Another outstanding team performance by UAE Team ADQ at the Tour of Flanders, covering 164.1 kilometers with start and finish in Oudenaarde.
Karlijn Swinkels led the team with a strong 7th place, followed closely by Italian riders Silvia Persico in 8th and Elisa Longo Borghini in 9th, at the end of a demanding race that the team consistently raced at the front.
The race was won solo by Demi Vollering (FDJ United – SUEZ), who launched a decisive attack on the Oude Kwaremont, dropping all her rivals.
UAE Team ADQ once again showed a proactive approach, staying at the head of the race throughout the key moments. The first major selection came on the Koppenberg, where Longo Borghini, Persico, and Swinkels found themselves in the second group behind the leaders. The trio worked effectively to bridge back to the front group on the approach to the Oude Kwaremont.
It was there that Vollering made her race-winning move. Behind her, a chase group formed featuring Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck). Around ten seconds further back, the UAE Team ADQ trio was joined by Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx – Protime) and Zoe Bäckstedt (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto).
Despite their efforts to close the gap, the group was unable to make contact with the leaders, and the race for the remaining top positions was decided in a sprint.
Placing three riders in the top 10 of a Monument Classic like the Tour of Flanders marks another exceptional collective result for UAE Team ADQ, underlining the team’s strength, depth, and consistency at the highest level.
(ph. Getty Sport)
