Koster’s attack not rewarded in La Flèche Wallone
The women’s team of Team Jumbo-Visma has put up a good fight during La Flèche Wallonne. Anouska Koster showed herself well in front on the Ardennes roads, but the Frisian was caught 1500 metres before the finish, just before the Mur de Huy.
The riders started early in the morning for the 25th edition of the midweek Ardennes classic. After an attacking opening phase, a five-rider breakaway got away from the pack. Ten other riders joined halfway through the race, including Koster.
The group got a three-minute lead, but the peloton increased the pace on the climbs. When the leaders were almost caught, Koster accelerated and got a small gap on the group.
At the top of the Cote de Cherave, Koster was caught by the favourites. Together they went to the final passage of the Mur de Huy and on this grueling climb, she had to let the punchers go.
"I felt great today”, Koster said. “I was in a very nice leading group. We kept it up almost to the end. We got a two-minute lead and I thought: maybe we make it to Huy. Unfortunately, we only had ten seconds left on the penultimate climb, after which I decided to attack."
"I had a nice gap, but I was caught by the best of the bunch, just before the top. When we started on the wall with this group, I was empty."
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La Flèche Wallonne Féminine
One day race
Result
1
Marta Cavalli
FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
03:38:37
2
Annemiek van Vleuten
Movistar Team
+00:00:00
3
Demi Vollering
Team SD Worx
+00:00:10
14
Anouska Koster
Team Jumbo-Visma
+00:01:01
36
Amber Kraak
Team Jumbo-Visma
+00:01:58
73
Aafke Soet
Team Jumbo-Visma
+00:06:55
