Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans) climbed to the top step of the podium on Sunday following a nail-biting finale to the women’s Tour of Flanders. The world champion edged out Emma Johansson (Wiggle High5) by a bike throw to the line in Oudennarde. Four seconds later, Armitstead’s teammate Chantal Blaak won the chase group sprint for third.
“It was a really strange race with just two in the front,” said Armitstead. “We had to commit. I didn’t leave anything for the sprint. Emma’s fast, and I didn’t underestimate her.
“It was a poker game in the end,” she added. “I didn’t have any radio, so I didn’t know what was happening.”
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While Armitstead has had an incredible run in the rainbow jersey this spring, her early season wins at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Strade Bianche and Trofeo Binda were part of her build to Sunday’s iconic show. Each time she’s fielded questions about her 2016 season objectives, she’s given an unwavering response. Her season has been planned around two key objectives: the Tour of Flanders and the 2016 Rio Olympics. With her Flanders victory, Armitstead has proven yet again that she can deliver on the biggest days of the season.
“It’s really special to win, and to win in the rainbow jersey is even more special,” said Armitstead. “It was the perfect day.”
The 2016 edition of the women’s Tour of Flanders, run on the same day and the same road as the men’s race, covered 141 kilometres, including 10 classified climbs and five categorised cobble sectors. Two riders slipped away from the peloton in the opening 10 kilometres, but their moment of glory was short-lived. The bunch swallowed them up and chased down every early escape attempt that followed.
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