Dual world time trial champion Annemiek van Vleuten put on a stunning display to win a punishing Strade Bianche in just her second race back from injury.
![]() |
Annemiek van Vleuten wins Women’s Strade Bianche
Dual world time trial champion Annemiek van Vleuten put on a stunning display to win a punishing Strade Bianche in just her second race back from injury. The 36-year-old powered away from a select group of favourites on the final gravel sector and managed to open up an advantage to stay away solo to the finish in Siena. The win is the Dutchwoman’s first victory since a serious knee injury suffered during the 2018 UCI Road Race World Championships.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
No Escape: It was a fast start to proceedings as the peloton rolled out of Siena and it wasn’t until the first gravel sector of the day that a group of four managed to edge clear. However, by the time the bunch had passed over the following off-road section, it was all back together.
The fourth sector of ‘white roads’ saw a number of gaps occur as the pace increased, but again the splits were short-lived and the race was back together as they passed through the feedzone. As the peloton moved onto the longest off-road section of the race, Australian Amanda Spratt was caught in a crash and was forced to abandon after taking a knock to the head in the fall.
… continued after advert
Attack, attack, attack:
It was then a case of attack after attack as number riders, including Lucy Kennedy, dangled ahead of the reduced bunch but were quickly reeled back in. By the time the race hit the final sector of gravel, a select group of 11 had managed to break clear with Van Vleuten amongst them. Van Vleuten then made her move over the steep climb, as the off-road sectors ended and the run to the finish began. She quickly opened up a gap of 30 seconds and with no organised chase behind, the gap grew to 40 seconds as the climb to Piazza del Campo came into sight.
As the climb began, it was obvious that there was no catching Van Vleuten and the winner of the 2018 Women’s WorldTour had time to sit up and celebrate as she crossed the line.
Annemiek van Vleuten: “I thought it was maybe a bit too early because I’ve just had 10 weeks of training after I broke my knee at the world championships. But I worked very, very hard because the race was on my wish list to win one time, it’s one of my favourite races.”
“I just waited for a good moment (to attack), there was only one teammate with me, only Lucy Kennedy, and it was really good for us to be there together but we were a bit outnumbered. We were only two in a big group so we had to poker a bit, then I thought I had to put the hammer down on the uphill!”
“It’s one of my best victories, to win here, I said yesterday when we had a picture here in the Piazza del Campo, I think it’s the best way to finish a race here. It is an interesting course with limited time trial kilometres and some very high passes, which have not been seen before in the Tour de France. I like the route and avoiding Western France makes that first week a little less tense. We are in the mountains quite early and with a team time trial day two we will certainly see the lay of the land quite early in proceedings.”
1. Annemiek van Vleuten
2. Annika Langvad
3. Katarsyna Niewiadoma
7. Marianne Vos
10. Chantal Blaak
39. Hannah Barnes
Cycle Division’s Shop
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Result: BUCS Championship 25
- Result: Kingston Wheelers 13.6m TT
- Fleche Wallonne Women: 7th win for Anna van der Breggen
- Fleche Wallonne: Third win for Alaphilippe
- Result: Farnborough & Camberley 25m TT
- Tour of the Alps: Stage win for Yates
- Interview: Alice Towers
- Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits
- Result: Stratford CC 10m TT
- Result: Velo Club Venta 10m TT
- Result: Gloucester City CC Hardriders 25m TT
- Result: Pulse Events MegaCross 2
- News: British Gravel Champion jersey
- Result: Coalville Wheelers 10m TT
- Result: No Nonsense Youth Circuit Races 1
- Result: SERRL – Ardingly Circuit Races
- Result: VC Londres – Deux Jours de Cyclopark
- Result: Stowmarket & District 20m TT
- Result: East Anglian VTTA 25m TT
- Result: Finsbury Park CC Sport 25
- Result: Kent CA Road Bike TT
- Result: Stockton Whs CC Sporting 23m TT
- Result: CC Breckland 10m Time Trial
- Results: Mid Devon CC Spring Circuit Races
- Result: Eastern Region Return to Racing Circuit #1
- News: Amstel Gold Mens
- Result: Birdwell Wheelers 29km TT
- Result: VTTA Notts & E. Mids 10m TT
- Result: East Lancashire Road Club 10m TT
- Result: Penzance Whs 10M TT
- Result: Solihull CC Red Lion #2 TT
- News: Win 150 for Cavendish in Turkey
- Result: Mendips Test Road Race
- Result: North Tyneside Riders 10M TT
- Result: Bristol South CC 10m Time Trial
- New Team: Team Spectra
- Interview Connor Swift – Classics Rider
- Result: Dursley Road Club 10
- This weekend: Road Race Returns
- Result: Oxonian Cycling Club 10
Other News on VeloUK
- Result: Kingston Wheelers 13.6m TT
- Fleche Wallonne Women: 7th win for Anna van der Breggen
- Fleche Wallonne: Third win for Alaphilippe
- Tour of the Alps: Stage win for Yates
- News: British Gravel Champion jersey
- Result: SERRL – Ardingly Circuit Races
- Result: Kent CA Road Bike TT
- Result: Stockton Whs CC Sporting 23m TT
- Result: CC Breckland 10m Time Trial
- Results: Mid Devon CC Spring Circuit Races
- Result: Eastern Region Return to Racing Circuit #1
- News: Amstel Gold Mens
- Result: Birdwell Wheelers 29km TT
- Result: VTTA Notts & E. Mids 10m TT
- Result: East Lancashire Road Club 10m TT
- Result: Penzance Whs 10M TT
- Result: Solihull CC Red Lion #2 TT
- News: Win 150 for Cavendish in Turkey
- Result: Mendips Test Road Race
- Result: North Tyneside Riders 10M TT
- Result: Bristol South CC 10m Time Trial
- New Team: Team Spectra
- Interview Connor Swift – Classics Rider
- Result: Dursley Road Club 10
- This weekend: Road Race Returns
- Result: Oxonian Cycling Club 10
- Result: VTTA North Lancs & Lakes 25m TT
- Result: Castle Combe TT Series April 14
- Result: Ipswich & District TT Series #3
- Report: De Brabantse Pijl (Men)
- Hatrick for Cavendish in Turkey
- Results: Miche West Thames League RND 4
- Result: VTTA National 15 Mile TT Champs
- Tour of Turkey: Two from Two for Cav
- Interview: Chris McNamara
- News: Flagship Showroom for Ribble Cycles
- Result: Icknield RC 18.6m TT
- Tour of Turkey: Victory for Cav!
- Result: VC Bristol 10m Time Trial
- Result: Vive Le Velo 10m TT