Sofie van Rooijen triumphed in the EPZ Omloop van Borsele, showcasing remarkable resilience and strategy. The VolkerWessels rider, who had previously finished second in the 2022 edition of this race, managed to outpace her rivals in a dramatic final sprint. This victory marks a significant turnaround from her 111th-place finish last year, highlighting her return to top form this season.
The race began under dramatic circumstances with a significant crash shortly after the start, leading to a temporary halt. Once racing resumed, the peloton was quickly fragmented by strong winds, setting the stage for a decisive breakaway. A select group of thirteen riders, including former French champion Audrey Cordon-Ragot, initially moved clear. Despite several attacks, including a notable effort by Cordon-Ragot, it was Van Rooijen, along with Elynor Bäckstedt, Daria Pikulik, and Alice Wood, who ultimately forged ahead with a more successful break.
In the closing kilometres, this quartet worked well together, setting up a sprint finish in which Van Rooijen proved the strongest. She convincingly claimed victory ahead of Poland’s Pikulik and Bäckstedt, with a fatigued Cordon-Ragot crossing the line a few seconds later in fourth place.
(Photo credit: Sprint Cycling Agency)
Reflecting on her win, Van Rooijen shared her excitement and strategic insights from the race. “I don’t know when I launched the sprint, but I certainly started from a distance,” she said. “I managed to resist the return of my immediate rivals by gritting my teeth. I’m happy, I knew I had to give everything to cross the finish line first, but I felt good.”
This victory marks Van Rooijen’s second win of the season, following her success at the Drentse Acht van Westerveld, underlining her form in 2024. She’s out of contract at the end of this season and should start to get offers from Women’s WorldTour teams now she has a pair of UCI victories under her belt.
2024 Omloop van Borsele result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Omroep Zeeland
