Silvia Persico secured a prestigious fifth place at the Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition, after a race ridden with legs, heart and grit, where she was also a key player in the main breakaway alongside Brodie Chapman.
The race covered 157.4 kilometers from Maastricht to Berg en Terblijt and didn’t start off well for UAE Team ADQ: Dominika Wlodarczyk was forced to abandon after just a few kilometers due to a physical issue, and Alena Amialiusik also withdrew following a crash. She was later taken to hospital for shoulder checks.
Silvia Persico and Australian rider Brodie Chapman were ready and sharp, making it into the main breakaway of the day – a group of 22 riders who shaped the decisive moments of the race.
In the final lap, Persico stayed with the front group when Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) launched an attack, followed by Juliette Labous (FDJ-Suez) and Persico herself. Mischa Bredewold (Team SD Worx-Protime) and Ellen Van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) then bridged across to form a strong lead group.
Bredewold and Van Dijk launched a counterattack just before the final ascent of the Cauberg. The former European champion managed to open a decisive gap and soloed to victory. Van Dijk finished second, Pieterse third, Labous fourth, and Silvia Persico fifth, after giving it all and running out of energy for the final sprint.
Still, a superb performance and a high-profile result for the Italian rider in one of the most prestigious Classics on the calendar.
(ph. @gettysport)
