Loes Gunnewijk has won the women’s European season opener as she beat Ellen Van Dijk (Specialized-lululemon) in a two-up sprint.
The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad victory continues GreenEDGE-AIS’ winning streak with the women’s team winning every stage race, omnium and one day race they have contested in their maiden season. “It’s really special for me to take my first win and for us to win the first European race of the season to continue our winning streak,” said Gunnewijk. “We have a really good spirit and work ethic in the team. Everyone wants to work for the leader in any given race. We’re happy to race as a team, and this is obvious in our results.”
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GreaenEDGE-AIS had a straightforward plan for the day. “We decided that I should be kept safe in the final,” explained Gunnewijk. “The ideal situation would give me one or two teammates in a front group so that we could play with several options. We succeeded pretty well in following this plan.”
A large, nervous field rode together for the first 50 kilometres. They covered two of the seven climbs on course without any major attacks. “We wanted to ride easy and stay safe in the first half of the race,” Gunnewijk noted. “Other teams seemed to have this idea, too.”
A group of 12 formed on the Côte de Trieu, the day’s third climb, and GreenEDGE-AIS put three riders in the move. Tiffany Cromwell and Amanda Spratt joined Gunnewijk up the road. “We were the only team to have three in the breakaway,” said Gunnewijk. “We worked well together in the break. It was a hard day.”
Gunnewijk launched her winning move on the second to last cobbled section. “Twenty kilometres before the finish, I attacked on the cobblestones, and I immediately got a gap,” Gunnewijk explained. “I rode alone for five kilometres, and then Ellen came up to me. We shared the work until the finish and I beat her in a sprint to the line.”
GreenEDGE-AIS will continue it’s European campaign on Wednesday with Le Samyan.
For the Brits, Lizzie Armitstead was 10th, Lucy Martin 32nd, Katie Colclough 33rd, Emma Silversides 38th,
RESULT
1 Loes Gunnewijk GreenEdge-AIS 03:17:14
2 Ellen Van Dijk Team Specialized- Lululemon @ same time
3 Trixi Worrack Team Specialized- Lululemon 01:10
4 Martine Bras Dolmans – Boels Cycling Team @ same time
5 Pauline Ferrand Prevot Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team @ same time
6 Noemi Cantele Be Pink @ same time
7 Elisa Longo Borghini Team Hitec Products UCK @ same time
8 Tiffany Cromwell GreenEdge-AIS @ same time
9 Amanda Spratt GreenEdge-AIS @ same time
10 Elizabeth Armitstead AA Drink – Leontien.nl @ same time
11 Lise Nøstvold Team Hitec Products UCK 01:19
12 Chloe Hosking Team Specialized- Lululemon 01:33
13 Latoya Brulee Topsport Vlaanderen – Ridley 2012 @ same time
14 Christine Majerus Team GSD Gestion @ same time
15 Roxane Knetemann Rabobank Women Team @ same time
16 Ludivine Henrion Lotto Belisol Ladies @ same time
17 Sarah Düster Rabobank Women Team @ same time
18 Romy Kasper RusVelo @ same time
19 Thalita De Jong Rabobank Women Team @ same time
20 Sara Mustonen Team Hitec Products UCK @ same time
21 Maaike Polspoel Topsport Vlaanderen – Ridley 2012 @ same time
22 Irene Van De Broek Dolmans – Boels Cycling Team @ same time
23 Madeleine Olsson AA Drink – Leontien.nl @ same time
24 Jessie Daams AA Drink – Leontien.nl @ same time
25 Ann-sophie Duyck Lotto Belisol Ladies @ same time
26 Iris Slappendel Rabobank Women Team @ same time
27 Alexis Rhodes GreenEdge-AIS @ same time
28 Chantal Blaak AA Drink – Leontien.nl @ same time
29 Froydis Waerstad Team Hitec Products UCK @ same time
30 Carlee Taylor Vienne Futuroscope @ same time
31 Regina Bruins Skil – 1t4i 04:46
32 Lucy Martin AA Drink – Leontien.nl 07:17
33 Katie Colclough Team Specialized- Lululemon @ same time
34 Kaat Hannes Lotto Belisol Ladies @ same time
35 Jolien Hoore Topsport Vlaanderen – Ridley 2012 @ same time
36 Marlen Johrend ABUS – Nutrixxion @ same time
37 Anne Aernouts Kleo Ladies Team 10:01
38 Emma Silversides Sengers Ladies Cycling Team @ same time
39 Kelly Druyts Topsport Vlaanderen – Ridley 2012 @ same time
40 Rochelle Gilmore Faren-Honda Team @ same time
41 Daniela Gass ABUS – Nutrixxion @ same time
42 Evelyn Arys Kleo Ladies Team @ same time
43 Annelies Dom Wielerclub Steeds Vooraan – Kontich W…. @ same time
44 Laura Van Der Kamp Dolmans – Boels Cycling Team @ same time
45 Mascha Pijnenborg Dolmans – Boels Cycling Team @ same time
46 Alena Amialyusik Be Pink @ same time
47 Kimberly Buyl Sengers Ladies Cycling Team @ same time
48 Birgit Lavrijssen Sengers Ladies Cycling Team @ same time
49 Lauren Kitchen Rabobank Women Team @ same time
50 Petra Dijkman Kleo Ladies Team @ same time
51 Isabelle Soderberg AA Drink – Leontien.nl @ same time
52 Geerike Schreurs Sengers Ladies Cycling Team @ same time
53 Inge Roggeman Sengers Ladies Cycling Team @ same time
54 Sofie De Vuyst Lotto Belisol Ladies @ same time
55 Marieke Van Wanroij AA Drink – Leontien.nl @ same time
56 Willeke Knol GRC Jan Van Arckel @ same time
57 Fiona Dutriaux Vienne Futuroscope @ same time
58 Belinda Goss ABUS – Nutrixxion @ same time
59 Marijn De Vries AA Drink – Leontien.nl @ same time
60 Andrea Graus Vienne Futuroscope @ same time
61 Yulia Blindyuk Faren-Honda Team @ same time
62 Elena Utrobina Faren-Honda Team @ same time
63 Stephanie De Croock Wielerclub De Sprinters Malderen @ same time
64 Inge Klep RSC De Zuidwesthoek @ same time
65 Annelies Van Doorslaer Kleo Ladies Team @ same time
66 Emilie Moberg Team Hitec Products UCK @ same time
67 Sione Jongstra GRC Jan Van Arckel @ same time
68 Giulia Ronchi Fassa Bortolo – Servetto @ same time
69 Edith Vanden Brande Topsport Vlaanderen – Ridley 2012 @ same time
70 Nina Kessler Dolmans – Boels Cycling Team @ same time
71 Petra Zrimsek Be Pink @ same time
72 Hanna Nilsson Alriksson Go:Green @ same time
73 Jennifer Hohl Faren-Honda Team @ same time
74 Laure Werner Wielerclub De Sprinters Malderen @ same time
75 Karol-ann Canuel Vienne Futuroscope @ same time
76 Eleonora Patuzzo Be Pink @ same time
77 Anne-marie Schmitt Team GSD Gestion @ same time
78 Tessa De Moyer RSC De Zuidwesthoek @ same time
79 Marie Lindberg Kleo Ladies Team @ same time
80 Thea Thorsen Team Hitec Products UCK @ same time
81 Katrien Van Looy Lotto Belisol Ladies @ same time
82 Alina Bondarenko RusVelo @ same time
83 Jet Wildeman GRC Jan Van Arckel @ same time
84 Gilke Croket Topsport Vlaanderen – Ridley 2012 @ same time
85 Elisabeth Reiner ABUS – Nutrixxion @ same time
86 Janneke Kanis Skil – 1t4i 00:14
87 Ine Beyen Topsport Vlaanderen – Ridley 2012 @ same time
88 Lieselot Decroix Dolmans – Boels Cycling Team @ same time
89 Adrie Visser Skil – 1t4i @ same time
90 Marjolein Claessen RSC De Zuidwesthoek @ same time
91 Lidia Malakhova RusVelo @ same time
92 Janneke Ensing Dolmans – Boels Cycling Team @ same time
93 Esra Tromp Skil – 1t4i @ same time
94 Lina- Kristin Schink Team GSD Gestion @ same time
95 Anisha Vekemans Topsport Vlaanderen – Ridley 2012 @ same time
96 Linda Van Rijen Skil – 1t4i @ same time
97 Emilia Fahlin Team Specialized- Lululemon @ same time
