CANYON//SRAM Racing took another podium when Elise Chabbey sprinted to third place in today’s Dwars Door Vlaanderen. After a tough race, a select group of just 25 riders sprinted to the line in Waregem, Belgium. The race was won by Chiara Consonni (VAL), with teammate Shari Bossuyt eighth.
“At the start of the race I wasn’t feeling that good, but in the last hour, I started to get my legs again,” explains Elise.
“In the last part of the race, I was there in the climbs to go with attacks. In the final, it was one big line for the sprint. I was waiting for Soraya to be there behind me but she had a problem so I just kept my good position and did the best sprint I could from there. I’m happy to get a podium for the team.”
Elise continues, “These races are always hard but everybody is really motivated. Already yesterday we had a good feeling within the team. Today, we were positioned well, in the important moves, and it just makes racing really fun with this group we’ve got.”
Teammate Shari Bossuyt also had an impressive race to finish eighth. After being in an important breakaway in the mid-section of the 120km race including up the Kanarieberg climb, Shari was still able to be in the final lead group as it became smaller and smaller. Shari crossed the line in eighth but never had the chance to open her sprint behind a wall of riders.
Soraya Paladin crashed in the final 8km and was forced to withdraw from the race. She will have further assessments by the medical team ahead of Sunday’s Ronde van Vlaanderen.
Soraya says, “The race was quite hard from the beginning. There were a lot of action, nerves and narrow roads. I was trying to save as much energy as possible for the sprint but in the last climb one rider just went full gas into my handlebar and I couldn’t do anything to control my bike. I veered off the road suddenly and crashed. Luckily, I’m okay. Elise did an amazing sprint and I’m really happy for her podium and also for the top ten of Shari! Again, we had again a good race as a team.”