In a rare defeat this season, Demi Vollering (SD Worx) lost the uphill sprint to a powerful Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) atop the final climb at Brabantse Pijl on Wednesday.
Vollering admitted that she was "not good enough to win" against Persico on the day but also said she simply ran out of energy after forgetting to take in enough food and fluids during the 141km race into Overijse.
“A bit of laziness, actually. Sometimes I thought about it, but I was wearing a wind stopper, and then you think I'll do it in a bit, but in the end, it was too late," Vollering said in a post-race interview with AD.nl.
The winning move was made on the last of three laps of the 22km finishing circuit, which featured four climbs: Hagaard, Moskesstraat, Holstheide, and S-Bocht.
Gent-Wevelgem winner Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) who used the smooth gutter strip to power clear over the Hagaard, with Persico, Shirin van Anrooij (Trek-Segafredo), Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM), and Margot Vanpachtenbeke (Parkhotel Valkenburg) joining her over the top.
They gained a 30-second gap by the steeper Moskesstraat, where Vollering bridged across with Liane Lippert (Movistar) to make it seven riders out front with 7km to go.
“I felt good. That I could close the gap so well gives a nice feeling. Only I ate too little in the last hour. That gave me a hunger pang. So that wasn't very smart," Vollering said.
Reusser used her time trial strength to keep the breakaway ahead of a charging peloton and pulled the riders up the final S-Bocht ascent in what effectively turned into a lead-out for Vollering.
Vollering had won Brabantse Pijl the previous year and knew the intricacies of the tricky final well, but as she started her sprint, Persico powered around her inside 30 metres from the line to take the win.
“I would have liked to win a second time in a row, but I started too early. My legs deflated a little too quickly. So I just wasn't good enough to win. Still, I have a nice feeling about the Brabantse Pijl," Vollering said.
SD Worx has dominated the Spring Classics with 10 victories, and Vollering heads into the upcoming Ardennes Classics as one of the favourites.
"My spring is going well, with a victory in the Strade Bianche and Dwars door Vlaanderen and a second place in the Tour of Flanders and Brabantse Pijl. So, I am confidently heading towards the three; Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. These are my main goals this season, so I hope I can continue the good form."
