photo credits @ Cervelo-Bigla
Cervelo-Bigla’s Lotta Lepisto opened up her spring campaign by winning today’s inaugural women’s Dwars door Vlaanderens.
Indeed, the Finnish rider out-sprinted Gracie Elvin (Orica-Scott) and Lisa Brennauer (Canyon-SRAM) to claim her first victory of the season, after the peloton succeeded in pulling back Hannah Barnes, when the Canyon-SRAM commenced a solo attack during the last few kilometers.
Race Highlights
A group of 16 riders managed to ride clear on the second of two climbs over the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg, with the Finnish champion being the last rider to bridge her way to the group.
“I just started passing riders and saw a gap to the front and put the big gear on and rode across,” Lepisto said about the race’s crucial moment. “The group was smaller after the Paterberg then we rolled and rolled.”
With 4 kilometers to go, Barnes attacked, but the chase never let the British rider stray far, as they ultimately reeled her back in during the last kilometer.
As a result, the group came back together for an inevitable sprint finale, with Lepisto emerging as the strongest rider.
“In the end, there were 16 riders and Lisa [Klein] said ‘I will give everything to help you’. She took me to the front in the sprint and I won,” a jubilant Lepisto said.
Top 25 Finishers
1 Lotta Lepistö (Fin) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 2:55:40 2 Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica Scott Women 3 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Canyon SRAM Racing 4 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Team Sunweb Women 5 Thalita De Jong (Ned) Lares-Waowdeals 6 Lotte Kopecky (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 7 Romy Kasper (Ger) Alé Cipollini 8 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Alé Cipollini 9 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) WM3 Pro Cycling 10 Ann-Sophie Duyck (Bel) Drops Cycling Team 11 Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Team Sunweb Women 12 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Orica Scott Women 0:00:09 13 Lisa Klein (Ger) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team 14 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon SRAM Racing 0:00:10 15 Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon SRAM Racing 0:00:27 16 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon SRAM Racing 0:00:33 17 Nina Kessler (Ned) Hitec Products 0:02:16 18 Sheyla Gutierrez (Spa) Cylance Pro Cycling 19 Christina Siggaard (Den) Team Veloconcept Women 20 Jolien D’hoore (Bel) Wiggle High5 21 Anouska Koster (Ned) WM3 Pro Cycling 22 Soraya Paladin (Ita) Alé Cipollini 23 Kaat Hannes (Bel) Lensworld-Kuota 24 Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Sunweb Women 25 Sarah Roy (Aus) Orica Scott Women
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