6th place for Clara Copponi on the Omloop Van Het Hageland
The team continues its Belgian campaign, indeed today was held the Omloop Van Het Hageland. The start was given early in the afternoon, in Tienen for 128km. Many breakaways formed throughout the race, including Grace and Vittoria. 30 km from the finish, a new group of 10 riders formed, including Clara. The finish will have been decided in a sprint, and Clara takes sixth place.
Vittoria reflects on her day: “It was a very nervous race with narrow streets, I tried to stay up front and react to the attacks. Then we went into the breakaway with a few strong riders but they didn’t cooperate too much and the peloton caught us. In the uphill cobblestone sector another breakaway went with Clara, it was a good situation for us. In the end I think it was a good day for the team.”
Clara on today’s race: “It was a really nervous day on a twisty circuit. I found myself in the final breakaway when it attacked, in the last cobblestone bump, with Emma Norsgaard Bjerg (MOV) and Marta Bastianelli (UAE ADQ Team) for the sprint.In the bump of the last lap Floortje Mackaij (DSM) attacked and I started to feel cramps…I gave everything the last kilometers to hold on despite the cramps, at 500m Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (SD Workx) attacks I decide to go straight away, but I couldn’t take it anymore… Another big day that ends in 6th place. having managed the peloton behind until the finish!”