Demi Vollering claimed victory at the women’s Omloop Nieuwsblad for the first time in her career after attacking with Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney and then dominating the final sprint in Ninove.
The FDJ United-SUEZ leader benefitted from excellent work from her team-mate Franziska Koch on the penultimate climb of the Muur van Geraardsbergen to escape alongside Canyon-SRAM-zondacrypto’s Niewiadoma-Phinney. The pair quickly built a solid advantage and came to the line together, with Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) winning the sprint behind to take the final spot on the podium.
How it happened
Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney on the Bosberg
(Image credit: Getty Images)
All the difficulties of this race occurred within the final 60 kilometres or so, and with the anticipation of the Muur van Geraardsbergen and Bosberg finale to come, the favourites were happy to sit back over the opening half of the course, with a small breakaway gaining over three minutes of an advantage.
That move was reeled in early, and a second, stronger group stretched into the lead in the final hour. The quartet was made up of Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE Team ADQ), Elise Chabbey (FDJ United-SUEZ), Nina Berton (EF Education-Oatly) and Kamilla Aasebø (UNO-X Mobility) and built a lead up to a minute with 30km to go as the day’s major tests were being negotiated.
That gap had been slashed as the riders approached the Muur van Geraardsburgen. At the foot, Franziska Koch unleashed a searing lead-out for her leader Vollering, which incinerated the group and saw the likes of Lorena Wiebes and Lotte Kopecky (both SD Worx-ProTime) distanced.
Over the top, Vollering was clear alongside Niewiadoma-Phinney and after the Bosberg, the two former Tour de France Femmes winners had a lead of 45 seconds over a chase group including Wiebes with 10km left.
Vollering struck first in the sprint and her Polish rival was unable to come around as the Dutch rider claimed her fourth win of the year.
Results
Women’s Omloop Nieuwsblad (137km)
1. Demi Vollering (Ned) FDJ United-SUEZ in 03:35:51
2. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Pol), same time
3. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-ProTime, +21s
4. Cat Ferguson (GBr) Movistar
5. Franziska Koch (Ger) FDJ United-SUEZ
6. Karlijn Swinkels (Ned) UAE Team ADQ
7. Shari Bossuyt (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal
8. Millie Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech)
9. Nina Berton (EF Education-Oatly)
10. Letizia Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco), all same time
