Van der Breggen not on her day, so SD Worx revelation steps up: ‘I’m surprised myself’

Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) won the race after a blistering attack on the Moskesstraat, which set up a fight for second between Marianne Vos (Visma Lease a Bike) and Gerritse. Gerritse ended up third and was thrilled with the result. “Last year I finished fourth here. With fifty meters to go, I had absolutely nothing left, but all I could think was, ‘I can’t give up now or I’ll end up fourth again.’ When Marianne came around me, that feeling only got stronger. I just had to dig even deeper.”

It was far from an easy day, Gerritse explained. “The pace was high all race long. In the penultimate lap the race really split open and we ended up with two front groups. One rider was clearly the strongest. We could already see it at that point. That is why most of the attention shifted to UAE Team ADQ. From the second local lap she started attacking herself, so we knew she had the legs,” she said, referring to final winner Longo Borghini.

In the end, even Van der Breggen emptied the tank in support of Gerritse. “That was a bit of a surprise. When Anna took the front on her own, I didn’t need to ask how she was feeling. Because when she does that, it usually means she is not feeling great,” Gerritse explained. “Normally, we ride for her or Mischa, because they are the strongest. But today it was nice that I had a good day,” said the 23 year old. “I had dreamed of a day like this. We all had freedom in the race, and I was kept in reserve for a sprint because I am the fastest finisher among the riders we had here.”

The Dutch rider has already won Omloop van het Hageland and Volta NXT Classic this season. How does she explain her progress? “I have a strong team around me and had a solid winter. I managed to take another step, but I didn’t do anything crazy or different. Still, I am surprised myself. I notice now that I can enter a sprint feeling fresh and confident, whereas last year I was already on my limit. That makes the difference when you want to fight for the podium.”

And next, the Amstel Gold Race? “No, I won’t be riding there,” she said with a smile. The level of competition at powerhouse SD Worx Protime remains sky high. On Sunday they will start with Kopecky, Wiebes, Van der Breggen, Bredewold, Blanka Vas and Mikayla Harvey.