At the end of a beautiful battle this Sunday in one of cycling’s Monuments, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, on only her second official race day, took 2nd place in the prestigious Tour of Flanders. The rider from Reims was in contention until 18km from the finish when she was distanced by one of the favorites, Dutch rider Demi Vollering. Finishing about fifty seconds behind the winner, PFP out-sprinted Puck Pieterse to secure the same position as last year. Promising for the future.
What a race! Anticipated as one of the first major events of the season, the 23rd edition of the Women’s Tour of Flanders lived up to its promises this Sunday. On one of the Monuments, Dutch rider Demi Vollering from the French team FDJ United-Suez emerged victorious after a tough battle. A first both for the former winner of the Tour de France and for a French team.
The reigning European champion waited until the second-to-last challenging section, supported by a strong team, to make her move. At 18km from the finish, she attacked on the steep cobbles of the Old Quaremont to break away and win with a 42-second lead over Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who beat another Dutch rider, Puck Pieterse, in a sprint finish. The duo resisted the other favorites from a completely shattered peloton in the final 30 kilometers. A group of contenders soon lost Marlen Reusser, the first attacker of the day who also fell victim to a crash along with Kim Le Court, 47km from the finish.
PFP through sheer determination
The teammates of Demi Vollering took control of the race at the right moment. This dominance was disrupted by an acceleration from the German champion Franziska Koch on the famous Taienberg, 31km from the finish. Subsequently, a group of 4, including Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, quickly formed but was caught by 9 others among several other top riders. In the end, the outcome was clear. Demi Vollering sped into the Old Quaremont. Only the French rider managed to follow but had to let go step by step. Despite striving for the victory that eluded her, PFP worked with Puck Pieterse to resist the competition breathing down their necks. The final climb was tough. The rider from Reims was slightly dropped by the Dutch rider in the ultimate ascent, but through sheer determination, she caught up on the flat in the last few hundred meters and won the sprint between them. Like last year, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot took 2nd place in the Tour of Flanders. Like last year, PFP quickly found her rhythm. Last year, she won the Tour de France. Does this mean she will achieve a double this year?
