The 10th edition of Brabantse Pijl Women delivered another war of attrition on the punchy, cobbled circuits around Overijse. A cautious start gave way to a brutal final hour, where Elisa Longo Borghini’s repeated attacks on the Moskesstraat reshaped the race. After jumping across to the break on the penultimate lap, the Italian champion launched a solo move on the final passage and held off a narrowing gap to win just seconds ahead of Marianne Vos and Femke Gerritse.
Slow burn start, fast finish
For the opening hour, little stuck. Speeds were high, but any early intent was neutralised. Attacks flickered briefly on the climbs of the Beerselberg, Bruineput and Holstheide, but the peloton remained intact heading towards the local laps around Overijse. The pattern was familiar: no real gaps and teams keeping powder dry.
Things finally began to shift after the first passage of the finish line. A break of seven riders went clear: Brodie Chapman, Jade Wiel, Niamh Fisher-Black, Monica Trinca Colonel, Steffi Häberlin, Eva van Agt and Anne Knijnenburg.
They built up a margin of around 30 seconds, enough to worry some of the favourites behind. Crucially, UAE had Chapman up the road, giving Longo Borghini freedom to ride reactively in the peloton. For Vos and Visma, the presence of Van Agt in the move served a similar purpose.
Photo Credit: Rhode Van Elsen/Getty ImagesFirst attack from Longo Borghini changes the dynamic
The race exploded on the penultimate passage of the Moskesstraat. As the steep cobbled ramp shredded the front of the bunch, a group of favourites detached, with Longo Borghini and Vos among them. Just before making contact with the lead group, Longo Borghini attacked. It was a move from just behind the catch, catching others on the back foot.
Vos, despite being on the right wheel, couldn’t respond.
Longo Borghini bridged solo and quickly joined Chapman. Together they rotated well and stabilised the gap, with the rest of the break either caught or dropped. Behind, the chase was being led by riders from SD Worx-Protime and FDJ-SUEZ, with Riejanne Markus and Kristen Faulkner also active.
Anna van der Breggen, returning to racing on her 35th birthday, began to animate the group too, particularly into the final lap, where the bell rang with the gap still holding around 20 seconds.
Second attempt on the Moskesstraat – the winning move
The last time up the Moskesstraat saw Longo Borghini go again. This time she didn’t look back. Chapman was no longer with her, and the UAE leader was alone, powering clear through the final technical sections. By the top of the Holstheide, her gap was over 30 seconds.
The group behind was whittled down to around 10 riders, but without coordination. Vos had numbers around her but still had to do much of the work herself. Van der Breggen pulled on the front. Lidl-Trek tried to launch counterattacks, but no one could close the gap outright.
Into the final kilometres, the deficit dropped – first 25 seconds, then 20, then under 15. On the final S-bocht into Overijse, it looked like they might catch her. But the Italian was still within herself.
“I looked at my wattages and saw that it was good,” she said afterwards. “They would have had to do double to catch me.”
Photo Credit: Cor VosVos sprints for second as Gerritse lands final podium spot
Vos led the sprint for second, unable to repeat her win from the inaugural 2016 edition, but showing once again she’s still capable of performing at the highest level at 37. Femke Gerritse followed closely for third, earning another strong one-day result this year.
For Longo Borghini, it marked back-to-back wins in Overijse, her second solo victory in as many years and an emphatic return from her crash at Flanders. “I love the mix of cobbles and climbs,” she said. “It’s the perfect bridge between the northern races and the Ardennes.”
There was tension, timing, and tactical variety. But above all, it was the final attack on the Moskesstraat that decided everything. Once again, that 500 metres at 9.2% proved to be the launchpad for victory.
2025 Brabantse Pijl Women result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Cor Vos
