Sunday, March 31, 2024 at 5:54 PM
Elisa Longo Borghini has won a tough edition of the 2024 Tour of Flanders for women. After more than 160 kilometers and a soaking wet final, the Italian champion of Lidl-Trek was the first to reach the finish line in Oudenaarde, following good preparatory work by Shirin van Anrooij. The Dutchwoman herself finished third, shortly behind number two Kasia Niewiadoma. Top favorites Lotte Kopecky, Marianne Vos and Demi Vollering fell short in the final.
The 21st edition of the Tour of Flanders for women started around 1:30 PM. It was a race of 163 kilometers, with start and finish in Oudenaarde. The first hill of the day was already 90 kilometers from the finish, but the Koppenberg only seemed to really open the final at 45 kilometers from the finish. This was followed by the Steenbeekdries, the Stationsberg, the Traaiberg, Oude Kruisberg/Hotond and the final section with the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg and the flat finale towards Oudenaarde.
Early quits Reusser and Deignan
After just ten kilometers the race was shocked by a major crash. Among them outsiders Marlen Reusser (SD Worx-Protime) and Lizzie Deignan (Lidl-Trek), who had to give up and were taken to hospital. Meanwhile, a leading group of five broke away at the front of the race, including Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal), Mieke Docx (Lotto Dstny Ladies), Gladys Verhulst-Wild (FDJ-Suez), Josie Talbot (Cofidis) and Elena Pirrone ( Roland). They got a three minute lead.
photo: Cor Vos
The peloton had to struggle in the soaking wet conditions. This is how Elisa Longo Borghini fell, but was able to return in time. The favorites had to wait for the Koppenberg to get out of their room, while Ghekiere held out the longest of the early flight. On the Koppenberg, where there was chaos behind the top favorites for the men, the race was broken up.
Kopecky and Vollering miss the shot
Marianne Vos took the lead and actually made it over the top, just like seven others. Behind it, almost all the riders had to continue on foot, which caused them to lose a lot of time. Among them top favorite Lotte Kopecky and Dutch champion Demi Vollering. They therefore had to chase a leading group with Vos, Longo Borghini, Lorena Wiebes, Puck Pieterse, Karlijn Swinkels, Silvia Persico, Kasia Niewiadoma and Letizia Paternoster.
On the Traaiberg the gap was 25 seconds between the two front groups. In addition to Kopecky, Vollering, Shirin van Anrooij, Fem van Empel, Pfeiffer Georgi and Léa Curinier were also in the chase, with the duo from SD Worx-Protime in particular being looked at. At the front there was Swinkels who set the pace in the service of teammate Persico at UAE Team ADQ.
photo: Cor Vos
Van Anrooij enters the final solo
On the Oude Kruisberg/Hotond the gap was somewhat smaller and Vollering seemed to be able to cross, but Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma chose the attack and made Vollering bow his head. Because there was a standstill at the front, the Dutch champion was able to connect once more just before the Oude Kwaremont. Shirin van Anrooij also returned; she immediately took the attack with Swinkels and surprisingly they got a half-minute lead.
It was quiet in the favorites group because Vos and SD Worx-Protime looked at each other. Kopecky was even able to return to the favorites group, just before the foot of the Oude Kwaremont. That was 45 seconds behind Van Anrooij and 15 seconds behind the escaped Pieterse. It was difficult to climb in the pouring rain, but Van Anrooij nevertheless emerged with a lead.
Pieterse and Swinkels were unable to close the gap, which meant that the group with Vollering, Vos and Kopecky might almost close in front of the Paterberg. Van Anrooij clearly did not stop on that Paterberg, while Pieterse was caught by the pursuers. Vos and Vollering had a difficult moment, allowing Niewiadoma and Longo Borghini to pull away. They were Van Anrooij’s first pursuers at the top.
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Lidl-Trek plays away in the final
Remarkably, Longo Borghini closed the gap with her teammate in the lead, with Niewiadoma in the wheel. This gave us three leaders and five chasers. The difference between those groups gradually increased, to more than 20 seconds, but there was no slackening at the front. That didn’t happen, because Van Anrooij, Longo Borghini and Niewiadoma continued to run well. As a result, everything was decided in the final kilometer.
That’s where the poker play started between the three at the front. Niewiadoma did not take over once more, but Lidl-Trek solved that by putting Van Anrooij in the lead. She started the sprint, following which Longo Borghini finished with a strong sprint in a battle with the Polish woman. Van Anrooij managed to finish third. The sprint for fourth place was won by Vos, ahead of Kopecky and Pieterse.