Olympic champion Anna van der Breggen attacked a small group of five riders prior to the final Cauberg ascent to claim her first win wearing Boels-Dolmans colors at the women’s Amstel Gold Race in the Dutch village of Berg en Terblijt on Easter Sunday.
The 26-year-old Dutchwoman was one of three riders, including Annemiek van Vleuten (Orica-Scott) and recent Tour of Flanders winner Coryn Rivera (Sunweb), that closed down a three-rider break that included Boels teammate Lizzie Deignan, along with Katarzyna Niewiadoma (WM3 Energie) and Elisa Longo-Borghini (Wiggle-High5) in the final 10km.
“This was the big goal of the spring – not only this race but the upcoming two races,” said van der Breggen. “I’m happy to have this shape finally now. You can gamble on this week, but it’s always hard to have the right shape at the right time.”
Boels-Dolmans entered the season with the Ardennes Classics specifically targeted — a strategy that perhaps cost them early year results, but one that paid off this weekend.
“As a cyclist, you become accustomed to pressure and expectations and difficult questions being pointed at you if the performances aren’t reflective of the work you have put in,” said Deignan. “It’s frustrating but with experience you learn not to let it bother you. You keep your head down and you work hard and the results will follow. Today was a result of not giving up or giving too much energy into media or fan expectation.”
“It’s difficult to have this shape for three months,” added van der Breggen. “It’s not possible. If you’re good at the beginning of the season, it’s difficult to be as good this week, and this is an important week because if you’re good, you have three big races.
Van der Breggen and Deignan shared a leadership role on Easter Sunday. Both had contended with illness during the opening weeks of the season but arrived on the start line in Maastricht feeling fit and motivated ahead of the 121-kilometre day.
“We planned for an aggressive race,” said Deignan. “With both me and Anna healthy again, we felt it was possible to shoulder the responsibility of four of the team tasked with putting the rest of the peloton in the hurt box.”
Top 10 results
1. Anna VAN DER BREGGEN, BOELS-DOLMANS, in 3:15:57
2. Elizabeth DEIGNAN, BOELS-DOLMANS, at :55
3. Katarzyna NIEWIADOMA, WM3 ENERGIE, at :55
3. Annemiek VAN VLEUTEN, ORICA-SCOTT, at :55
5. Elisa LONGO BORGHINI, WIGGLE-HIGH5, at :55
6. Coryn RIVERA, SUNWEB, at 1:02
7. Amy PIETERS, BOELS-DOLMANS, at 1:51
8. Pauline FERRAND-PREVOT, CANYON-SRAM, at 1:51
9. Ashleigh MOOLMAN-PASIO, CERVÉLO-BIGLA, at 1:51
10. Ellen VAN DIJK, SUNWEB, at 1:51
Van der Breggen attacked the quintet with 7km remaining and opened an insurmountable lead over the Cauberg to solo to victory. Deignan finished second ahead of Niewiadoma in third.
The Amstel Gold Race returned to the UCI Women’s WorldTour in 2017 after a 14-year absence on the calendar. The 121-kilometer one-day event from Maastricht to Berg and Terblijt also marks the sixth WWT race of the season, with La Flèche Wallonne Féminine, which van der Breggen has won the past two years, up next (April 19).
Full race report and results to follow …
Results
1. Anna VAN DER BREGGEN, BOELS-DOLMANS, in 3:15:57
2. Elizabeth DEIGNAN, BOELS-DOLMANS, at :55
3. Katarzyna NIEWIADOMA, WM3 ENERGIE, at :55
3. Annemiek VAN VLEUTEN, ORICA-SCOTT, at :55
5. Elisa LONGO BORGHINI, WIGGLE-HIGH5, at :55
6. Coryn RIVERA, SUNWEB, at 1:02
7. Amy PIETERS, BOELS-DOLMANS, at 1:51
8. Pauline FERRAND-PREVOT, CANYON-SRAM, at 1:51
9. Ashleigh MOOLMAN-PASIO, CERVÉLO-BIGLA, at 1:51
10. Ellen VAN DIJK, SUNWEB, at 1:51
11. Chantal BLAAK, BOELS-DOLMANS, at 1:51
12. Audrey CORDON RAGOT, WIGGLE-HIGH5, at 1:51
13. Tetiana RIABCHENKO, LENSWORLD-KUOTA, at 1:51
14. Janneke ENSING, ALE CIPOLLINI, at 1:51
15. Shara GILLOW, FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE, at 1:51
16. Karol-Ann CANUEL, BOELS-DOLMANS, at 1:51
17. Flavia OLIVEIRA, LARES-WAOWDEALS, at 1:51
18. Roxane KNETEMANN, FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE, at 1:51
19. Lisa KLEIN, CERVÉLO-BIGLA, at 3:36
20. Eva BUURMAN, PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG-DESTIL, at 3:36
21. Arianna FIDANZA, ASTANA, at 3:36
22. Malgorzata JASINSKA, CYCLANCE, at 3:36
23. Alison JACKSON, BEPINK COGEAS, at 3:36
24. Anna Zita Maria STRICKER, BTC CITY-LJUBLJANAL, at 3:36
25. Sara PENTON, TEAM VÉLOCONCEPT WOMEN, at 3:36
26. Sofie DE VUYST, LARES-WAOWDEALS, at 3:36
27. Eugenia BUJAK, BTC CITY-LJUBLJANAL, at 3:36
28. Ganna SOLOVEI, PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG-DESTIL, at 3:36
29. Thalita DE JONG, LARES-WAOWDEALS, at 3:36
30. Agnieszka SKALNIAK, ASTANA, at 3:36
31. Kelly VAN DEN STEEN, SPORT VLAANDEREN-GUILL D’OR, at 3:36
32. Lauren KITCHEN, WM3 ENERGIE, at 3:36
33. Polona BATAGELJ, BTC CITY-LJUBLJANAL, at 3:36
34. Rossella RATTO, CYCLANCE, at 3:36
35. Floortje MACKAIJ, SUNWEB, at 3:36
36. Hanna NILSSON, BTC CITY-LJUBLJANAL, at 3:36
37. Soraya PALADIN, ALE CIPOLLINI, at 3:36
38. Katrine AALERUD, HITEC PRODUCTS, at 3:36
39. Vita HEINE, HITEC PRODUCTS, at 3:36
40. Anouska KOSTER, WM3 ENERGIE, at 3:36
41. Emilia FAHLIN, WIGGLE-HIGH5, at 3:36
42. Megan GUARNIER, BOELS-DOLMANS, at 3:36
43. Nina BUYSMAN, PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG-DESTIL, at 3:36
44. Amanda SPRATT, ORICA-SCOTT, at 3:36
45. Anna POTOKINA, SERVETTO GIUSTA, at 3:36
46. Pauliena ROOIJAKKERS, PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG-DESTIL, at 3:36
47. Clara KOPPENBURG, CERVÉLO-BIGLA, at 3:45
48. Leah KIRCHMANN, SUNWEB, at 3:55
49. Esther VAN VEEN, PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG-DESTIL, at 3:55
50. Eri YONAMINE, FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE, at 3:55
51. Sarah ROY, ORICA-SCOTT, at 4:06
52. Victorie GUILMAN, FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE, at 4:09
53. Marianne VOS, WM3 ENERGIE, at 4:38
54. Aude BIANNIC, FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE at 4:38
55. Tatiana GUDERZO, LENSWORLD-KUOTA, at 4:38
56. Marta BASTIANELLI, ALE CIPOLLINI, at 5:39
57. Elena CECCHINI, CANYON-SRAM, at 5:39
58. Trixi WORRACK, CANYON-SRAM, at 5:39
59. Alena AMIALIUSIK, CANYON-SRAM, at 5:39
60. Sabrina STULTIENS, SUNWEB, at 7:44
61. Rozanne SLIK, SUNWEB, at 7:44
62. Moniek TENNIGLO, WM3 ENERGIE, at 7:44
63. Jeanne KOREVAAR, WM3 ENERGIE, at 8:02
64. Claudia LICHTENBERG, WIGGLE-HIGH5, at 10:22
65. Susanne ANDERSEN, HITEC PRODUCTS, at 11:47
66. Lisa BRENNAUER, CANYON-SRAM, at 11:47
67. Cecilie Uttrup LUDWIG, CERVÉLO-BIGLA, at 11:47
68. Alice Maria ARZUFFI, LENSWORLD-KUOTA, at 11:47
69. Amelie RIVAT, LARES-WAOWDEALS, at 11:47
70. Jelena ERIC, BTC CITY-LJUBLJANAL, at 11:47
71. Ilaria SANGUINETI, BEPINK COGEAS, at 11:47
72. Allie DRAGOO, CERVÉLO-BIGLA, at 11:47
73. Jessy DRUYTS, SPORT VLAANDEREN-GUILL D’OR, at 11:47
DNF Mayuko HAGIWARA, WIGGLE-HIGH5
DNF Annette EDMONDSON, WIGGLE-HIGH5
DNF Alexis RYAN, CANYON-SRAM
DNF Gracie ELVIN, ORICA-SCOTT
DNF Jenelle CROOKS, ORICA-SCOTT
DNF Katrin GARFOOT, ORICA-SCOTT
DNF Marie VILMANN, CERVÉLO-BIGLA
DNF Romy KASPER, ALE CIPOLLINI
DNF Daiva TUSLAITE, ALE CIPOLLINI
DNF Carlee TAYLOR, ALE CIPOLLINI
DNF Sheyla GUTIERREZ RUIZ, CYCLANCE
DNF Marta TAGLIAFERRO, CYCLANCE
DNF Wubbigje Regina KNOL, CYCLANCE
DNF Pernille MATHIESEN, TEAM VÉLOCONCEPT WOMEN
DNF Sara MUSTONEN LICHAN, TEAM VÉLOCONCEPT WOMEN
DNF AMBER LEONE NEBEN, TEAM VÉLOCONCEPT WOMEN
DNF Christina SIGGAARD, TEAM VÉLOCONCEPT WOMEN
DNF Doris SCHWEIZER, TEAM VÉLOCONCEPT WOMEN
DNF Tereza MEDVEDOVA, BEPINK COGEAS
DNF Katia RAGUSA, BEPINK COGEAS
DNF Maria Vittoria SPEROTTO, BEPINK COGEAS
DNF Kseniya TUHAI, BEPINK COGEAS
DNF Miriam BJØRNSRUD, HITEC PRODUCTS
DNF Ingvild GÅSKJENN, HITEC PRODUCTS
DNF Emilie MOBERG, HITEC PRODUCTS
DNF Daniela REIS, LARES-WAOWDEALS
DNF Bryony VAN VELZEN, LARES-WAOWDEALS
DNF Kim DE BAAT, LENSWORLD-KUOTA
DNF Maaike POLSPOEL, LENSWORLD-KUOTA
DNF Winanda SPOOR, LENSWORLD-KUOTA
DNF Greta RICHIOUD, FDJ NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE FUTUROSCOPE
DNF Urša PINTAR, BTC CITY-LJUBLJANAL
DNF Isabelle BECKERS, LOTTO SOUDAL LADIES
DNF Jessie DAAMS, LOTTO SOUDAL LADIES
DNF Chantal HOFFMANN, LOTTO SOUDAL LADIES
DNF Anna KIESENHOFER, LOTTO SOUDAL LADIES
DNF Puck MOONEN, LOTTO SOUDAL LADIES
DNF Sofia BEGGIN, ASTANA
DNF Sofia BERTIZZOLO, ASTANA
DNF Olena PAVLUKHINA, ASTANA
DNF Lara VIECELI, ASTANA
DNF KSENIIA DOBRYNINA, SERVETTO GIUSTA
DNF Ting Ying HUANG, SERVETTO GIUSTA
DNF Laura Camila LOZANO RAMIREZ, SERVETTO GIUSTA
DNF Alice GASPARINI, SERVETTO GIUSTA
DNF Esra TROMP, PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG-DESTIL
DNF Nathalie BEX, SPORT VLAANDEREN-GUILL D’OR
DNF Valerie DEMEY, SPORT VLAANDEREN-GUILL D’OR
DNF Demmy DRUYTS, SPORT VLAANDEREN-GUILL D’OR
DNF Fien DELBAERE, SPORT VLAANDEREN-GUILL D’OR
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