Of all of the groups anticipated to be lighting up the Tour of Flanders Ladies, Movistar have been in all probability not the highest decide in the beginning of the race, however by Sunday night, the Spanish squad had firmly cemented themselves as one of the attacking groups this spring.
In per week the place we anticipated to see Classics powerhouses SD Worx-Protime and Lidl-Trek go head-to-head on the cobbles, it has been Movistar – spearheaded by Liane Lippert, Marlen Reusser and Cat Ferguson – who’ve confirmed aggression and drive in each Flanders and Dwars door Vlaanderen.
They did not take a outcome on Wednesday, however at Flanders, the staff’s want and skill to take the race on from the entrance delivered them a third-place end via Lippert, her first podium on this race.
“We had the plan with Marlen and me to be two robust leaders and two completely different playing cards for this race, and all the women did an excellent good job in positioning us and protecting us calm for the primary a part of the race,” Lippert stated.
“We really opened the race up with me attacking on the Oude Kruisberg, after which I feel we knew that I used to be actually robust, and on the Kwaremont I used to be really splitting [the group] with out struggling an excessive amount of with the very best of the race.
“On the Paterberg the identical, I felt fairly comfy and was pleased that the group was working, after which simply playing for the dash.”
What stood out about Lippert’s trip, although, was not that she was in a position to observe the precise wheels to go together with Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) to the end, however that she was really the one which instigated what would change into the profitable break, after efforts from Reusser and Ferguson too.
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Although third is a outcome Movistar have been proud of, there was maybe some frustration that different groups didn’t wish to race so aggressively.
Reusser advised Cyclingnews earlier within the week that she’d discovered current races to be too conservative, and she or he was solely a bit of extra optimistic in regards to the racing type on the end of Flanders.
“Nonetheless individuals weren’t driving. No person took a number of duty to trip behind the break, however there was extra race motion,” she stated. “However I additionally assume a number of it we did once more ourselves. Like me personally, typically a bit an excessive amount of.”
Why, although, are Movistar motivated to work when others aren’t? Maybe it is only a matter of outlook.
“We’re satisfied now we have a robust staff and we must always use the entire staff,” Reusser stated. “We’ve a sports activities director, Kelvin Dekker, who’s as much as make some good plans. Me personally, I favor way more to race the race, somewhat than wait, wait, wait. Perhaps I race an excessive amount of, nevertheless it’s nicer.”
Lippert too praised the groups aggression, declaring that it is how Movistar need to race with the choices they’ve – no Kopecky or Elisa Longo Borghini, however two very threatening riders.
“I feel particularly with the mix of Marlen and me, now we have to do that. That is our card or our profit, with me on the punchy climbs and she will be able to go over and assault, like we did additionally in Dwars door Vlaanderen,” the German rider stated.
“Ultimately, I feel it is actually good that we attempt to that we additionally broke the race in some components. It is good to be aggressive.”
Nonetheless, although, there was a sense that the race may have been more durable, with some key factors seeming like an elimination race – whittling down due to riders falling out the again of the peloton, somewhat than as a result of anybody staff have been drilling it on the entrance.
“It will be extra useful, particularly for Marlen and me, if the race was a bit more durable, extra aggressive and more durable already on this Valkenburg and on these climbs that aren’t on cobbles, that will make others endure extra,” Lippert stated.
“I feel it is actually onerous [to beat Kopecky],” Lippert conceded. “Perhaps to make her endure a bit extra on these climbs, however then it is also onerous as a result of I am losing a number of my very own vitality, so I feel it was the very best outcome.”
For Reusser, her religion in her teammate meant she wished a bit of extra from the race.
“After all, we’re proud of third, however I feel seeing what [Lippert] was in a position to do at this time, I actually assume she’s in high, high, high form. I feel she may by some means possibly even win that race,” she concluded. “We’re proud of third, but in addition a bit of bit unhappy.”
Any minor disappointment from Sunday will certainly solely gas that staff going ahead, nevertheless, as going to the Ardennes and past, they know that in the event that they take it up, they are going to be rewarded with outcomes.
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