Lotte Claes (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) took one of the most astonishing successes of recent years when she outlasted fellow breakaway Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Seal) after the pair had been out of the front since the very first kilometres of the race to win Omloop Nieuwsblad. Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), one of the big favourites, completed the podium, coming in more than three minutes later.
The two leaders were the surviving members of what had been a five-rider breakaway and fought an enthralling duel in the finale, when both were at the limit of their resources. Nerlo attacked from a kilometre out, but Claes steadily reeled her rival in before delivering a race-winning sprint that secured her first-ever professional victory.
