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Blue skies and sunshine greeted riders in both Antwerp (men) and Oudenaarde (women) at the start of the Tour of Flanders on Sunday but when the weather turned, it turned in a big way. The back half of both races were contested in heavy rain, making an already tough race even harder.
Naturally, bad weather makes for great photos and we’ve got plenty of those in the following gallery. Kristof Ramon and the Grubers – Ashley and Jered – were out on the soggy roads of Flanders and captured the images you see below, starting with the men’s race.
The men’s race began in Antwerp under sunny blue skies.Pop quiz: name another race Scott Sunderland is race director for.Leaving Antwerp to begin a big day in the saddle.Luke Durbridge leads the early breakaway.Durbridge leads the break up the Oude Kwaremont.Pre-race favourite Mathieu van der Poel was active nice and early.Antonio Morgado on his way to fifth in his debut Monument.Mads Pedersen (right) spent some time up the road with Gianni Vermeersch. Young Kiwi Laurence Pithie was again impressive on Sunday.Van der Poel made his move on the Koppenberg , some 45 km from the finish.Matteo Jorgensen tried to follow Van der Poel’s attack over the Koppenberg but the damage was done.Dylan Teuns and Alberto Bettiol also tried to get across …… but they too wouldn’t see Van der Poel again.Van der Poel was simply too strong …… building a lead that approached two minutes at one point.Michael Matthews and Oliver Naesen were among those chasing behind.In the absence of leader Wout van Aert, Tiesj Benoot would be Visma-Lease a Bike’s best finisher.Van der Poel had plenty of time to celebrate.
The women’s race started a few hours after the men’s and finished an hour or so later. The worst of the weather seemed to arrive just as the women’s finale began.
The women set off in Oudenaarde with a bevy of heavy-hitters on the front row. Chief among them, the world champion in her new white bibs, Lotte Kopecky.If F1 star Valtteri Bottas was hoping to remain incognito at the women’s race, the Canyon-SRAM get-up didn’t help. He was there supporting his partner Tiff Cromwell and her teammates.An eight-rider lead group was formed over the Koppenberg, with Elisa Longo Borghini one of several big names there.In the group that didn’t make the split over the Koppenberg were Demi Vollering, Lotte Kopecky, and Shirin van Anrooij.Vollering and Kopecky spent a lot of energy to get across, saying later that getting caught behind riders walking on the Koppenberg ruined their race.Van Anrooij put in a spectacular ride, bridging to the lead group, catching them with around 20 km to go …… then sailing straight past to lead into the closing kilometres.It’s easy to forget that the Dutchwoman is just 22.Karlijn Swinkels has had a terrific spring, and came to the fore again on Sunday. She finished 10th in horrid conditions.Speaking of great riders this spring, Puck Pieterse was again strong on Sunday. She finished sixth after a late attack – yet another top-10 for the 21-year-old multi-discipline star.Kopecky and Vollering eventually made it back to the Longo Borghini group, but they’d used a lot of energy to do so.Letizia Paternoster was another rider who impressed, taking ninth by day’s end.Lorena Wiebes was the best-placed SD Worx-Protime rider for a time, making it to the eight-rider lead group. She’d slip to 11th by the time the race finished back in Oudenaarde.Van Anrooij led up the final climb of the day, the Paterberg …… and was riding her Lidl-Trek team into a great position.Behind, Longo-Borghini and Kasia Niewiadoma were the strongest in the group of favourites …… with the pair getting separation and setting off to catch Van Anrooij. The three would join up with 12 km to go.Another strong ride from the GOAT, Marianne Vos, who took fourth on the day.The race was decided in a three-up sprint, with Longo-Borghini taking the win ahead of Niewiadoma and Van Anrooij.Vos, Kopecky, and Pieterse were next.It wasn’t the day Kopecky (or her team) had hoped for.Longo Borghini though? She had plenty to smile about.Paternoster was empty at the finish …… but could be very satisfied with another strong ride.Miserable conditions for a bike race (and to shoot a bike race).It’s Longo Borghini’s second Flanders win, nine years after the first.Two champions, two different but very impressive rides.
