Omloop van het Hageland

27/02/2022

Omloop van het Hageland

27/02/2022

Fourth place for Elena Cecchini in Omloop van het Hageland

The opening weekend is over. Team SD Worx hasn't won yet, but was at the forefront in both the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Omloop van het Hageland. In Tielt-Winge, Elena Cecchini sprinted to fourth place after another strong team performance. "Unfortunately I couldn't keep up with Marta Bastianelli," she said.

Just like in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Marlen Reusser opened the debates. When her breakaway was caught, she attacked again and a small leading group formed. Lotte Kopecky crossed the line and the gap grew to about 50 seconds.

But that attack was neutralised as well, after which a new leading group formed with about ten riders. Team SD Worx had a double presence with Chantal van de Broek-Blaak and Elena Cecchini. Emma Bjerg, Marta Bastianelli, Emma Norsgaard, Valerie Demey, Floortje Mackaij, Lorena Wiebes and van Anrooij, among others, had not missed the train.

The elite group survived the final double climb Kriekebergstraat and Roeselberg, after which Floortje Mackaij tried to get away. Van de Broek-Blaak closed the gap so Cecchini could sprint for the win. In the end it was Bastianelli who gave everyone the slip, Bjerg and Mackaij completed the podium. Cecchini finished a close fourth. "We rode a strong race and I would have liked to finish it off, so I'm disappointed," said the 29-year-old Italian. "But I also realise that the most important races for me are yet to come this season."

Next weekend is Bloeizone Fryslan (3-5 March) and of course the Strade Bianche (5 March), in which Chantal van de Broek-Blaak will want to defend her victory." 

Date: 27/02/2022
Distance: 128.2km
Categorie: WE 1.1

Blanka Vas (21) is currently in the middle of her cyclo-cross season. Meanwhile, the Hungarian has already opened her contract with Team SD Worx and extended it until the end of 2024. "It may not have been immediately obvious to the general public, but Blanka Vas showed once again some strong performances for her age during the last road season," sports manager Danny Stam points out. "In 2021, she achieved unexpectedly great results. This year she continued to develop and rode a full road season for the first time. We have seen that she has become a lot stronger. Especially in the tougher one-day races she impressed. Blanka is a rider who can do anything and wants it all. The future will show what she can best specialise in." 

Vas stresses that she feels completely at home at Team SD Worx. "I didn't have to think long when I was able to extend my contract," Vas said. "Within the team, I can continue to do the combination of road, cyclo-cross and mountain bike. Thus, next year I will ride a few more mountain bike races with a view to qualifying for the Paris Olympics in 2024."

Vas: "This season I rode a fairly full road programme for the first time. I learned a huge amount. Being in the best team in the world with Danny Stam, Anna van der Breggen and Lars Boom as sports directors and having experienced top riders like Chantal Blaak and Demi Vollering next to you is a big advantage. I have not yet decided where my biggest opportunities on the road actually lie. Although I do have a preference for the one-day races. I like the hill classics, but hope to get to know the cobbled classics in the future. Apart from the sporting part, I also like the atmosphere in the team. I really feel at home here and I’m happy to continue cycling in this environment in the coming years."

Anny Shackley (21) has also extended her contract until 2024. Danny Stam: "Anna had a difficult year in 2021. For the first time she rode with a big team, while she had hardly ridden any races in 2020 due to Covid. This year, she proved her talent. In the final classification of the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta and the Tour de Romandie Féminin, she finished in the top-ten. She has shown tremendous progression this year, while also suffering setbacks. For instance, she had to miss the Giro d'Italia Donne due to a corona infection. Her autumn was very strong."

"It is true that the first year with the team was quite difficult," Shackley confirmed. "Fortunately, I made some nice progress in 2022. In the hill classics and in the heavier round work I come into my own best. Certainly my results in the autumn were good. That gives a lot of motivation going into the winter towards the upcoming season. At Team SD Worx I am enjoying myself. I am developing well here. There is also a good team atmosphere between the riders and the staff. I feel at home here."

Composition Team SD Worx 2023

Mischa Bredewold, Elena Cecchini, Niamh Fisher-Black, Sina Frei, Barbara Guarischi, Lotte Kopecky, Christine Majerus, Femke Markus, Marlen Reusser, Anna Shackley, Lonneke Uneken, Blanka Vas, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, Demi Vollering, Lorena Wiebes. 

More races in february

DateRaceDistanceWinnerBest SD-worx cyclist
26/02/2022Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 128.4 kmAnnemiek van VleutenDemi Vollering (2°)
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