Cycling Women’s Cycles Classic in Hamme
Anne Knijnenburg won in Hamme, but the topic of discussion afterwards was the terrible crash after the sprint for third place. — © Geert De Rycke
The first edition of the Cyclis Classic (1.2) was won by the Dutch Anne Knijnenburg (22), but the topic of conversation after the race in Hamme was an almost unprecedented crash, just at the finish line in the sprint for third place. Chaos everywhere. “I just crossed the finish line when I heard it cracking and screaming behind me,” says Jesse Vandenbulcke, who finally became the first Belgian in sixth place.
This round of the Lotto Ladies Cycling Cup was marred by a heavy crash in the sprint for third place, with two sprinting riders colliding on the left side of the road. With disastrous consequences. About twenty sprinting riders tumbled over each other like dominoes. Images that you would rather not see. Jesse Vandenbulcke was just able to avoid the havoc at the finish. “I have personally experienced a serious fall just as many times in the past three years. Things like that really started to weigh on me. In recent months, it has been a mental focus to tackle the sprint without fear. How do I do this? By positioning myself as best as possible and especially by sitting at the front. I think that reduces the risk. Like today, which allowed me to prevent another tumble,” says the former Belgian champion, who defends the colors of De Ceuster-Acrog and also has the UCI races in Schellebelle and Helchteren on her program next weekend.
Jesse Vandenbulcke, in archive image, became the first Belgian. — © Geert De Rycke
The competition in Hamme was animated for a long time by the Swiss Lea Fuchs. In the final, the German Helena Bieber, her teammate at Maxx Solar Rose Women Cycling, also took her chance, but the decision came in the last hour of the race when the Dutch Anne Knijnenburg and the Italian Federica Venturelli escaped. Both quickly drove to a quarter-minute lead and finished the battle for victory among themselves. Knijnenburg won the argument. Scarlett Souren, teammate of Knijnenburg with the Volkerwessels Cycling Team, was the fastest in an incident-rich sprint for third place.
Tags: heard crack Jesse Vandenbulcke finishes sixth escapes heavy crash Cyclis Classic Hamme
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