Lotte Kopecky impresses, but crafty Marianne Vos wins Dwars door Vlaanderen

Marianne Vos has written Dwars door Vlaanderen to her name. The Dutch veteran beat Shirin van Anrooij in a sprint by two, good for her 250th victory on the road. World champion Lotte Kopecky impressed along the way, but fell just short of the podium.

After 130 kilometers with start and finish in Waregem, 36-year-old Vos was too fast for her compatriot Shirin van Anrooij. The duo had separated themselves from an elite group with 12 kilometers to go.

That elite group also included world champion Lotte Kopecky. Our compatriot had to make a strong effort to achieve this: at 27 kilometers from the end she made the leap to the front of the peloton on her own.

With the decisive acceleration of Vos and Van Anrooij, Kopecky ultimately remained seated. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to close the hole afterwards. The sprint for third place was finally won by the Italian Letizia Paternoster, ahead of Kopecky and Puck Pieterse.

With her victory in Dwars door Vlaanderen, Vos fills a rare gap in her impressive list of achievements. It is her 250th victory on the road, the second this season. At the end of last month, Vos also won the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, after a duel with Kopecky.