The two-day racing block in Luxembourg opened with a positive result for UAE Development Team at the Festival Elsy Jacobs à Garnich, where young Dutch rider Fee Knaven delivered a strong performance to finish seventh after a reduced bunch sprint.
The race covered 112.4 kilometres, starting and finishing in Garnich, and proved aggressive from the opening kilometres with several attacks shaping the day. The decisive move eventually formed in the final part of the race, when a group of ten riders managed to break clear.
Knaven was attentive and well positioned to make the key selection, joining the front group alongside some of the strongest riders of the day. Team SD Worx – Protime held numerical superiority in the break with three riders represented, putting themselves in an ideal tactical position for the finale.
The leading group initially worked well together and quickly built a promising advantage. Behind, AG Insurance Soudal Devo Team led the chase, being the main squad without representation in the move.
With less than three kilometres remaining, the peloton began to close rapidly, bringing the gap down to under 150 metres. At that moment, one AG Insurance rider attacked from the chasing group and bridged across to the leaders, while the front group kept pushing to maintain their advantage. The hesitation behind ultimately played in favour of the escapees, allowing them to stay clear to the finish.
Team SD Worx – Protime capitalised on the situation to dominate the sprint, with Marta Lach taking victory ahead of teammate Femke Gerritse, while Eline Jansen (VolkerWessels Cycling Team) completed the podium in third place.
For UAE Team ADQ Development Team, Knaven’s seventh place marks an encouraging start to the Luxembourg campaign and another solid result for one of the team’s promising young talents ahead of the second day of racing.
