Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2020 [FULL RACE] (ladies)

February 29, 2020

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2020 – Ghent – Ninove : 122,9 km

The Omloop and Kuurne take place on the last weekend of February and are collectively referred to as ‘Opening Weekend’. There’s now a heavy schedule of racing across the globe in the first two months of the year but this still represents the start of the Classics season in Belgium and, for some, the true start of the season altogether.

Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) took her first victory as the new world champion at the Spring Classic’s opener Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday. The versatile Dutch rider attacked a select lead group over the Muur-Kapelmuur and soloed to the win in Ninove.

Chantal Van den Broek-Blaak (Boels-Dolmans) started her chase-group sprint early but was passed by Marta Bastianelli (Ale BTC Ljubljana) in second and Floortje Mackaij (Sunweb) third. Van den Broek-Blaak had to settle for fourth place while Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo) finished fifth.

“I can’t believe this has happened because I am always such a slow starter and I know I usually grow into the season. So to start like this, I really didn’t expect to be solo over the Muur, I thought more girls would follow me,” Van Vleuten said in a press statement.

“If you win solo you can really enjoy the last kilometres and I really enjoyed those moments today, it is my first win here and in the rainbow jersey is an incredible feeling.”

How it unfolded

The Spring Classics traditionally kick off at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad where the women race 127km from Gent to Ninove.

It’s a notoriously tough race held under the colder, and often times rainy, conditions of northern Europe. The race is even more challenging because of the 10 climbs on route: Leberg (45km), Wolvenberg (57km), Molenberg (69.5km), Rekelberg (83.5km), Elvererberg (90km), Terbosse (94.5km), Eikenmolen (99.5km), Muur-Kapelmuur (109.5km) and the Bosberg (113.5km).

A select group of riders were among the leaders of the race with just 20km to go and they held a 40-second gap over a second chase group.

The lead group included defending champion Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, Lonneke Uneken, Christine Majerus and Jip van den Bos (Boels Dolmans), world champion Annemiek van Vleuten and Gracie Elvin (Mitchelton-Scott), Marta Bastianelli and Eugenia Bujak (Ale), Hannah Barnes and Elena Cecchini (Canyon-Sram), Jeanne Korevaar (CCC-Liv), Aude Biannic (Movistar), Floortje Mackaij (Sunweb), Ellen van Dijk and Ruth Winder (Trek-Segafredo), Elizabeth Banks and Marien Reusser (Bigla-Katusha), Abby-Mae Parkinson (Lotto Soudal), , Lorena Wiebes (Parkhotel) and Chloe Hosking (Rally Cycling).

Van Vleuten set a fast pace into the bottom of the Muur-Kapelmuur that caused massive separations on the climb. Half way up the climb, and on the steeper cobbled sections, the world champion was alone as she raced past the church at the top.

Mackaij tried to follow Van Vleuten, and for a short time covered the ascent at just a few seconds behind, however, by the time she crested the top, the remaining riders of the original front group caught back up.

Van Vleuten’s gap pushed out to 15 seconds as she descended off the Muur-Kapelmuur and raced along the flat sections into the final climb of the Bosberg, which is a straight climb with pitches as steep as 12 per cent near the top.

Five riders pushed to try and catch Van Vleuten on the last climb; Van den Broek-Blaak, Bujak, van Dijk, Bastianelli, Mackaij and Banks.

Van Dijk attached the chase group with 12km to go that caused Banks and Bujak to struggle off the back.

Four riders carried on in pursuit of Van Vleuten. Van den Broek-Blaak, van Dijk, Bastianelli and Mackaij work together to try and catch the former two-time time trial world champion, Van Vleuten, but their efforts were not successful.

Van Vleuten’s gap continued to push out second-by-second and she raced into the finish in Ninove with her first victory of the season.

Results :
1 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Mitchelton Scott 3:34:55
2 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ Btc Ljubljana 0:00:42
3 Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Sunweb
4 Chantal Van Den Broek-Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
5 Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Trek – Segafredo 0:00:44
6 Elizabeth Banks (GBr) Bigla – Katusha 0:01:13
7 Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale’ Btc Ljubljana
8 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Rally Cycling 0:01:30
9 Jip Van Den Bos (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
10 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
11 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Canyon / /Sram Racing
12 Sarah Roy (Aus) Mitchelton Scott
13 Marlen Reusser (Swi) Bigla – Katusha
14 Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Ccc – Liv
15 Ruth Winder (USA) Trek – Segafredo
16 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon / /Sram Racing 0:01:36
17 Soraya Paladin (Ita) Ccc – Liv
18 Franziska Koch (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:01:38
19 Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 0:01:58
20 Abby-Mae Parkinson (GBr) Lotto Soudal Ladies
21 Gracie Elvin (Aus) Mitchelton Scott
22 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:03:09
23 Alison Jackson (Can) Team Sunweb 0:03:14
24 Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Fdj Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope
25 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon / /Sram Racing 0:03:17
26 Susanne Andersen (Nor) Team Sunweb
27 Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Ccc – Liv 0:03:20
28 Anastasiia Chursina (Rus) Ale’ Btc Ljubljana
29 Natalie Van Gogh (Ned) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
30 Sara Poidevin (Can) Rally Cycling
31 Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Ale’ Btc Ljubljana
32 Danique Braam (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:04:05
33 Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 0:04:10
34 Coryn Rivera (USA) Team Sunweb 0:04:25
35 Sara Penton (Swe) Drops
36 Marieke Van Witzenburg (Ned) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling
37 Danielle Christmas (GBr) Lotto Soudal Ladies
38 Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chi) Wcc Team
39 Grace Brown (Aus) Mitchelton Scott
40 Riejanne Markus (Ned) Ccc – Liv
41 Eva Buurman (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
42 Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Ccc – Liv 0:04:28
43 Valerie Demey (Bel) Ccc – Liv
44 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Mitchelton Scott 0:04:35
45 Tanja Erath (Ger) Canyon / /Sram Racing 0:05:52
46 Maria Apolonia Van ‘T Geloof (Ned) Drops
47 Quinty Ton (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
48 Kylie Waterreus (Ned) Multum Accountants – Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
49 Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
50 Nicole Steigenga (Ned) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling 0:05:54
51 Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
52 Emily Newsom (USA) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
53 Rozanne Slik (Ned) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
54 Eugénie Duval (Fra) Fdj Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope
55 Emma Cecilie Norsgaard Jørgensen (Den) Bigla – Katusha
56 Romy Kasper (Ger) Parkhotel Valkenburg
57 Alice Barnes (GBr) Canyon / /Sram Racing
58 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) Fdj Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope
59 Esther Van Veen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
60 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women
61 Brodie Chapman (Aus) Fdj Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope
62 Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Fdj Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope
63 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek – Segafredo
64 Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar – Travel & Service
65 Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar – Travel & Service
66 Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Lotto Soudal Ladies
67 Julia Soek (Ned) Team Sunweb 0:07:47
68 Kathrin Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling
69 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar – Travel & Service
70 Silvia Pollicini (Ita) Valcar – Travel & Service
71 Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
72 Kirstie Van Haaften (Ned) Ciclotel
73 Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
DNF Belle De Gast (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
DNF Evita Muzic (Fra) Fdj Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope
DNF Jelena Erić (Srb) Movistar Team Women
DNF Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women
DNF Teniel Campbell TTO Valcar – Travel & Service
DNF Eyeru Tesfoam Gebru (Eth) Wcc Team
DNF Moniek Tenniglo (Ned) Mitchelton Scott
DNF Anastasiya Kolesava (Blr) Wcc Team
DNF Veronika Jandová (Cze) Wcc Team
DNF Akvile Gedraitytė (Ltu) Wcc Team
DNF Skylar Schneider (USA) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
DNF Heidi Franz (USA) Rally Cycling
DNF Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar – Travel & Service
DNF Jenelle Crooks (NZl) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ Btc Ljubljana
DNF Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale’ Btc Ljubljana
DNF Diana Carolina Peñuela Martinez (Col) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women
DNF Sarah Gigante (Aus) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Hannah Ludwig (Ger) Canyon / /Sram Racing
DNF Leah Dixon (GBr) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Leigh Ann Ganzar (USA) Rally Cycling
DNF Melanie Klement (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
DNF Désirée Ehrler (Swi) Multum Accountants – Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Anna Badegruber (Aut) Multum Accountants – Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Céline Van Houtum (Ned) Multum Accountants – Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Valeriya Kononenko (Ukr) Ciclotel
DNF Olha Kulynych (Ukr) Ciclotel
DNF Daniela Reis (Por) Ciclotel
DNF Bryony Van Velzen (Ned) Ciclotel
DNF Sara Van De Vel (Bel) Ciclotel
DNF Lucinda Brand (Ned) Trek – Segafredo
DNF Merel Hofman (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
DNF Alana Castrique (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNF Maike Van Der Duin (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
DNF Nienke Wasmus (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
DNF Mikayla Harvey (NZl) Bigla – Katusha
DNF Natalie Irene Midtsveen (Nor) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
DNF Leah Thomas (USA) Bigla – Katusha
DNF Sophie Wright (GBr) Bigla – Katusha
DNF Elizabeth Bennett (GBr) Drops
DNF Emilie Moberg (Nor) Drops
DNF Lucy Van Der Haar (GBr) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
DNF Inez Beijer (Ned) Biehler Krush Pro Cycling
DNF Rozemarijn Ammerlaan (Ned) Nxtg Racing
DNF Emily Wadsworth (GBr) Nxtg Racing
DNF Charlotte Kool (Ned) Nxtg Racing
DNF Britt Knaven (Bel) Nxtg Racing
DNF Lotta Pauliina Henttala (Fin) Trek – Segafredo
DNF Finja Smekal (Ger) Drops
DNF Eva Jonkers (Ned) Nxtg Racing
DNF Cathalijne Hoolwerf (Ned) Nxtg Racing
DNF Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek – Segafredo
DNF Roxane Fournier (Fra)
DNF Fien Delbaere (Bel) Multum Accountants – Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Febe Schokkaert (Bel) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
DNF Lara Defour (Bel) Multum Accountants – Lsk Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Mieke Docx (Bel) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling
DNF Nicole Hanselmann (Swi) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling
DNF Christina Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport Uci Women Cycling
DNF Amalie Lutro (Nor) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
DNF Greta Richioud (Fra) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
DNF Magdeleine Vallieres Mill (Can) Wcc Team
DNF Julie Van De Velde (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNF Ingrid Lorvik (Nor) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
DNF Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
DNF Rossella Ratto (Ita) Chevalmeire Cycling Team