parkhotel Valkenburg controlled the front of the peloton and with 50 kilometres to go they had closed the five leaders to just 20 seconds. Demey would be the last rider to get caught, pushing on briefly after he companions were reeled in.

Demey didn’t last long alone against the determined peloton and it was all back together when the bunch passed the line for the second time with 36 kilometres to go. A few kilometres later, Van Vleuten took her opportunity to attack, taking Jasinska with her. Rozanne Slik (Netherlands), Lotte Kopecky (Lotto Soudal) and Riejanne Markus (Waowdeals) set off in pursuit, but they did not have enough to bridge the gap to the two attackers.

Time trial world champion Van Vleuten and Jasinska forged on and with 10 kilometres to go they had 1:30 on the peloton. Their advantage only increased as they neared the line. In what had originally looked like a course for the sprinters, it was clear that the win would fall to the breakaway. It came down to a two-woman sprint with Van Vleuten finding just enough to pip Jasinska on the line.

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