Another strong performance and another podium for Lara Gillespie, who claimed third place at the Nokere Koerse in Belgium, capping off a great team effort.
The 2025 edition of the race featured a revamped course: 132 km from Deinze to Nokere, with a final stretch on a slight uphill rather than the traditional cobbles. The race was decided in a powerful sprint, won by Poland’s Marta Lach (Team SD Worx – Protime), ahead of Switzerland’s Linda Zanetti (Uno-X Mobility) and UAE Team ADQ’s Lara Gillespie, who once again proved her talent.
UAE Team ADQ raced with great focus, staying compact at the front and joining key moves throughout the day. In the final lap, Gillespie was caught in a crash, but she quickly got back on her bike and rejoined the peloton. In the closing kilometers, Tereza Neumanova and Sofia Bertizzolo delivered a strong lead-out, positioning Gillespie perfectly for the sprint.
Lara Gillespie: “I really enjoyed this race, I love this course. I felt good today, but I had to work a lot after a crash, and there were so many crashes and riders to navigate around. Despite that, the team did a fantastic job in the final, especially Tereza and Sofia, who supported me perfectly. I felt really strong in the sprint, but once again, the finish line came just a little too soon for me.”
(ph. @gettysport)
