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6' Prijs Stad Roeselare

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Van Vleuten back to winning form

Roeselare, Belgium  129.5km

Race Writeup

Annemiek van Vleuten (Rabo Women) is back on winning form. Her early season was affected, with a late start to the season required after surgery at the end of last year. The surgery was required to correct some ongoing problems with the veins in her legs. Joining van Vleuten on the podium in Roeselare were Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Hitec), second, ahead of Linda Villumsen (GreenEDGE-AIS).

Conditions were tough for the 129.5km stage. The rain from the previous days racing followed the riders for the early part of the race and the narrow roads were replaced by tough Belgian cobbled climbs.

The riders did have some luck; conditions improved after the first 20km. Early in the race, Australian Chloe McConville, made an attack. She was joined a few kilometres later by TopSport Vlaanderen's Latoya Brulée. The pair managed to gain over a 2 minute gap on the peloton. They led over the first real climb, the tough, steep and cobbled Kemmelberg. Unfortunately the pair went off course on the other side. By the time they found their way back the peloton had climbed the Kemmelberg too. The bunch had split up and the leaders were forced to join the leading group. A while later, Brulée was the first to crack, she struggled after her efforts to get back to the race. She dropped back with 40km to go. McConville also struggled after her efforts and eventually lost touch with the leaders.

A leading group formed on the latter climbs, including Marianne Vos (Rabo Women) and Emma Johansson (Hitec Products), who drove the race on the descents. Once the race was onto the flatter section and heading back to Roeselare, there were a number of attacks.  The break which eventually succeeded was the combination of van Vleuten, Villumsen and Ferrier-Bruneau. Their advantage was helped by the tactical management of their teams on the front of the chasing group.

The three worked well together, gaining over four minutes by the time they entered the 9km finishing circuit in Roeselare. For the 'finale' in Roeselare, van Vleuten went early and sprinted strongly, she was lengths clear at the line, Ferrier-Bruneau was second and Villumsen coasted over for third place.

Almost three minutes later, the bunch battled for pride in the sprint. Vos and reigning World Champion, Giorgia Bronzini (Safi Pasta), fought their way to the line. Bronzini was stronger and took fourth.

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