Le Samyn 2021 [FULL RACE] (ladies)

March 2, 2021

Le Samyn des Dames 2021 – Quaregnon – Dour : 92,5 km

This year’s edition of Le Samyn des Dames will set off from Quaregnon, just like it has done since 2015. From there, the riders will head south to Dour where they’ll then start the first of three grueling, 26.5km-long laps around the outskirts of the town. Each lap contains five cobblestone sectors, two of which head slightly uphill – the Côte de la Roquette and the Côte des Nonettes. There’s also an uncategorised climb that drags right up to the finish line, adding an extra sting into the tail of a route that’s already incredibly tough.

Lotte Kopecky (Liv Racing) took the first win at her new team at Le Samyn des Dames, sprinting to victory from a reduced group of riders in Dour.

The Belgian beat Emma Cecilie Norsgaard (Movistar) and Chloe Hosking (Trek-Segafredo) in the dash for the line, benefitting after the Danish champion went long in the sprint. Hosking jumped onto Norsgaard’s wheel as Kopecky followed, saving enough to hit the wind with 150 metres to go and making the pass just metres from the line.

The sprint finale came after a race full of attacks, including the peloton splitting apart less than a third of the way through the race. Kopecky, who had been in numerous small moves off the front throughout, was duly rewarded for her efforts at the finish, taking the sixth win of her career and her first Classics victory.

“This is my first win in the tricolor and my first for Liv Racing,” Kopecky said after the race. “What a great start to the season. This is also confirmation of my good form.

“After Omloop, I was disappointed with my fourth place because I missed the podium due to a stupid mistake in the sprint. Now I’ve shown that the fast legs are there. I feel really good. It’s nice to start like this.”

Norsgaard, meanwhile, would have to settle for her second runner-up spot in two races for her new team. The 21-year-old Danish champion led the chase group home behind winner Anna van der Breggen at Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

“In Omloop, Lotte already showed how strong she was,” Norsgaard said. “So, I don’t want to say I’m disappointed that I lost here.

“We studied the course and I wanted to go for the sprint. We wanted to make it a tough race and shake off riders. That worked and then we went full throttle for the sprint. That went pretty well.”

How it unfolded

The 10th edition of Le Samyn des Dames took in 92.5-kilometres from Quaregnon to Dour near the French border in west Wallonia. The peloton tackled 15 cobbled sections as well as six named hills, with two and a half laps of a tough finishing circuit to close out the race.

The peloton broke apart early on in the day as the peloton raced over a cobblestone section shortly after the Côte de la Roquette on 30 kilometres, with no breakaway having made it away earlier on. Former world champion Amalie Dideriksen (Trek-Segafredo) missed the split, though the majority of the big names in the peloton made it into the front group.

Kopecky made it into a lead attack group at one point, with Norsgaard, Marlen Reusser (Alé BTC Ljubljana), and SD Worx pair Jolien D’Hoore and Amy Pieters joining her. Jumbo-Visma and Trek-Segafredo were among the teams to chase the move down, though, and things would come back together shortly afterwards.

Once again, Kopecky attempted to break the race up at the front with a further attack 20 kilometres out, with 2020 runner-up Christine Majerus (SD Worx) and Jelena Eric (Movistar) going with her. However, despite the continued aggression of the Belgian champion, that move didn’t come off either.

After reining in the attacks from the front, the group would then stick together to the line, with few opportunities to get away in the closing kilometres. The final cobbled section at Rue de Belle Vue, four kilometres from the line, didn’t produce any successful moves, either, though Reusser made an attempt to do so.

As a result, the finale was contested among the lead group, eventually coming down to the bunch sprint which Kopecky from which prevailed.

Results :
1 Lotte Kopecky (Bel) Liv Racing 2:20:04
2 Emma Norsgaard (Den) Movistar Team Women
3 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
4 Gladys Verhulst (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
5 Maria Van ‘T Geloof (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
6 Amy Pieters (Ned) Team SD Worx
7 Laura Tomasi (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
8 Anna Henderson (GBr) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
9 Amber van der Hulst (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
10 Romy Kasper (Ger) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
11 Femke Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
12 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
13 Silvia Pollicini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
14 Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Team SD Worx
15 Bryony van Velzen (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
16 Natalie van Gogh (Ned) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
17 Abby-Mae Parkinson (GBr) Lotto Soudal Ladies
18 Elena Cecchini (Ita) Team SD Worx
19 Alison Jackson (Can) Liv Racing
20 Marta Jaskulska (Pol) Liv Racing
21 Marlen Reusser (Swi) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
22 Mischa Bredewold (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
23 Christine Majerus (Lux) Team SD Worx
24 Typhaine Laurance (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
25 Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Liv Racing 0:00:14
26 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women 0:00:20
27 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women 0:00:27
28 Jelena Eric (Srb) Movistar Team Women
29 Diana Carolina Peñuela Martinez (Col) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:01:00
30 Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:41
31 Roxane Fournier (Fra) Team SD Worx
32 Léa Curinier (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
33 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women
34 Alba Teruel Ribes (Spa) Movistar Team Women
35 Kathrin Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team 0:02:56
36 Pfeiffer Georgi (GBr) Team DSM
37 Thalita De Jong (Ned) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
38 Eva Buurman (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
39 Fien Van Eynde (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
40 Sara Martin Martin (Spa) Movistar Team Women
41 Mie Bjørndal Ottestad (Nor) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
42 India Grangier (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente- Maritime Women Cycling
43 Kylie Waterreus (Ned) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
44 Amelia Sharpe (GBr) NXTG Racing
45 Teuntje Beekhuis (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
46 Lone Meertens (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
47 Lucie Jounier (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
48 Tanja Erath (Ger) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
49 Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
50 Maike Van der Duin (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
51 Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Liv Racing
52 Ann-Sophie Duyck (Bel) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
53 Sara Van De Vel (Bel) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
54 Sara Penton (Swe) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
55 Kristen Faulkner (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
56 Margaux Vigie (Fra) Valcar-Travel & Service
57 Esmée Peperkamp (Ned) Team DSM
58 Mavi Garcia (Spa) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
59 Shirin van Anrooij (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
60 Lauretta Hanson (Aus) Trek-Segafredo
61 Antonia Gröndahl (Fin) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
62 Franziska Koch (Ger) Team DSM 0:03:02
63 Mieke Kröger (Ger) Hitec Products 0:03:05
64 Fien Delbaere (Bel) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team 0:03:14
65 Nicole Steigenga (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
66 Cedrine Kerbaol (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team 0:03:16
67 Christina Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
68 Jesse Vandenbulcke (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
69 Susanne Andersen (Nor) Team DSM 0:03:54
70 Lorena Wiebes (Ned) Team DSM 0:03:56
71 Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:04:04
72 Jolien D’Hoore (Bel) Team SD Worx 0:04:20
73 Justine Ghekiere (Bel) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
74 Julia Soek (Ned) Team DSM 0:06:52
75 Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:08:46
76 Marijke De Smedt (Bel) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
77 Amalie Lutro (Nor) Hitec Products 0:09:17
78 Nathalie Bex (Bel) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire 0:09:36
79 Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chi) NXTG Racing
80 Caroline Andersson (Swe) Hitec Products
81 Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
82 Elise Vander Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
83 Lien Lanssens (Bel) Bingoal-WB Ladies
84 Lauren Creamer (Irl) LVIV Cycling Team
85 Martina Alzini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
86 Valerie Demey (Bel) Liv Racing
87 Alice Sharpe (Irl) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
88 Céline van Houtum (Ned) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
89 Mia Griffin (Irl) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
90 Marieke van Witzenburg (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
91 Claudia Jongerius (Ned) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
92 Gloria Van Mechelen (Bel) LVIV Cycling Team
93 Finja Smekal (Ger) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
94 Victoire Berteau (Fra) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
95 Ingvild Gåskjenn (Nor) Hitec Products
96 Camille Tryoen (Fra) Team Macadams Cowboys
97 Eleanor Wiseman (USA) Bingoal-WB Ladies
98 Amalie Dideriksen (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:09:40
99 Elena Pirrone (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
100 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team DSM
101 Leonie Bos (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
102 Severine Eraud (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente- Maritime Women Cycling
103 Celia Le Mouel (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente- Maritime Women Cycling
104 Pernille Mathiesen (Den) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
105 Fiona Mertens (Bel) Bingoal-WB Ladies
106 Noemie Abgrall (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente- Maritime Women Cycling
107 Alana Castrique (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:09:50
108 Kirstie van Haaften (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:09:53
DNF Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Letizia Paternoster (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Eugenia Bujak (Slo) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
DNF Fabienne Buri (Swi) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
DNF Désirée Ehrler (Swi) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
DNF Line Marie Gulliksen (Nor) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
DNF Lisa Müllenberg (Ned) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
DNF Sandra Weiss (Swi) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
DNF Anna Plichta (Pol) Lotto Soudal Ladies
DNF Rozemarijn Ammerlaan (Ned) NXTG Racing
DNF Britt Knaven (Bel) NXTG Racing
DNF Maud Rijnbeek (Ned) NXTG Racing
DNF Emily Wadsworth (GBr) NXTG Racing
DNF Mylene de Zoete (Ned) NXTG Racing
DNF Sylvie Swinkels (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
DNF Marie Morgane Le Deunff (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
DNF Greta Richioud (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
DNF Ditte Lenseclaes (Bel) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
DNF Isabelle Beckers (Bel) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
DNF Svenja Betz (Ger) Team Rupelcleaning-Champion Lubricants
DNF Elizabeth Bennett (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
DNF Maria Martins (Por) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
DNF Leah Dixon (GBr) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Caren Commissaris (Bel) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
DNF Coralie Demay (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente- Maritime Women Cycling
DNF Elodie Le Bail (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente- Maritime Women Cycling
DNF Maeva Squiban (Fra) Stade Rochelais Charente- Maritime Women Cycling
DNF Anna Badegruber (Aut) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Fien De Wispelaere (Bel) Multum Accountants Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Naomi De Roeck (Bel) LVIV Cycling Team
DNF Alice Zovico (Ita) LVIV Cycling Team
DNF Sophie Enever (GBr) LVIV Cycling Team
DNF Margarita Lopez Llull (Spa) LVIV Cycling Team
DNF Fiona Turnbull (GBr) LVIV Cycling Team
DNF Ann Helen Olsen (Nor) Hitec Products
DNF Christa Riffel (Ger) Hitec Products
DNF Pernille Larsen Feldmann (Nor) Hitec Products
DNF Julie Debock (Bel) Bingoal-WB Ladies
DNF Elise Tahay (Bel) Bingoal-WB Ladies
DNF Allison Zava (Bel) Bingoal-WB Ladies
DNF Justine Vromanne (Bel) Bingoal-WB Ladies
DNF Flavie Bador (Fra) Team Macadams Cowboys
DNF Eléonore Saraiva (Fra) Team Macadams Cowboys
DNF Juliette Trombini (Fra) Team Macadams Cowboys
DNF Allyson Webb Charland (Can) Team Macadams Cowboys