For the Movistar Group, the ladies’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was an instance of how a lot luck can play a job in biking, and the best-laid plans can come to naught.
Regardless of taking part in their playing cards effectively within the defence of Annemiek van Vleuten’s 2022 victory, the workforce misplaced their chief to a puncture simply earlier than the Muur van Geraardsbergen and ended up unsuccessfully chasing eventual winner Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx).
Within the group dash, Emma Norsgaard was overwhelmed by Kopecky’s teammate Lorena Wiebes and Marta Bastianelli (UAE Group ADQ) to complete fourth.
“I had a flat tyre two kilometres earlier than the Muur, in order that was the worst attainable second. I hit a pothole, and I needed to change bikes, that was the quickest choice, however nonetheless not fast sufficient,” Van Vleuten mentioned
“In the event that they go all-out in entrance, you can not chase it again, it’s unattainable to catch up. You understand instantly, ‘this race is over for me’. However you continue to attempt to come again, perhaps to the group of Emma, perhaps I can contribute to the chase, that was the hope I had,” Van Vleuten defined after ending 2:04 minutes behind.
Earlier than their chief’s misfortune, Movistar had an almost-perfect race: That they had 5 riders, Van Vleuten, Liane Lippert, Floortje Mackaij, Emma Norsgaard, and Aude Biannic, in a gaggle of 17 that fashioned on the Haaghoek, and Biannic went up the street from that group along with Karlijn Swinkels (Group Jumbo-Visma).
When the group after which Biannic and Swinkels had been caught once more, Arlenis Sierra attacked solo – after which Van Vleuten suffered her puncture. With out the world champion pushing on the Muur van Geraardsbergen, Kopecky might get away and bridge to Sierra.
“That’s the shit factor. I needed to check my legs on the Muur, and I couldn’t. Solely within the chase, that’s completely different from within the entrance,” Van Vleuten was understandably disillusioned however regarded ahead to the subsequent probability at subsequent Saturday’s Strade Bianche.
With Sierra was nonetheless up entrance between Muur and Bosberg, Lippert, Mackaij, and Norsgaard didn’t chase all-out, and once they dedicated to the chase after the Bosberg, it was too late.
“The plan was to play the numbers within the entrance, so it was actually good Arlenis was up there. It was a disgrace she couldn’t observe on the Bosberg as a result of I feel should you go to the end together with her, she’s actually sturdy,” Mackaij mentioned.
“We needed to make a extremely laborious race, and we did it. However there was not sufficient wind, we anticipated a bit of bit extra crosswind, so it was too simple among the many wheels.
“On the Muur, Lotte went, and perhaps we hesitated one, two seconds, the hole opened up, and it was too late,” Mackaij regarded again on the race earlier than turning her ideas to Sunday’s Omloop van het Hageland, a 1.1 race the place she and Biannic will likely be joined by Alicia González, Sheyla Gutiérrez, and Gloria Rodríguez.
