Van Vleuten defends her Strade Bianche title
Annemiek van Vleuten (Mitchelton-Scott) has added yet another victory to her tally for 2020.
The reigning world road champ lived up to her status as the clear favorite at Strade Bianche on Saturday, powering to her second straight win there in what is her fifth victory in five racing appearances so far this season.
Van Vleuten hit the line in Siena 22 seconds ahead of Mavi Garcia (Alé BTC Ljubljana), with Leah Thomas (Paule Ka) rounding out the day’s podium in third.
Garcia did make things interesting in the run-in to the finale, putting in a big attack with around 50 kilometers to go and then making her way through the final gravel sectors solo with a collection of riders giving chase behind.
Van Vleuten worked her way up through the pursuers until she was the next rider on the road, however, and then closed down the gap Garcia on her own. The pair then rode the final few kilometers into Siena together before battling it out on the uphill finish into the Piazza del Campo. Garcia held on until about 400 meters to go, when van Vleuten put in a turn of speed that she could not match, dropping the former Spanish road champion to round the final few corners solo.
As she hit the line, Van Vleuten celebrated her fifth straight win on the year, and sixth straight going back to last season’s Worlds road race.
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