Women's cycling start in the afternoon. And and Hailu Girmay has already set its sights on Wevelgem, a Russian-Dutch pair – Gulnaz Khatuntseva and Anne van Rooijen – seek visibility and unlikely glory with a maximum lead of three minutes. In De Moeren it is Jumbo-Visma sounds the alarm, but there's no wind: first mistake. And if Marianne Vos begins to understand that she has lost some teammates too soon, in the head of Elisa Balsam and on the flagship of the Trek-Segafredo, the plan begins to take shapeThe leading pair continued to fight for a long time, but with 65 kilometers to go, they were caught. And the race began…
«Today I won my favorite race – exclaimed Elisa Balsamo after the finish – it's a dream come true. I am very, very happy."
The women's departure from Ghent, in the afternoon Jumbo Visma pushes to catch the first breakaway, with a lot of energy going to the wind
The women's departure from Ghent, in the afternoon Jumbo Visma pushes to catch the first breakaway, with a lot of energy going to the wind
Let's rewind the tape though. It's never nice to reveal the ending, the story deserves a less hasty telling.Escape resumed, Ghent on the verge of exploding.
Kopecky on the attack
Lotte Kopecky sticks her head out for the first time on the Baneberg and sniffs the air. The Belgian champion attacks with Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon), Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), Marta Lach (Ceratizit), and Liane Lippert (Team DSM). People are waiting for them, following the men's race a bit on their phones and drinking beer..
On the first pass over the Kemmelberg, Kopecky pushes again, while Marta Cavalli (FDJ), Labecki (Jumbo-Visma) and Olivia Baril (Valcar) also arrived from the group. Lorena Wiebes, the terrible sprinter, she also left the leading group, but she will soon give up.
Kopecky, Niewiadoma, Henderson, Lach, Lippert: Kemmel lights up the women's Ghent Marta Cavalli also joined the attackers on the first Kemmel Vos strong on the Kemmel, the sprint interests her too Persico also made the symbolic wall, for the Italian athlete from Valcar an excellent 9th place finish
Kopecky, Niewiadoma, Henderson, Lach, Lippert: Kemmel lights up Ghent Marta Cavalli also joined the attackers on the first Kemmel Vos strong on the Kemmel, the sprint interests her too Persico also made the symbolic wall, for the Italian athlete from Valcar an excellent 9th place finish
«The Kemmelberg was hard and steep – says Elisa Balsamo, in seventh heaven – but lap after lap my teammates helped me stay in a good positionAnd being in a good position on these roads is very important. After the last pass up there, we decided to go for the sprint."
In pieces on the Kemmel
Let's rewind the film. The breakaway is back, but the race isn't over yet. On the Banenberg, the very young De Wilde tries again, responding to an attack from Chantal Van den Broek-Blaak. On the steepest stretch of the wall that is the symbol of Ghent, the group falls apart again., with Grace Brown (FDJ) looking for a solo. The group is still compact.
Another attempt by Van den Broek-Blaak, Mackaij and Van Anrooij, but this time it is the Jumbo Visma to close for Vos. The race is a headache, a spectacle within the spectacle of FlandersWith 3,5 kilometers to go, Brown tries his luck again.
Elisa Longo Borghini works for the team: tight guard for the Balsamo sprint European champion Van Dijk: A giant at the service of Balsamo
Elisa Longo Borghini works for the team: tight guard for the Balsamo sprint European champion Van Dijk: A giant at the service of Balsamo
«We panicked a bit – Balsamo continues – but Ina (Teutenberg, Trek-Segafredo sport director, ed.) was great from the team car and kept us calm. Then Ellen Van Dijk took the lead and closed the gap.It was incredible."
Furious ending
The European champion Ellen Van Dijk and Rianne Markus, Marianne Vos's assistant, perform a masterpiece to catch the last attackerThey make it, but at that point Elisa Balsamo has to bring all her track skills to the forefront to compete for the sprint.
Marlene Reusser in fact pilots the unstoppable Kopecky in an excellent way and Lotte tries to anticipate, but Elisa manages to make a comeback, once again helped by a great Van Dijk. And in the sprint comes the third masterpiece in a weekVos finished second, as in Leuven, 130 kilometers from Wevelgem. Confalonieri finished third. Kopecky ultimately finished fourth.
«After the Kemmelberg we were confident – Balsamo finally tells us – but it wasn't easy. In the last kilometers there were many attacks, but my team was perfect and closed everythingThey did a great job! They were all strong. Van Dijk, Elisa (Longo Borghini, ed.), and Shirin (Van Anrooij), especially in the final. I felt a little pressure with such a strong team working for me, but I feel good. It looks like the work I've been doing this winter is paying off.We won because we were the better team and we showed the best team spirit."
Appointment in Antwerp
With the rainbow jersey on his shoulders and a good lead in the Women's cycling's WorldTour rankings, Elisa is now heading towards the Tour of Flanders, while the Belgian press is interested and asks her what is the correct pronunciation of his surname: whether Balsàmo, as they say up here, or BàlsamoNow Flanders awaits, another journey and another story to write. The feeling is that the journey has only just begun. The certainty is that only we have one like this!
