Vos did what Kopecky didn't (or couldn't): "Lidl-Trek had two pawns, then you shouldn't hesitate"

Winning two classics out of the three she raced. Hats off to Marianne Vos, who has proven her mettle when necessary, even after a high-altitude training camp following the Strade Bianche. The team leader of Visma | Lease a Bike triumphed on Wednesday in Dwars door Vlaanderen, thus receiving the confirmation she was looking for.

"A lot happened leading up to that sprint," Vos says, referring to the head-to-head sprint against compatriot Shirin van Anrooij of Lidl-Trek. "We worked well together until Elisa Longo Borghini started to chase and the game was on. From that moment, there was nothing to do but keep going, and save something for the sprint."

Vos did not hesitate when Van Anrooij made her move

The fact that Vos ended up in front with Van Anrooij was somewhat of a surprise. World Champion Lotte Kopecky was not in the mix. "Shirin is very strong, and Lidl-Trek had two pawns at the front. So, you can play the game, and when Shirin goes for it, you shouldn't hesitate too long and just go."

In the sprint, Vos said she didn't have the best legs anymore. "I tried to catch Shirin, and then it's about sprinting with everything you've got left. It's different from a mass sprint, because you both have suffered."