For a long time, the race seemed to be going in the right direction for Vos and Team Jumbo-Visma. A group of four rode away in the final, including the leader of the yellow-black formation. In the sprint, Vos was too fast for her competitors, after which she put her hands in the air.

After the finish, the joy proved short-lived. "It is a real pity, but that is how it is”, Vos said.

"When I was in that 'puppy paw position’, I quickly realised it was not allowed. I immediately switched to the correct position. Apparently it was enough for the UCI to disqualify me. We'll have to accept their decision."

Despite the disappointment of missing out on victory, Vos remained objective. "It is a pity, but it is a rule and it is strictly enforced. You usually don’t ride in that position. I feel bad about it because I did not benefit from it, but rules are rules.”

The green jersey winner in the Tour was satisfied with the race. "It went well today. It was a bit of a switch to be racing again. The past week was all about recovering from the Tour. Now I suddenly found myself in the hectic of a race again. The team helped me a lot to get back into it. We were alert and had a good position in the front. I'm happy with the way we rode this race.

"I don't think today's disqualification detracts from the team performance”, race coach Carmen Small said. She looked back on the race with pride. "Our riders were always in the front and did what they had to do. They rode as a real team. But it is what it is; we have to accept it. This is also cycling. We can go to the next race with our heads held high."