Gent-Wevelgem 2021 [FULL RACE] (ladies)

March 28, 2021

Gent-Wevelgem 2021 WE – Ypres – Wevelgem : 141,7 km

The top one-day racers in the world will unite for the fourth round of the Women’s WorldTour at Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday. Gent-Wevelgem has returned to its traditional spring spot on the calendar, March 28, after being held in October last year as part of the late-season revised calendar. The start of Gent-Wevelgem was moved from Ypres’ Grote Markt to the Menin Gate last year, but will likely keep a similar route for this year’s edition. The race is not accessible to spectators on climbs or on cobbled sectors as organisers have taken steps to minimise COVID-19 risks in the region. What we can anticipate is that the women will race 141 kilometres with several main climbs such as the Beneberg, Monteberg, and Kemelberg en route to the finish in Wevelgem.

Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma) has won the women’s Gent-Wevelgem as she was fastest to the line in the sprint of a reduced peloton, beating Lotte Kopecky (Liv Racing) and Lisa Brennauer (Ceratizit-WNT).

Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) and Soraya Paladin (Liv Racing) attacked from a small front group after the Trek-Segafredo team had split the peloton in the crosswinds after Ypres, but they were caught less than 500 metres from the finish.

“It has to settle a bit first. When you then look back and see your teammates cheering as they cross the line, it is fantastic. It was a hard, nervous race, always fighting for position, and in the final the two riders in front who had a nice gap. When your teammates work so hard, you really want to finish it off, but it was an elite group left for the sprint,” Vos said in a post-race interview.

“The route is not to the advantage of the escapees here, as a chasing group you can always see a kilometre ahead, but of course Longo Borghini is incredibly strong, and Paladin, too. When they get a gap, you know that you cannot close it just like that.

“I knew that it would not be easy. The team had confidence in me, and I knew that if I launched the sprint first, I had a chance, so I tried to stay as calm as possible and jump first.”

Jumbo-Visma make it two from two in Belgium as Dutchwoman triumphs in sprint finish to win the women’s Gent-Wevelgem and Wout Van Aert won the men’s Gent-Wevelgem.

How it unfolded

The race was lengthened by a few kilometres due to a fire in Menen on the normal route to the finish in Wevelgem, putting the total distance at 142.8 km with seven climbs and three Plugstreet gravel sections.

There were a few attacks in the early hours, with Marieke de Groot (Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus) particularly active, but none of the breakaways lasted for long. The peloton split in the crosswinds several times, but with more than 100km to go, the first echelons did not press on, and the race came back together.

A front group of 17 riders emerged after the first passage over the Kemmelberg, 65km from the line, but again the action settled down, and things had come together before the Plugstreet gravel sections where the most noticeable event was a puncture for Paladin as nobody wanted to string out the race on the gravel.

A crash with 45km to go took down Chloe Hosking (Trek-Segafredo), Kirsten Wild (Ceratizit-WNT), and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Plantur-Pura), among others. Although they got back up again, none of them were able to play a role in the final.

On the second ascent of the Kemmelberg, 37km from the finish, Longo Borghini pushed the pace from the start, splitting the race and taking Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) with her over the top. A group of five with Vos, Kopecky, Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo), Amy Pieters (Team SD Worx), and Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) followed a few seconds later, with another group of 13 riders behind that.

The chasing group with Vos bridged the small gap, and after a few kilometres, the next group also came back. Vos’ teammate Anna Henderson attacked solo and was let go by the group, building an advantage of over 20 seconds as she reached Ypres.

Turning eastwards to Wevelgem after Ypres, there was now a cross-tailwind, and Trek-Segafredo immediately put the race in the gutter. The first echelon of eight riders with Van Dijk, Longo Borghini, Lizzie Deignan (all Trek-Segafredo), Pieters, Christine Majerus (both Team SD Worx), Elisa Balsamo and Vittoria Guazzini (both Valcar-Travel & Service) as well as Paladin quickly caught Henderson.

At the 20-kilometre mark, Longo Borghini accelerated away from the group, with her teammates backing off, and only Paladin was able to jump across before the gap had become too big. Six kilometres later, the gap had increased to 24 seconds as the chase group was absorbed by the next group on the road, forming a peloton of 30-40 riders. Longo Borghini and Paladin defended their advantage at just under 30 seconds into the final ten kilometres when an exhausted Paladin could no longer pull as hard as the Women’s WorldTour leader.

With the chase behind now organised and all teams except Trek-Segafredo and Liv Racing now working together, the gap was reduced to only a few seconds entering the final kilometre, and despite Longo Borghini’s best efforts, she and Paladin were caught on the finishing stretch, setting up a sprint for the win.

Vos went early at the 300-metre mark and held off the rest of the field to win the women’s Gent-Wevelgem, making it two from two for Team Jumbo-Visma after Wout van Aert had won the men’s edition. With her victory, Vos also took the lead in the UCI Women’s WorldTour ranking while Emma Norsgaard (Movistar Team), tenth in the sprint, extended her lead in the Women’s WorldTour youth ranking.

Results :
1 Marianne Vos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 3:45:08
2 Lotte Kopecky (Bel) Liv Racing
3 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
4 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
5 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
6 Emilia Fahlin (Swe) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
7 Kristen Faulkner (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
8 Sarah Roy (Aus) Team BikeExchange
9 Emma Norsgaard (Den) Movistar Team Women
10 Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
11 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx
12 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM
13 Marlen Reusser (Swi) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
14 Katia Ragusa (Ita) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team
15 Arlenis Sierra Canadilla (Cub) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team
16 Mariia Novolodskaia (Rus) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team
17 Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo
18 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
19 Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team DSM
20 Ellen van Dijk (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
21 Thalita De Jong (Ned) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
22 Grace Brown (Aus) Team BikeExchange
23 Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
24 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx
25 Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing
26 Marta Cavalli (Ita) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
27 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-SRAM Racing
28 Vittoria Guazzini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
29 Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Liv Racing
30 Yara Kastelijn (Ned) Ciclismo Mundial
31 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx
32 Roxane Fournier (Fra) Team SD Worx
33 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
34 Ruth Winder (USA) Trek-Segafredo
35 Soraya Paladin (Ita) Liv Racing 0:00:05
36 Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
37 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM Racing
38 Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:00:10
39 Romy Kasper (Ger) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:00:44
40 Nancy van der Berg (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:00:49
41 Sarah Gigante (Aus) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:02:55
42 Anna Henderson (GBr) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:04:05
43 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:04:09
44 Lisa Klein (Ger) Canyon-SRAM Racing
45 Maike Van der Duin (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
46 Jesse Vandenbulcke (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
47 Alison Jackson (Can) Liv Racing
48 Marta Lach (Pol) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
49 Franziska Koch (Ger) Team DSM
50 Stine Borgli (Nor) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
51 Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chi) NXTG Racing
52 Kathrin Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
53 Maria Martins (Por) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
54 Amalie Lutro (Nor) Hitec Products
55 Lizbeth Yareli Salazar Vazquez (Mex) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team
56 Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Team BikeExchange
57 Nicole Steigenga (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
58 Fien Delbaere (Bel) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
59 Kylie Waterreus (Ned) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
60 Eva Buurman (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
61 Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
62 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM
63 Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
64 Jolien D’Hoore (Bel) Team SD Worx
65 Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Ned) Ciclismo Mundial
66 Ann-Sophie Duyck (Bel) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
67 Sara Van De Vel (Bel) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
68 Riejanne Markus (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
69 Manon Bakker (Ned) Ciclismo Mundial
70 Marit Raaijmakers (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
71 Julie Leth (Den) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
72 Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
73 Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
74 Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
75 Maëlle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
76 Amelia Sharpe (GBr) NXTG Racing
77 Chiara Consonni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
78 Hanna Nilsson (Swe) Lotto Soudal Ladies
79 Anna Plichta (Pol) Lotto Soudal Ladies
80 Sara Penton (Swe) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
81 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:04:13
82 Silvia Persico (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
83 Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
84 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women
85 Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
86 Christina Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
87 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women
88 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
89 Sanne Cant (Bel) Ciclismo Mundial
90 Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:08:05
91 Fien Van Eynde (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
92 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM
93 Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Liv Racing
94 Jelena Eric (Ser) Movistar Team Women
95 Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire 0:11:01
96 Teniel Campbell (TTo) Team BikeExchange
97 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
98 Susanne Andersen (Nor) Team DSM
99 Tanja Erath (Ger) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:11:50
100 Natalie van Gogh (Ned) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
101 Emilie Moberg (Nor) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
102 Marijke De Smedt (Bel) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
103 Laura Süßemilch (Ger) Ciclismo Mundial
104 Emily Wadsworth (GBr) NXTG Racing
105 Mylene de Zoete (Ned) NXTG Racing
106 Maria Vittoria Sperotto (Ita) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team
107 Mieke Kröger (Ger) Hitec Products
108 Céline van Houtum (Ned) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
109 Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Trek-Segafredo
110 Moniek Tenniglo (Ned) Team BikeExchange
111 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women
DNF Antonia Gröndahl (Fin) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
DNF Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
DNF Julia Borgström (Swe) NXTG Racing
DNF Sophie Wright (GBr) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
DNF Charlotte Kool (Ned) NXTG Racing
DNF Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
DNF Sofia Bertizzolo (Ita) Liv Racing
DNF Ann Helen Olsen (Nor) Hitec Products
DNF Mia Griffin (Irl) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
DNF Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Team SD Worx
DNF Alice Sharpe (Irl) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
DNF Isabelle Beckers (Bel) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
DNF Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
DNF Svenja Betz (Ger) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
DNF Marieke De Groot (Ned) Dolltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus
DNF Jessica Roberts (GBr) Team BikeExchange
DNF Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Demi De Jong (Ned) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
DNF Lenny Druyts (Bel) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
DNF Rozanne Slik (Ned) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
DNF Sarah Rijkes (Aut) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
DNF Abby-Mae Parkinson (GBr) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNF Bryony van Velzen (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
DNF Anna Badegruber (Aut) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
DNF Maria Van ‘T Geloof (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
DNF Caroline Andersson (Swe) Hitec Products
DNF Ingvild Gåskjenn (Nor) Hitec Products
DNF Martine Gjøs (Nor) Hitec Products
DNF Alana Castrique (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNF Inge van der Heijden (Ned) Ciclismo Mundial
DNF Jade Teolis (Fra) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team