Tour of Flanders 2022 - women: Kopecky wins sprint-à-trois

image: Cor VosLotte Kopecky outguns Annemiek van Vleuten and Chantal van der Broek-Blaak to win the Tour of Flanders for women and send her compatriots into a cycling frenzy. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results Tour of Flanders 2022

1. Lotte Kopecky (bel)
2. Annemiek van Vleuten (nld)
3. Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (nld) + 0.02
4. Arlenis Sierra (cub) + 0.40
5. Marlen Reusser (swi) s.t.
6. Cecilie Ludwig-Uttrup (den) s.t.
7. Grace Brown (aus) s.t.
8. Kasia Nieuwiadoma (pol) s.t.
9. Brodie Chapman (aus) s.t.
10. Marta Bastianelli (ita) + 1.10

Race report
Honsinger, Van Rooijen, Baril, Martins and Burlova form the breakaway. The latter can’t follow the pace and drops back, while the other four open a 3 minutes gap.

Honsinger and Baril drop the other two on the Kerkgate cobbles. Alessio, Raaijmakers and Van der Duin track down the leaders with 55 kilometres remaining.

Van der Duin is the last attacker to be reeled by a peloton of 25 riders.

After the Taaienberg a group Sierra, Majerus, Henderson, Niewiadoma, Chapman, Raaijmakers, Bertizzolo, Confalonieri, Alessio, Baril and Van der Duin sneaks way. Reusser bridges across before the Oude Kwaremont.

The Swiss rider kicks hard on the climb and only Chapman can follow the move.

Van Vleuten brings back an elite group on the Paterberg. The title defender reaches the summit with Kopeckey and Reusser in her wheel. Moments later Van den Broek-Blaak, Chapman and Niewiadoma regain contact.

Van den Broek-Blaak attacks before Van Vleuten closes the gap with Kopecky in her wheel.

The race comes down to a three-up sprint with Kopecky taking the spoils with a commanding performance. Van Vleuten finishes in second, Kopecky’s team mate Van den Broek-Blaak in third.

Other interesting reads: route and start list 2022 Tour of Flanders.