Consonni sprints to victory in 10th Dwars door Vlaanderen for women
The women celebrated their anniversary in Waregem today. The many attacks and accelerations along the way showed that many women would have loved to win this 10th edition of Dwars door Vlaanderen in Waregem. In the end there was a sprint on the Verbindingsweg, where the Italian Consonni won ahead of Julie De Wilde and Elise Chabbey.
At the Hippodrome in Waregem the women will start their 10th edition of Dwars door Vlaanderen at noon sharp. Their anniversary edition is 120 km long and has no less than 10 hills and 5 cobbled sections. The start of the race is full of breakaway attempts with first five riders separating themselves from the peloton. Ragusa (Liv Racing Xstra), Kessler (Team BikeExchange-Jayco), Szabo (Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch), Van Der Molen (AG Insurance-NXTG Team) and Carbonari (Valcar-Travel & Service) get a maximum lead of 40 seconds but are caught again near the Nieuwe Kwaremont.
A bit later, Guilman (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) and Betz (IBCT) try to set up a break, but their attempt fails a few kilometres later. The race will have to wait for Berg ten Houte before it breaks loose. On the fourth slope of the day 10 riders go on the attack including Brand (Trek-Segafredo), Bossuyt (Canyon//SRAM Racing) and Lippert (Team DSM), but they are also caught on the Kanarieberg. Meanwhile, the peloton has also shattered into two pieces. Just after the Kanarieberg, the Australian Chapman (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) gets away and gets a maximum lead of 1 minute.
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On the 6th climb, Knokteberg, the peloton explodes. Van Vleuten (Movistar Team Women), Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) and Lippert go in search of Chapman, but are caught on the Hotond. At 40 kilometres from the finish, Baker (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) and Labous (Team DSM) go in the counter attack after the cobblestones of the Mariaborrestraat. They caught up with Chapman just after the top of Ladeuze and the peloton was only 15 seconds behind.
In the run-up to the penultimate slope, Nokereberg, the three are done for and we get a regrouping. At 25 kilometres from the finish Dutch rider Mackaij (Team DSM) accelerates and is joined by Chapman again. The duo has a maximum lead of half a minute. Just before the last cobblestone in the Herlegemstraat, Van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo) shakes the tree, but the peloton follows in her slipstream. The difference with the two leaders decreases to 12 seconds and at 9 kilometres from the finish their story is over.
Several attempts to attack deep into the final, including two-time winner Van Dijk, turn out to be in vain and we are heading for a group sprint with about 25 riders. A thrilling sprint on the Verbindingsweg determines who wins the 10th Dwars door Vlaanderen for women. Italian rider Chiara Consonni (Valcar-Travel & Service) manages the sprint in a masterful way and thus writes Dwars door Vlaanderen on her record. Julie De Wilde (Plantur-Pura) and the Swiss Elise Chabbey (Canyon//SRAM Racing) complete the podium in Waregem.
