AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step dominant in Boezinge

The AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step U19 team for Dwars door de Westhoek was only small with Fee Knaven, Nanoi Van Wettere, Luca Vierstraete and Ella Heremans but they dominated the race from the start. In the end Fee won ahead of Ella who – as first Belgian -takes the title of Champion of Flanders.

The race didn’t have an easy start because the AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step team attacked straight away. All four riders were represented in the first group of nine. The group got smaller until Fee decided to attack alone at 28 kilometers from the line. Luca did a strong counterattack for the Championship title but was caught. Ella’s attack was successful. She managed to get to Fee in the final and they crossed the line together.

“I'm completely dead now,” Fee laughs after the finish in Boezinge. She tells the race story for her perspective.

“We immediately started riding echelons to make it split. It split right away and we kept riding. Then we were left with five, including Ella, Luca and me. I tried to ride away. Probably because I am Dutch, they let me go and I was able to win.”

Ella Heremans, who was second last week at the Belgian championship in Brasschaat, took the Flemish championship jersey in Boezinge.

“It wasn't a goal right away, but it's nice to get a jersey,” said Ella. “I'm not much of a sprinter, but sprinting against Anna (Vanderaerden) certainly wouldn't work, so I attacked. When I joined Fee, I knew that we would both win: me with a Flemish jersey and Fee with the victory. That is good for us as a team.”

Luca finished fourth and Nanoi sixth in the final result.

In France there were also flowers. It's Mother's Day there so Margot Marasco went all out to win the championship of the Grand-Est-Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. That also worked out great!

“It was a nice course with a climb in the middle where I knew the others would attack,” says Margot from Selongey. “Every lap we climbed strongly and riders were dropped each lap. At the end we were with only ten left after the climb. I almost was dropped but I gave it all to follow. I could sprint to third place among the elites. It means I was best junior. I’m happy to bring those results for Mother’s Day!”

 

The results were later revised because Ella doesn’t hold a Cycling Vlaanderen license, only a Belgian cycling one. She therefore can’t win the title.