NXTG Racing really showed that fighting spirit in the first race of the Lotto Cycling Cup: the Ronde de Mouscron on Easter Monday. Julia Borgström was the first to attack, followed by Catalina Soto Campos. The team with also Ilse Pluimers, Britt Knaven, Cathelijne Hoolwerf, Amelia Sharpe and Emily Wadsworth were constantly visible at the front of the peloton and tried to make it a hard and selective race.
It resulted in three riders in the top 20 of the race: a great team effort. NXTG were one of only four teams finishing the race with all their riders. The other three teams were the World Tour teams at the start line.
Amelia was the first across the line in 13th place.
Today was cold and very wet and even snowy. All the girls rode really well today. We finished with three in the twenty after an aggressive race. We really came together as a team today! We are ready for the next one. Almost all riders finished in the first group. Britt was held up by a crash in the final four kilometers and Emily suffered a mechanical in the final of the race.
Sports director Brent Van Ballenberghe looks back upon the race:
The team did what I expected of them. Our plan was to make it an aggressive race straight from the start. All riders exceeded the expectations! In these kinds of races, it’s up to us to show ourselves and we sure did that. We can be proud of the team today!”
Photo by Loetie Photography
