Le Samyn des Dames 2020 [LAST 25 KM]

March 3, 2020

Le Samyn 2020 – Quaregnon – Dour : 94,9 km

Le Samyn is an annual single-day road bicycle race in Belgium, held usually in late February or early March. The event was created in 1968 as Grand Prix de Fayt-le-Franc, named after the former municipality where it started and finished. In 1970 it was renamed Grand Prix José Samyn as a tribute to José Samyn, the race’s first winner who died in a race accident in 1969. Johan Capiot holds the record with three wins. Since 2012, a women’s edition of the race, named Le Samyn des Dames, is held on the same day as the men’s race.

Chantal Van den Broek-Blaak (Boels Dolmans) stormed to victory at Le Samyn des Dames on Wednesday after a long solo break. The win marked her third win in the race since 2015.

While Van den Broek-Blaak dominated, spending over 50 kilometres on her own out front, the race for second was a far tenser affair with a strong five-rider group matching each other with wave after wave of attacks until the closing stages.

However, they could not be separated before the slightly uphill finish before Van den Broek-Blaak’s teammate Christine Majerus won the sprint to make it a 1-2 for the Dutch team. Lotte Kopecky (Lotto Soudal) rounded out the podium.

“This is definitely a race that suits me, yes,” said Van den Broek-Blaak after the finish. “It was like a time trial today, it was pretty long. We wanted to play the game as a team, and to have as many numbers as possible in the front, and then try to attack.

“I was gone, alone and I thought that I had to try and continue. If they came from behind I would still have my teammates but they didn’t come. We just wanted to race and it didn’t matter for us who was winning.

“I race next weekend at Strade and then the weekend after at Drenthe. I have one win now so there’s less pressure and I’d like to enjoy this.”

How it unfolded

After the events of the opening weekend – Omloop Het Nieuwsblad won by world champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) and Omloop van het Hagalend won by Lorena Wiebes (Parkhotel Valkenburg) – the mid-week Le Samyn des Dames brought a slightly shorter mid-week race for the women’s peloton.

It is one of the shorter of all the spring one-day races at 94.9km but with punchy cobbled sections through the Henegouwen region; Vert Pignon, La Roquette, Ch de Wiheries, Core de Nonettes and at Rue Belle Vue.

There were also three climbs at Grand Place Quaregnon (26.6km), Cote de Calvaire (35.5km), and at Cote de la Roquette (53.6km).

The field completed one large loop followed by three finish circuits that are 25km each with an intermediate sprint on the first two passages through the finish line in Dour.

Several of the top-level WorldTeams opted to skip the race as they prepare for next weekend’s second round of the Women’s WorldTour at Strade Bianche, but there were two WorldTeams on the start line for Le Samym with Movistar and Trek-Segafredo.

It was number one ranked team in the world, Continental squad, Boels Dolmans that lined-up with defending champion Van de Bos and two-time race winner Van den Broek-Blaak (2015-16) as the team to beat.

The strong winds caused splits in the field early on and a group of 14 riders escaped that included three Boels Dolmans; Van den Broek-Blaak, Van den Bos and Christine Majerus.

With 57km to go, after Cote de la Roquette, Van den Broek-Blaak attacked the breakaway and pushed her solo lead on each of the finishing circuits.

A five-rider chase group formed with Van Dijk, Kopecky, Biannic joined by Van den Broek-Blaak’s teammates Majerus and Van den Bos.

Van den Broek-Blaak powered to the finish line with the victory with enough time to turn around and watch her teammate Majerus win the chase-group sprint for second place.

Results :
1 Chantal van den Broek-blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 2:35:01
2 Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 0:01:50
3 Lotte Kopecky (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
4 Jip van den Bos (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
5 Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Trek – Segafredo
6 Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women 0:01:56
7 Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 0:03:43
8 Maria Apolonia van ‘t Geloof (Ned) Drops
9 Claire Faber (Lux) ILLI Bikes
10 Alba Teruel Ribes (Spa) Movistar Team Women
11 Jelena Erić (Srb) Movistar Team Women
12 Lucie Jounier (Fra) Team Arkea
13 Elizabeth Bennett (GBr) Drops
14 Marieke van Witzenburg (Ned) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport uci Women Cycling
15 Špela Kern (Slo) Lviv Cycling Team
16 Catalina Anais Soto Campos (Chi) WCC Team
17 Daniela Reis (Por) Ciclotel
18 Sara Penton (Swe) Drops
19 Danique Braam (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies
20 Natalie van Gogh (Ned) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
21 Kylie Waterreus (Ned) Multum Accountants – LSK Ladies Cycling Team
22 Silke Smulders (Ned) NXTG Racing
23 Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
24 Birgitte Ravndal (Nor) Keukens Redant
25 Nicole Steigenga (Ned) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport uci Women Cycling
26 Eva Buurman (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
27 Teuntje Beekhuis (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies
28 Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team Women
29 Magdeleine Vallieres Mill (Can) WCC Team
30 Christina Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport uci Women Cycling
31 Mie Bjørndal Ottestad (Nor) De Sprinters Malderen 0:03:52
32 Gilke Croket (Bel) ILLI Bikes
33 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
34 Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team Women
35 Jenelle Crooks (NZl) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
36 Olha Kulynych (Ukr) Ciclotel
37 Mae Lang (Est) Andy Schleck Cycles – Immo Losch
38 Typhaine Laurance (Fra) Team Arkea
39 Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
40 Barbara Fonseca (Fra) St Michel – Auber 93
41 Emilie Moberg (Nor) Drops
42 Antonia Gröndahl (Fin) Isorex NoAqua Ladies
43 Kathrin Schweinberger (Aut) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport uci Women Cycling 0:03:57
44 Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Trek – Segafredo
45 Lotta Pauliina Henttala (Fin) Trek – Segafredo
46 Anastasiya Kolesava (Blr) WCC Team 0:04:03
47 Sophie Enever (GBr) Torelli – Assure 0:05:03
48 Kim De Baat (Bel) Ciclotel 0:06:53
49 Viktoriia Bondar (Ukr) Lviv Cycling Team 0:07:17
50 Caitlin Peters (GBr) Torelli – Assure 0:07:52
51 Holly Breck (USA) Torelli – Assure
52 Diana Carolina Peñuela Martinez (Col) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
53 Akvile Gedraitytė (Ltu) WCC Team
54 Ellen Mcdermott (Irl) Isorex NoAqua Ladies
55 Emily Nelson (GBr) Isorex NoAqua Ladies
56 Tereza Medvedova (Svk) WCC Team
57 Julia Borgström (Swe) NXTG Racing
58 Alana Castrique (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
59 Gladys Verhulst (Fra) Team Arkea
60 Emily Wadsworth (GBr) NXTG Racing
61 Pauline Allin (Fra) Team Arkea
62 Sarah Gigante (Aus) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
63 Emily Newsom (USA) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
64 Amalie Lutro (Nor) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
65 Estefania Pilz (Arg) Lviv Cycling Team
66 Ingrid Lorvik (Nor) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
67 Mieke Docx (Bel) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport uci Women Cycling
68 Fiona Turnbull (GBr) Lviv Cycling Team 0:08:00
69 Kerry Jonker (RSA) Isorex NoAqua Ladies 0:08:01
70 Natalie Irene Midtsveen (Nor) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
71 Veronika Jandová (Cze) WCC Team
72 Bryony Van Velzen (Ned) Ciclotel
73 Danielle Khan (GBr) ILLI Bikes
74 Mia Griffin (Irl) ILLI Bikes
75 Gloria Rodriguez Sanchez (Spa) Movistar Team Women
76 Femke Geeris (Ned) Waasland Security – Wase Zon
77 Abigail Van Twisk (GBr) Trek – Segafredo
78 Elynor Backstedt (GBr) Trek – Segafredo
79 Julie Van de Velde (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
80 Laura Vainionpää (Fin) S Bikes AGU
81 Sara Van de Vel (Bel) Ciclotel 0:08:06
82 Oceane Tessier (Fra) St Michel – Auber 93
83 Ditte Lenseclaes (Bel) ILLI Bikes
84 Fabienne Buri (Swi) Andy Schleck Cycles – Immo Losch
85 Eyeru Tesfoam Gebru (Eth) WCC Team
86 Claudia Jongerius (Ned) De Sprinters Malderen
87 Saartje Vandenbroucke (Bel) S Bikes AGU
88 Fien Delbaere (Bel) Multum Accountants – LSK Ladies Cycling Team 0:08:25
89 Savannah Morgan (GBr) Isorex NoAqua Ladies
90 Febe Schokkaert (Bel) Chevalmeire Cycling Team 0:08:33
91 Désirée Ehrler (Swi) Multum Accountants – LSK Ladies Cycling Team 0:08:36
92 Margot Pompanon (Fra) St Michel – Auber 93 0:08:45
93 Yuliia Biriukova (Ukr) Lviv Cycling Team 0:08:55
94 Amber Aernouts (Bel) Multum Accountants – LSK Ladies Cycling Team 0:09:53
95 Fernanda Yapura (Arg) St Michel – Auber 93
96 Nicole Hanselmann (Swi) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport uci Women Cycling 0:10:42
97 Evelien Debboudt (Bel) Keukens Redant 0:13:18
DNF Lauren Murphy (GBr) Andy Schleck Cycles – Immo Losch
DNF Skylar Schneider (USA) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam
DNF Julie Debock (Bel) De Sprinters Malderen
DNF Mischa Bredewold (Ned) NXTG Racing
DNF Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek – Segafredo
DNF Hana Heřmanovská (Cze) Andy Schleck Cycles – Immo Losch
DNF Maroesjka Matthee (RSA) Ciclotel
DNF Ilse Grit (Ned) NXTG Racing
DNF Tora Bjørndal Ottestad (Nor) De Sprinters Malderen
DNF Demmy Druyts (Bel) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
DNF Hayley Simmonds (GBr) Ciclotel
DNF Cathalijne Hoolwerf (Ned) NXTG Racing
DNF Lies De Vleminck (Bel) De Sprinters Malderen
DNF Rozemarijn Ammerlaan (Ned) NXTG Racing
DNF Roxane Fournier (Fra) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
DNF Puck Moonen (Ned) Chevalmeire Cycling Team
DNF Justine Vromanne (Bel) Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport uci Women Cycling
DNF Mélanie Guedon (Fra) St Michel – Auber 93
DNF Anna Badegruber (Aut) Multum Accountants – LSK Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Josie Shepherd (GBr) Multum Accountants – LSK Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Lara Defour (Bel) Multum Accountants – LSK Ladies Cycling Team
DNF Leonie Vanderjeugt (Bel) S Bikes AGU
DNF Demi Van Dijke (Ned) S Bikes AGU
DNF Desiree Liegeois (Ned) S Bikes AGU
DNF Lensy Debboudt (Bel) Keukens Redant
DNF Laura Da Cruz (Fra) St Michel – Auber 93
DNF Georgia Bullard (GBr) Torelli – Assure
DNF Fatima Zahra El Hayani (Mar) Team Arkea
DNF Anaïs Morichon (Fra) Team Arkea
DNF Leah Dixon (GBr) Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Yva Geluk (Ned) Waasland Security – Wase Zon
DNF Alice Andersson (Swe) Waasland Security – Wase Zon
DNF Aranka Lisanne Berends (Spa) Waasland Security – Wase Zon
DNF Fien De Paepe (Bel) S Bikes AGU
DNF Malin Eriksen (Nor) Keukens Redant
DNF Pernille Larsen Feldmann (Nor) Hitec Products – Birk Sport
DNF Lynn Marien (Bel) De Sprinters Malderen
DNF Mette Egtoft Jensen (Den) ILLI Bikes
DNF Samantha Hargreaves (Can) ILLI Bikes
DNF Nicola Juniper (GBr) Isorex NoAqua Ladies
DNF Kate Wightman (NZl) Isorex NoAqua Ladies
DNF Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Movistar Team Women
DNF Gaia Tortolina (Ita) Waasland Security – Wase Zon
DNF Mia Berg (Lux) Andy Schleck Cycles – Immo Losch
DNF Elina Kirsakmene (Lat) Keukens Redant
DNF Ida Langørgen (Nor) Keukens Redant
DNF Elizabeth Marvelly (GBr) Torelli – Assure
DNF Connie Hayes (GBr) Torelli – Assure
DNF Megan Chard (GBr) Lviv Cycling Team
DNF Viktoriia Yaroshenko (Ukr) Lviv Cycling Team
DNF Finja Smekal (Ger) Drops
DNF Amber Lacompte (Bel) Keukens Redant