Even with a numerical advantage, trying to beat Lorena Wiebes once she has split the race apart on her own up the hardest climb is a headache. But why exactly did the riders who made it over the top of the final Kemmelberg at In Flanders Fields work with her in the final 35km, knowing that any sort of sprint would result in near-certain defeat?
Having raced aggressively in the opening 100km, UAE Team ADQ found themselves with two riders in the leading group of five heading towards the finale in Wevelgem, Karlijn Swinkels and Eleonora Gasparrini.
On paper, rolling attacks in the last few kilometres looks the surefire tactic to try and get away from the dominant Dutch sprinter, and they started on that path with 4km to go as the Italian blasted off and the other forced Wiebes to chase it herself.
Despite almost staying ahead, Wiebes ultimately had enough left in the tank to bring it back, and from here, no response came from Swinkels, who admitted post-race that a decision was made for one of the pair to anticipate and one to save for the sprint.
"Actually, we decided one of us decided to save a little bit more for the sprint," said Swinkels. "At first, we were thinking it was Gaspa' that would save a bit more, so I was pulling more in the beginning, trying to get the break up the road.
"In the final, we decided to do it in this way. We tried to play the game in the final this time, with Gasparinni going for a breakaway, and I think she did a really strong attack. I tried to sprint myself in the final, but, of course, it's hard with Lorena there.
"I think the highest possible result today was the third place. I can live with this. I think we raced really well as a team, and we gave our all."
The big debate at FDJ and UAE
This brought some confusion to FDJ United-SUEZ sports director Lars Boom, with Elise Chabbey also in that group, and he was clear that he thought a second attack from Swinkels was the way to go against Wiebes.
"When Gasparrini attacks, I think at the moment when she comes back, Swinkels has to go again from her teammate, and she doesn't," Boom told Cyclingnews at the finish.
"That's a pity that it doesn't happen, because then the race can change a bit. I think her DS, Michel Cornelisse, also said to do so, so she decided not to do it. Then it's in favour of Lorena and that's a bit of a pity."
While he agreed that the moment Gasparrini's attack was the perfect time for someone else to try and break away, be that from his team or one of Chabbey or eventual runner-up Fleur Moors, Cornelisse said he was ultimately proud of his riders' performance and tactics.
"You know when you go to the sprint that Wiebes is almost impossible to beat, but we had one good attack, and I think Wiebes had a little bit of problems to close the gap," Cornelisse told Cyclingnews outside the team bus.
"That was maybe the chance, for the three others, also the rider of FDJ or our rider, it was a good moment to attack. But think everybody was also on the limit, and then Wiebes played it smart. She kept the tempo high, and she won the sprint."
"Wiebes was very strong, but she was alone, so it was a big chance for us to beat her. But she showed that she was the strongest then. I think as a sports director, I can be very proud of the team. We tried everything.
"Third and fifth is maybe not the result we hoped for, that we maybe came for me, because you always try to win, but the way we did the race, I think we can be very happy."
With sprinter Ally Wollaston being replaced on the start line, FDJ had the most reason to ride with Wiebes once the move went, with no one waiting in the peloton behind. They also lost star 2026 signing Franzi Koch to a crash just before the most important climbs, so Chabbey was left with one real option.
What happens next?
"We didn't have a sprinter, Ally was not there, so at the end it's kind of the best we could have in the situation," Chabbey told Cyclingnews.
"I didn't really know what to do; the pace was so hard, and it was also super hard to attack. In the end, the group behind was also coming fast, so we didn't really have a choice but to collaborate to the end. Wiebes was just the strongest, and she really took the responsibility. For sure, a podium is better, but it's like this."
"We kept riding with Lorena, just because I think being fifth or fourth or third, you never know, but at least being fifth, it's a good option," concurred Boom.
"Then we try to play the game with UAE in the final, but I think Elise was just also a bit done today. She just came from a big block at altitude, and the first race after a block like that is always hard. Too bad we're not on the podium, but I think fourth and sixth is not too bad."
The big bonus for both teams is that their main leaders are yet to arrive at this run of cobbled Classics, with Demi Vollering and Elisa Longo Borghini both potentially lining up at Wednesday's Dwars door Vlaanderen and next Sunday's Tour of Flanders. With them in the race, working with Wiebes likely won't be a problem. But SD Worx Protime will also be improved by Milan-San Remo winner and defending Flanders champion Lotte Kopecky. Quite how things will play out with the different line-ups, then, remains to be seen.
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