February 28, 2016 (Gent, Belgium) – Leah Kirchmann raced to 4th place at Team Liv-Plantur’s opening one-day race of the season at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in Belgium. The victory went to world champion Elisabeth Armistead (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team). Team Liv-Plantur showed a strong performance in the first race of the season on European roads at the Omloop Het Nieusblad as Leah Kirchmann finished in an impressive 4th place.

The race got off to a very fast start as the race came alive with 51km remaining when Jessie Daams (Lotto Soudal Ladies) jumped away from the peloton and gained a quick advantage of 45? over the bunch. But she eventually got caught and then the next attacks started to fly from the bunch with only stretches of cobbles to the finish line.

With 26km to go, Amy Pieters (Wiggle High5) and Elisabeth Armistead made the second prominent attack of the day and they worked well together building a gap of 40? over the peloton, containing Team Liv-Plantur riders Leah Kirchmann and Floortje Mackaij.

With about 10km left, Elisabeth Armistead made the decisive move, she placed a well-timed attack and managed an impressive solo victory in the opening European race of the season with her rainbow jersey stripes.

Chantal Blaack (Boels – Dolmans Cycling Team) was the fastest in the bunch sprint for the second place, just in front of Leah Kirchmann who took fourth. Floortje was not far behind in 12th place, followed by Rozanne in 32nd place respectively.

Leah Kirchmann said: “I am happy with a 4th place finish and it was a good way to kick off the classics season. The result will give me a lot of confidence that I can reach the podiums in the upcoming races. The team rode a strong race and gave Floortje and me the best chance at being in the final.”

Coach Hans Timmermans said after the race: “The first part of the race was very challenging with a lot of tailwinds but the team always managed to stay in a good position in the peloton. Unfortunately, after 30km Riejanne crashed and had to abandon.

“At the halfway point of the race, on the “Cote de Trieu” the race exploded with many riders being dropped but Leah and Floortje were always in strong positions. After the climb, there was a lot of headwinds, the race ended up being very fast without a lot of attacks taking place.

“In the final kilometers, Elisabeth Armistead attacked and she was extremely strong. The chase was being done by the Wiggle team while Leah and Floortje saved their energy in the bunch.

“The sprint could have been better with our riders, but Leah got in a good position before the last corner and she finished fourth, which is a great result in one of her first spring classics ever.”

Results

1 Elizabeth Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 3:23:05
2 Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 0:29
3 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-SRAM
4 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Liv-Plantur
5 Shelley Olds (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling
6 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
7 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Wiggle High5
8 Susanna Zorzi (Ita) Lotto Soudal Ladies
9 Carmen Small (USA) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
10 Emma Johansson (Swe) Wiggle High5
11 Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Orica-AIS
12 Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur
13 Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
14 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-SRAM
15 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle High5
16 Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
17 Romy Kasper (Ger) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
18 Amy Pieters (Ned) Wiggle High5
19 Joelle Numainville (Can) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
20 Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
21 Nikki Harris (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
22 Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Canyon-SRAM
23 Elizabeth Williams (Aus) Orica-AIS
24 Claudia Häusler (Ger) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:36
25 Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica-AIS 0:38
26 Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 3:32
27 Anouska Koster (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team 4:09
28 Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Hitec Products
29 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Alé Cipollini
30 Monique Van De Ree (Ned) Lares-Waowdeals Women Cycling Team
31 Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) Team BMS Birn
32 Rozanne Slik (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur
33 Kelly Druyts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’or
34 Lauren Stephens (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
35 Jip Van Den Bos (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
36 Annelies Dom (Bel) Lensworld-Zannata
37 Emily Collins (Nzl) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
38 Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
39 Kaat Van Der Meulen (Bel) Lensworld-Zannata
40 Aurore Verhoeven (Fra) Lointek
41 Iris Slappendel (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Women
42 Jessie Daams (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
43 Shara Gillow (Aus) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
44 Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’or
45 Malgorzta Jasinska (Pol) Alé Cipollini
46 Lex Albrecht (Can) Bepink
47 Eider Merino Kortazar (Esp) Lointek
48 Rasa Leleivyte (Ltu) Lithuania
49 Valerie Demey (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’or
50 Sheyla Gutierrez Ruiz (Esp) Cylance Pro Cycling
51 Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products
52 Brianna Walle (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
53 Ilona Hoeksma (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
54 Sarah Roy (Aus) Orica-AIS
55 Kaat Hannes (Bel) Lensworld-Zannata
56 Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Alé Cipollini
57 Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Alé Cipollini
58 Willeke Knol (Ned) Lotto Soudal Ladies
59 Julie Leth (Den) Hitec Products
60 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle High5
61 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica-AIS
62 Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon-SRAM
63 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Canyon-SRAM
64 Rossella Ratto (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling
65 Lieselot Decroix (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
66 Julia Soek (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur 8:56
67 Flavia Oliveira (Bra) Lensworld-Zannata
68 Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn) Wiggle High5
69 Kristabel Doebel-Hickok (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling
70 Céline Van Severen (Bel) Wielerclub De Sprinters Malderen
71 Chanella Stougje (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
72 Alice Barnes (Gbr) Great Britain
73 Coralie Demay (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
74 Pernille Mathiesen (Den) Team BMS Birn
75 Annie Ewart (Can) UnitedHealthcare Women
76 Ilaria Sanguineti (Ita) Bepink
77 Lauren Hall (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
78 Coryn Rivera (USA) UnitedHealthcare Women
79 Nathalie Verschelden (Bel) Keukens Redant Cycling Team 0:11:34
80 Saartje Vandenbroucke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’or
81 Claudia Koster (Ned) GRC Jan Van Arckel
82 Liisi Rist (Est) Keukens Redant Cycling Team
83 Kylie Waterreus (Ned) Maaslandster Nicheliving
84 Marjolein Van ‘T Geloof (Ned) GRC Jan van Arckel
85 Chloe Fraser (Gbr) Lointek
86 Daniela Gass (Ger) De Sprinters Malderen
87 Jermaine Post (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
88 Natalie Van Gogh (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
89 Laura Gorter (Ned) WV Breda
90 Diana Peñuela (Col) UnitedHealthcare Women
91 Dorleta Eskamendi Gil (Esp) Lares-Waowdeals Women Cycling Team
92 Christina Siggaard (Den) Team BMS Birn
93 Kseniya Tuhai (Blr) Bepink
94 Lierni Lekuona Etxebeste (Esp) Bizkaia – Durango
95 Janicke Gunvaldsen (Nor) Hitec Products
96 Marie Vilmann (Den) Team BMS Birn
97 Carlee Taylor (Aus) Team Liv-Plantur
98 Alba Teruel Ribes (Esp) Lointek
99 Lenore Pipes (Gum) Bepink
100 Roos Hoogeboom (Ned) Bizkaia – Durango
101 Winanda Spoor (Ned) Lensworld-Zannata
102 Jesse Vandenbulcke (Bel) Lares-Waowdeals Women Cycling Team
103 Dana Ro_lapa (Lat) Keukens Redant Cycling Team
104 Lotte Van Hoek (Ned) Lares-Waowdeals Women Cycling Team
105 Demmy Druyts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’or
106 Simona Bortolotti (Ita) Bepink
107 Lourdes Oyarbide Jimenez (Esp) Bizkaia – Durango
108 Lotta Lepistö (Fin) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
109 Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Canyon-SRAM
110 Cristina Martinez (Esp) Lointek
111 Anna Ramirez Bauxel (Esp) Lointek
112 Evy Kuijpers (Ned) GRC Jan van Arckel 0:11:38
DNF Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
DNF Tayler Wiles (USA) Orica-AIS
DNF Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin (Can) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
DNF Nicole Hanselmann (Sui) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
DNF Clara Koppenburg (Ger) Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling Team
DNF Thea Thorsen (Nor) Hitec Products
DNF Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling
DNF Rachele Barbieri (Ita) Cylance Pro Cycling
DNF Hayley Simmonds (Gbr) UnitedHealthcare Women
DNF Katie Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Women
DNF Kendall Ryan (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Riejanne Markus (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur
DNF Martina Alzini (Ita) Alé Cipollini
DNF Dalia Muccioli (Ita) Alé Cipollini
DNF Tereza Medvedova (Svk) Bepink
DNF Roxane Fournier (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNF Anabelle Dreville (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNF Eugénie Duval (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNF Charlotte Bravard (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNF Victorie Guilman (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86
DNF Janneke Ensing (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
DNF Kim De Baat (Bel) Lensworld-Zannata
DNF Gilke Croket (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Etixx-Guill D’or
DNF Coral Casado Ortiz (Esp) Bizkaia – Durango
DNF Irati Idirin Egana (Esp) Bizkaia – Durango
DNF Paula Lanz Blazquez (Esp) Bizkaia – Durango
DNF Sarah Rijkes (Aut) Lares-Waowdeals Women Cycling Team
DNF Sara Penton (Swe) Lares-Waowdeals Women Cycling Team
DNF Camilla Møllebro (Den) Team BMS Birn
DNF Tine Rasch Hansen (Den) Team BMS Birn
DNF Evie Richards (Gbr) Great Britain
DNF Manon Lloyd (Gbr) Great Britain
DNF Abigail Dentus (Gbr) Great Britain
DNF Emily Kay (Gbr) Great Britain
DNF Justina Jovai_yte (Ltu) Lithuania
DNF Silvija Latozaite (Ltu) Lithuania
DNF Edita Janeliunaite (Ltu) Lithuania
DNF Fiona Dutriaux (Fra) Autoglass Wetteren-Group Solar
DNF Annick Dircx (Bel) Autoglass Wetteren-Group Solar
DNF Sarah Borremans (Bel) Autoglass Wetteren-Group Solar
DNF Melanie Wotsch (Ger) Autoglass Wetteren-Group Solar
DNF Marieke Blomme (Bel) Autoglass Wetteren-Group Solar
DNF Katleen Jacobs (Bel) De Sprinters Malderen
DNF Laurence Thill (Lux) De Sprinters Malderen
DNF Kathleen Sterckx (Bel) De Sprinters Malderen
DNF Sanne Bamelis (Bel) De Sprinters Malderen
DNF Ine Allaert (Bel) Keukens Redant Cycling Team
DNF Eva Van Den Born (Ned) Keukens Redant Cycling Team
DNF Brenda Goessens (Bel) Keukens Redant Cycling Team
DNF Kato Zegers (Bel) Isorex Cycling Team
DNF Claire Thomas (Gbr) Isorex Cycling Team
DNF Laura Vainionpää (Fin) Isorex Cycling Team
DNF Genevieve Whitson (Gbr) Isorex Cycling Team
DNF Mieke Leeman (Bel) Isorex Cycling Team
DNF Jasmien De Boeck (Bel) Isorex Cycling Team
DNF Mathilde Matthysse (Ned) Jos Feron Lady Force
DNF Celesta Op Den Brouw (Ned) Jos Feron Lady Force
DNF Natasja Nieuwenhuizen (Ned) Jos Feron Lady Force
DNF Fatima Berton (Bel) Jos Feron Lady Force
DNF Anneloes Stoelwinder (Ned) Jos Feron Lady Force
DNF Chantal Verstraten (Ned) Jos Feron Lady Force
DNF Kim Van Dijk (Ned) GRC Jan van Arckel
DNF Sylvie Boermans (Ned) GRC Jan van Arckel
DNF Jarna De Jong (Ned) GRC Jan van Arckel
DNF Femke Van Kessel (Ned) WV Breda
DNF Sanne Van Helmond (Ned) WV Breda
DNF Linda Ringlever (Ned) WV Breda
DNF Kirsten Howard (Aus) Maaslandster Nicheliving
DNF Erin Kinnealy (Aus) Maaslandster Nicheliving
DNF Angela Smith (Aus) Maaslandster Nicheliving
DNF Sara Verhaest (Bel) Maaslandster Nicheliving
DNF Elissa Wundersitz (Aus) Maaslandster Nicheliving
DNF Robin Driehuis (Ned) WV De Jonge Renner
DNF Kim Lahaije (Ned) WV De Jonge Renner
DNF Ymke Stegink (Ned) WV De Jonge Renner
DNF Anne Posthuma (Ned) WV De Jonge Renner
DNF Danique Spekle (Ned) WV De Jonge Renner
DNF Charlotte Peeters (Ned) WV De Jonge Renner