March 01, 2014 (Belgium) – Amy Pieters has won the women’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad today in Belgium, with Kirsten Wild taking a strong fifth place from the chase group behind. Pieters was part of a three rider breakaway that formed in the middle of the race. It was touch and go as to whether they would hold off a fast closing bunch but they held on and Amy proved to have the fastest legs on the line.

It is her second win of the season after her stage victory at the Ladies Tour of Qatar and with this win The Team Giant-Shimano women’s team maintain their 100% record.

After the finish, Amy said: “Four of us got away on the Paterberg and then on the Paderstraat it dropped to three. I knew they were good sprinters too but I was confident in myself and knew that if it came back together we had Kirsten behind.

“I started the sprint from the front and it really was all or nothing. What a start to the season. The team work was fantastic again today. It’s great to be part of such a good group and to have the support that we do.

“The bike was amazing today. You can really tell that Giant have spent a lot of time making it specific to women.”

Team Giant-Shimano coach, Ruud Verhagen said: “The tactics for today were for Amy to be the leader. It worked out really well and when she was in front we were in the great situation of having Kirsten Wild and Maaike Polspoel behind to keep the pressure on the other teams.

“We expected that the break would go early but we didn’t think that such a small group would make it all the way to the finish. The gap went out to 1’50? at which point we put some pressure on behind to make sure that we still had other cards to play. It worked out perfectly and it’s amazing that we still have a 100% win record. It’s like a dream.”
Results

1. Amy Pieters (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano  3:30:15
2. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS
3. Elizabeth Armitstead (Gbr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
4. Liesbet De Vocht (Bel) Lotto Belisol Ladies  0:06
5. Kirsten Wild (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
6. Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Futurumshop.Nl-Zannata
7. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Specialized-Lululemon
8. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Hitec Products
9. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
10. Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
11. Irene San Sebastian Lasa (Esp)
12. Romy Kasper (Ger) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
13. Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
14. Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
15. Kaat Hannes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo
16. Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
17. Latoya Brulee (Bel) Futurumshop.Nl-Zannata
18. Jessie Daams (Bel) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
19. Thalita De Jong (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
20. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Specialized-Lululemon
21. Maaike Polspoel (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano
22. Audrey Cordon (Fra) Hitec Products  0:11
23. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica-AIS
24. Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team  0:13
25. Janneke Ensing (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team  0:22
26. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team  3:53
27. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Hitec Products
28. Chloe Hosking (Aus) Hitec Products  6:22
29. Daniela Gass (Ger) Autoglas Wetteren Cycling Team
30. Elise Delzenne (Fra) Specialized-Lululemon
31. Annelies Van Doorslaer (Bel) Futurumshop.Nl-Zannata
32. Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
33. Monique Van De Ree (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
34. Samantha Schneider (USA) Tibco / To The Top
35. Kaat Van Der Meulen (Bel) Keukens Redant Cycling Team
36. Joanne Kiesanowski (Nzl) Tibco / To The Top
37. Esra Tromp (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
38. Evy Kuijpers (Ned) Futurumshop.Nl-Zannata
39. Anouska Koster (Ned) Futurumshop.Nl-Zannata
40. Hanna Nilsson (Swe) Autoglas Wetteren Cycling Team
41. Mascha Pijnenborg (Ned) Futurumshop.Nl-Zannata
42. Francesca Cauz (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
43. Lucy Garner (Gbr) Team Giant-Shimano
44. Jessy Druyts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo
45. Sarah Roy (Aus) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86.
46. Lauren Stephens (USA) Tibco / To The Top
47. Ines Klok (Ned) WV Breda Ladies Team
48. Mary Rose Postma (Ned) WV Breda Ladies Team
49. Celine Van Severen (Bel) Lotto Belisol Ladies
50. Femke Van Kessel (Ned) WV Breda Ladies Team
51. Bianca Van Den Hoek (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
52. Valerie Demey (Bel) Keukens Redant Cycling Team
53. Alexis Ryan (USA) Usa National Team
54. Mirthe Wagenaar (Ned) WV Breda Ladies Team
55. Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Specialized-Lululemon
56. Charlotte Becker (Ger) Wiggle Honda
57. Ann-Sophie Duyck (Bel) Autoglas Wetteren Cycling Team
58. Sarah Rijkes (Aut) Lotto Belisol Ladies
59. Anna Knauer (Ger) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
60. Willeke Knol (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
61. Stephanie De Croock (Bel) Wielerclub De Sprinters Malderen
62. Jessie Maclean (Aus) Orica-AIS
63. Lauren Komanski (USA) Usa National Team
64. Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn) Wiggle Honda
65. Maura Kinsella (USA) Usa National Team
66. Anna Sanchis Chafer (Esp) Wiggle Honda
67. Iris Slappendel (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team  6:29
68. Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Orica-AIS
69. Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
70. Julia Soek (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
71. Jeanne Koorevaar (Ned) Jan Van Arckel
72. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team  6:32
73. Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Estado De Mexico Faren  6:38
74. Pascale Jeuland (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86.
75. Steffy Van Den Haute (Bel) Wielerclub De Sprinters Malderen  8:50
76. Kelly Markus (Ned) Team Rytger  8:52
77. Isabelle Beckers (Bel) Lotto Belisol Ladies
78. Nathasja Nieuwenhuizen (Ned) Endura Lady Force
79. Emma Grant (Gbr) Tibco / To The Top
80. Nina Kessler (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
81. Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo
82. Irene Bitto (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
83. Marion Rousse (Fra) Lotto Belisol Ladies
84. Roxane Fournier (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86.
85. Fiona Dutriaux (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86.
86. Chiara Pierobon (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
87. Nike Beckeringh (Ned) Jan Van Arckel
88. Tamina Oliver (Gbr) Endura Lady Force
89. Kim De Baat (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
90. Emilia Fahlin (Swe) Wiggle Honda
91. Carlee Taylor (Aus) Orica-AIS
92. Anisha Vekemans (Bel) Lotto Belisol Ladies
93. Lensy Debboudt (Bel) Keukens Redant Cycling Team
94. Giada Borgato (Ita) Estado De Mexico Faren
95. Marjolein Claessen (Ned) Endura Lady Force
96. Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica-AIS
97. Asja Paladin (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo
98. Amanda Miller (USA) Tibco / To The Top
99. Rikke Lønne (Den) Team Rytger  0:10:30
100. Natalie Van Gogh (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team
101. Mieke Leeman (Bel) Wielerclub De Sprinters Malderen
102. Thea Thorsen (Nor) Hitec Products
103. Melanie Späth (Irl) Team Rytger
104. Lucy Coldwell (Gbr) Scotland
105. Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Estado De Mexico Faren
106. Judith Bloem (Ned) Jan Van Arckel
107. Hilde Oudman (Ned) WV Breda Ladies Team
108. Emily Collins (Nzl) Wiggle Honda

DNF Anika Todd (Can) TIBCO/To the Top
DNF Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin (Can) Futurumshop.Nl-Zannata