On Sunday AG Insurance-NXTG lined up for their fourth Women’s World Tour of the season. With 159 kilometres Gent-Wevelgem was also the longest so far and proved a formidable challenge to our riders Julia Borgström, Lone Meertens, Mylène de Zoete, Gaia Masetti, Ilse Pluimers and Maud Rijnbeek. Julia was the best of the team and finished in the first group.
Sports director Jolien d’Hoore
Gent-Wevelgem was a really hard race, not only because of the distance but also because it was raced hard in the hills like Kemmelberg and Baneberg. Everyone in the team ended up in the place they should be. It was an honest race. Lone and Ilse fought hard the last time up the Baneberg and Kemmelberg but missed the first group. Julia managed to hold on to that group which was great. I tried to coach her from the car who to look out for and which attacks to follow because she couldn’t do it all of course. In the final five kilometres I advised her to focus on the sprint. A 17th place is a great result after her 14th in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. She is only 20 and will grow from these experiences.
Our young Swedish rider was happy with her third Gent-Wevelgem.
Today’s race had everything. My biggest fear was the crosswinds in the beginning but the team really backed me up. After the first time Kemmelberg I got some more confidence that the legs where good today and Jolien really pushed me to test myself in the final today wich was very hard but a lot of fun.