The team’s race plan for Veenendaal was executed perfectly, explains director Nico Marche.
“We always intended to race aggressively coming into Veenendaal. Gladys was actually part of an earlier move right at the beginning, and then when that was caught we had Majo and Maike in the next one.”
When that move was also brought back, Gladys broke free once again, this time in the defining move of the day – and with 100km still to race.
“It was a day when the team had all the capabilities to shine,” Gladys explained after the race. “We knew we wanted to be represented in the break, and at the start of the race, we always had a girl from the team in front.
“Finally it settled with the two of us in the lead. It was a long way out to go, but I always more-or-less believed in it.”
The two-up sprint was opened by Team Jumbo-Visma’s Karlijn Swinkels, but Gladys was able to recover and overhaul the Dutch rider.
“For the sprint, she launched it, she took me a bit off-guard, but I came back in the last 100m. I’m really happy to be back. I would like to thank the whole team for today, but also for the whole start of the season – because they really gave me time to get back to my level. It was a super-nice day, and next, we head to Thuringen!”