Tour of Flanders Women - Everything you need to know
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Tour of Flanders Women route
Race situation
Longo-Borghini took the win ahead of Niewiadoma and teammate Van Anrooij with SD Worx-Protime struggling.
Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the Tour of Flanders Women 2024!
While the men's race is hogging the TV screens, the women's race is not far off starting the neutral zone. Just over half an hour until KM0 and the racing getting underway.
This Classics season has gone back in time a little bit, with SD Worx-Protime not absolutely dominating thanks to a rejuvenated Marianne Vos of Visma-Lease a Bike as well as various others talents such as Lidl-Trek's Shirin van Anrooij and Fenix-Deceuninck's Puck Pieterse.
However, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), is still very much the favourite as the world champion looks to become the first woman to win the race three times. This would be her third in a row.
And, of course, if you're away from your TV screens... Don't forget that the men's race is very much underway and we have live updates. Just click the link below to follow along with that as well...
>>> Tour of Flanders Live - Classics champions battle on the cobbles
Sign on has been made as we're all ready to go.
Some reading for you while we wait for the start of the race. Click the links below to have a read about Lidl'Trek's winning possibilities as well as all the contenders...
>>> Longo Borghini, Van Anrooij give Lidl-Trek winning potential at Tour of Flanders
>>> Tour of Flanders Women 2024 - Analysing the contenders
It's a white shorts kind of day for defending champion, Lotte Kopecky. Can she pull off the three wins in a row?
The riders have started the neutral zone. 7.1km of neutral, to be exact.
The flag is dropped and the race begins!
160km to go
100 miles to race and it is a relaxed start to the day considering.
Already, the riders are only 5km away from the first cobbles of the day. The flat but rather long Lange Munte.
Four riders had a very small gap on the peloton but they were swiftly dragged back.
Onto the Lange Munte. The speed is really up as well as these first 9km see an average speed of 43kph.
Crash! 10 riders down. Waiting for confirmation of who they are. It has also caused a major split in the bunch.
150km to go
SD Worx-Protime all at the back of the bunch as the split knits back together. Kopecky ma have been caught in that fall. Wiebes currently at the team car. Tense moment.
Abandons after the crash!
Marlen Reusser (SD Worx-Protime)
Lizzie Deignan (Lidl-Trek)
Monica Greenwood (Coop-Repsol)
Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) was in that crash. As was US champion, Chloe Dygert (Canyon-SRAM) and Romy Kasper (Human Powered Health).
Five riders are clear in a new breakaway with plenty of counter moves. Gap of around +15" between them and the peloton.
Break:
Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Gladys Verhulst-Wild (FDJ-Suez)
Elena Pirrone (Roland)
Josie Talbot (Cofidis)
Mieke Docx (Lotto-DSTNY)
Peloton +18"
140km to go
Current situation:
Break:
Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Gladys Verhulst-Wild (FDJ-Suez)
Elena Pirrone (Roland)
Josie Talbot (Cofidis)
Mieke Docx (Lotto-DSTNY)
Chase one, +32":
Camilla Rånes (Coop-Repsol)
Chase two, +51":
Josie Nelson (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL)
Peloton +1'14"
The break is formed with Camilla Rånes and Josie Nelson not far off the back.
130km to go
The race is all settled down as the peloton allow the gap to drift over two minutes to the break. Nelson and Rånes still in between at a minute down on the leaders.
Crash by Lotto-DSTNY's Quinty van de Guchte.
If you didn't know, EF Education-Cannondale are wearing a special black and white kit for the cobbled Monuments. Here is Noemi Rüegg...
120km to go
Just 6km from the next cobbled sectors of the Lippenhovestraat and the Paddestraat.
The gap is up to +3'19" between the break and the peloton. Nelson and Rånes still +1'30" down on the leaders, they're just not closing.
110km to go
The gap starting to close as the peloton starts upping the pace. +2'45" is the gap now.
Just 15km to go until the first climb of the day, the Wolvenberg. The pace is really on.
Nelson of Coop-Repsol sat up and is back in the peloton. Rånes is still out there, though, as she continues her chase of the five leaders.
The race is really kicking off in the men''s race, by the way. If you don't want to miss the action there either, make sure you click the link below...
>>> Tour of Flanders Live - Classics champions battle on the cobbles
100km to go
Rånes is +2'04" back on the leaders with the peloton at +3'33". The rain is falling. Maybe Kopecky will now be regretting the white shorts?
Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) coping nicely in the rain. The cyclocross and mountain bike specialist is in her element.
Meanwhile, Rånes has been caught.
Crash!
Thalita De Jong (Lotto-DSTNY)
Chloe Dygert (Canyon-SRAM)
And a few others.
All back riding.
DSM-Firmenich-PostNL, SD Worx-Protime, Human Powered Health and AG Insurance-Soudal lead the peloton as the get closer to the Wolvenberg. +2'36" up to the break now.
90km to go
Onto the Wolvenberg go the breakaway with a gap of +2'11".
Kerkgate and Jagerij are up next for the riders with those cobbles shortly followed by the Molenberg.
Attack
Anouska Koster (Uno- Mobility)
She goes solo to try and bridge across to the break, but she has +1'51" to bridge.
Koster (Uno-X Mobility) is caught b the DSM-Firmenich-PostNL as the Molenberg approaches.
Crash!
Elisa Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
The Italian national champion was into the ditch as she slid out on a corner. Looked like she locked up. Nightmare for her as she is solo with no cars around her at all.
Onto the Molenberg. 500m with a maximum kick of over 10%.
80km to go
Georgi (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) takes over on the from of the peloton and she is starting to push the tempo a bit more but Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime) is glued to the wheel.
Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) with a mechanical.
Attack by Arzuffi (Ceratizit-WNT) but Bredewold (SD Wor-Protime) is not letting the former Italian cyclocross champion get away. Just +55" up to the breakaway, now.
Mieke Docx (Lotto-DSTNY) about to be caught by the peloton as she was dropped on the Molenberg.
Meanwhile, Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek) gets back in.
Up next, it is the Marlboroughstraat.
Crash!
Anya Louw (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Lily Williams (Human Powered Health)
70km to go
The four leaders have a gap of +1'24" on the peloton as they go onto the Berendries.
Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) upping the pace in the peloton now. The Dutch national champion is trying to split the race up on the Berendries.
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) missing a lot of bottles today in the wet and she is a long way down the peloton as her teammate leads the bunch. No panic yet, though.
Attack
Susanne Andersen (Uno-X Mobility)
But, the Norwegian national champion is very quickly closed down.
Former winner, Coryn Labecki (EF Education-Cannondale) has been distanced over the Berendries.
New attacker...
Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ceratizit-WNT)
Front wheel puncture for Letizia Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco). She has two teammates around her but she is too small to take one of their bikes.
Bike change for Paternoster (Liv-Alula-Jayco). 66km to go, just a minute up to the break now.
On the Valkenberg now as Arzuffi (Ceratizit-WNT) is halfway across the gap to the break as Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) is almost back on the peloton. Gear issues for Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ).
Attack
Christina Schweinberger (Fenix-Deceuninck)
The rain is now absolutely hammering it down. The former Austrian champion is pulling away, though.
60km to go
Schweinberger (FenixDeceuninck) caught.
New attackers coming across to Arzuffi (Ceratizit-WNT) led by Koster (Uno-X Mobility) and Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime), it isn't being allowed away though.
+32" up to the break.
Attack
Arianna Fidanza (Ceratizit-WNT)
Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime)
That is brought back very quickly.
Onto the Kapelleberg very soon.
Onto the Kapelleberg now.
A reminder of the break:
Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Gladys Verhulst-Wild (FDJ-Suez)
Elena Pirrone (Roland)
Josie Talbot (Cofidis)
Peloton +18"
55km to go as Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal) goes solo.
Just 7km before the get to the Koppenberg. This is going to be hell on earth. Can anyone actually ride over it? All but three riders had to walk in the men's race.
50km to go
Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) dropping out of the back of the peloton. Potentially with an issue. It is a shocking moment for her to have a problem as the Koppenberg is looming.
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) also right at the back as she needs a drink and some food as she has missed several bidons today from the side of the road.
Visma-Lease a Bike hit the front of the peloton for Marianne Vos and Fem van Empel with a gap of +33" up to Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal)
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) moving back through the peloton.
3km to the bottome of the Koppenberg.
Alison Jackson of EF Education-Cannondale leading her teammates on the front of the peloton as all but Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal) have been caught now. She has just +12" gap now.
Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal) is now caught. The are on the back roads just before the hell of the Koppenberg.
Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) lead onto the cobbles as Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) takes over with Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime).
Crash!
Chloe Dygert (Canyon-SRAM) caught by another rider falling. She has had an horrible day.
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) is also off the bike and having to run! She shakes her head and doesn't have the legs!
The only SD Worx-Protime rider at the front is Lorena Wiebes. Who thought that would happen?
Georgi (DSM_Firmenich-PostNL), Van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) are with Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) out the back now.
Leaders:
Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime)
Letizia Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco)
Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ)
Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck)
Elisa Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ)
Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM)
What a group! 43km to go.
40km to go
The leaders have +35" on the Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) group.
On the Mariaborrestraat now.
The Steenbeekdries and the Stationsberg up next too, all basically the same sector as Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) looks to be struggling in the chase group.
Onto the Taaienberg now. Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) leads onto it as the rain is getting much much worse.
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) is getting dropped by the chase group.
The combo of the Oude Kruisberg and the Hotond are coming up next in just under 8km... 36km to go, just +26" gap between the leaders and the chase led by Vollering (SD Worx-Protime).
Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) rejoins the chase group now.
30km to go
Leaders:
Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime)
Letizia Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco)
Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ)
Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck)
Elisa Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ)
Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM)
Chase +37":
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)
Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime)
Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL)
Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Lea Curinier (FDJ-Suez)
Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek)
Chase 2 +1'23" led by Movistar, Lotto-DSTNY and Human Powered Health.
Attack on the Oude Kruisberg
Elisa Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Everyone is able to follow for the moment.
In the chase group Curinier (FDJ-Suez) has a mechanical.
Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) and Van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) drop Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), Georgi (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) and Van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike).
The leaders are looking around too much as Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) is closing in rapidly.
Another attack by Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek).
30km to go
Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) is distanced by the leading group.
Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) is giving everything to try and bridge but she has been rejoined by Van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek).
Attack
Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM)
Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek) and the rest close it down with the Italia going over the top just as Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) had got on but that has killed her off.
Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) also dropped with Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ).
Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) and Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) make it back on.
Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) is just making contact now as they are very close to starting the Oude Kwaremont.
Attack
Puck Pieterse (Femix-Deceuninck)
Elisa Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Dragged back with Persico (UAE Team ADQQ) countering that. All together again. just +34" back to the Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) group.
20km to go
Attack
Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek)
From absolutely nowhere! Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) is desperately trying to join her but she isn't closing in. Van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) has a huge opportunity here.
Attack
Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck)
She has been allowed to go solo as Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) is about the catch Van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek).
Onto the Oude Kwaremont. Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), Van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Georgi (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) make it back to the main favourites group.
Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) is working on the front for Vollering and Wiebes, understandably as she doesn't have the legs today at all.
Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) couldn't catch Van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) in the end as she has some gear issues. Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) is closing in as well.
The rain is the heaviest it has been all day as Van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike), Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) and Georgi (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) all dropped.
Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) leads the main favourites group for Vollering.
Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) is riding very well now for Vollering as they build towards the final climb, the Paterberg.
Van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) has +14" on Pietersen (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) and the main group just behind them.
Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) rides onto the Paterberg.
Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) has a small gap on the Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) led group.
Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek) alongside Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) are clear of the group as Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) and the rest are all struggling.
Van Anrooj (Lidl-Trek) leads over the top of the Paterberg. It is all flat/downhill from here.
She has just 5" on her teammate, Longo-Borghini along with Canyon-SRAM's Niewiadoma.
10km to go
We have three leaders!
Elisa Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek)
Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek)
Kasia Niewiadome (Canyon-SRAM)
I must say, this could be extremely close if it comes down to a sprint between these three.
Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) leads the chase as Kopecky is still there. How the story has changes and flipped and U-turned for SD Worx-Protime today. The are +16" back.
Everyone is now working in the chase group but the gap increases to over 20" now with 7km to go.
5km to go
Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) now sitting on in the chase. Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) is working as she is probably the best sprinter out of everyone in the group, including Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) and definitely the three up front.
4km to go for Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek), Van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) and Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) with a gap of +30" now.
3km to go and the ticker says the gap has plummeted to +18". I'm not sure if that is correct or not.
2km to go and I believe the gap is correct. +21" gap for the leading trio.
Flamme rouge
The final kilometre for Elisa Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek), Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM).
Just +22" gap now.
Van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek) tried to surprise Niewiadoma (Lidl-Trek) but she didn't get awa and she is now leading it out with 500 metres to go.
Elisa Longo-Borghini wins the Tour of Flanders 2024!
Lidl-Trek take first and third on the day! Longo-Borghini takes her second Tour of Flanders title.
Top 10:
1. Elisa Longo-Borghini (ITA) Lidl-Trek 4:16'14"
2. Kasia Niewiadoma (POL) Canyon-SRAM
3. Shirin van Anrooij (NED) Lidl-Trek, all S.T.
4. Marianne Vos (NED) Visma-Lease a Bike +9"
5. Lotte Kopecky (BEL) SD Worx-Protime
6. Puck Pieterse (NED) Fenix-Deceuninck
7. Silvia Persico (ITA) UAE Team ADQ, all S.T.
8. Demi Vollering (NED) SD Worx-Protime +15"
9. Letizia Paternoster (ITA) Liv-AlUla-Jayco +1'40"
10. Karlijn Swinkels (NED) UAE Team ADQ, S.T.
What an incredible victory for Elisa Longo-Borghini and Lidl-Trek. An Italian masterpiece.
That was quite the race, wasn't it? Why not have a read of our race report by clicking the link below...
>>> Tour of Flanders Women: Elisa Longo Borghini wins breakaway sprint to take second Flanders victory
That brings our coverage of the women's Tour of Flanders to a close for 2024.
Don't forget we have plenty more racing to come including the Tour of the Basque Country, Scheldeprijs, Paris-Roubaix and more.
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, goodbye.
