A meaningful cheer could be heard when Demi Vollering crossed the finish line first this afternoon in Liège. After great teamwork by teammate, and also World and Olympic champion, Anna van der Breggen, it was up to Demi Vollering. In the streets of Liège she convincingly left Annemiek van Vleuten and Elisa Longo Borghini behind.
Today we saw the riders of Team SD Worx continuously attentive from the front. Early in the race, Niamh Fisher Black took the offensive. First with a group and later with a long solo. At the bottom of La Redoute, she get caught by the peloton, after which it was the turn of Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio who got a small lead with Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig and Lucinda Brand. Behind this trio a small group of favourites was formed, who had started the chase. Shortly after the Redoute, everything came together again.
On the last climb, La Roche aux Faucons, five riders managed to get away: Anna van der Breggen, Demi Vollering, Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek), Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) and Kasia Niewiadoma (CANYON // SRAM). It was Anna van der Breggen who set the pace, so that nobody could join from behind, but nobody got the chance to attack from the front either. She did a lead-out for Demi Vollering up to 250 meters before the finish. After two narrow sprint defeats in the Brabantse Pijl and Amstel Gold Race last week, she now finished it nicely.
“It’s a dream come true!” Vollering said with tears in her eyes. “The whole team did such a good job. That I can finish like this, that’s awesome! I’m very grateful. ” She says about the race: “It was really hard on the climbs. First we came upfront with those 5 riders, but Marianne Vos had the chance to come back. It’s better to not sprint with her, so I’m happy that it broke again. Anna did a great lead out. It’s fantastic how she worked for me. ”
Sports Manager Danny Stam adds: “This was one of the books. Everything went exactly as we agreed in advance. Awesome!”