
In the immense trophy cabinet of Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the Paris Roubaix Femmes is now added this afternoon. The 33-year-old French rider from Jumbo Visma, Olympic mountain bike champion, returns to success ten years after her last road victory at the Giro d'Italia Women, doing so after launching the decisive attack on the cobblestones of the Camphin-en-Pévèle section, about twenty kilometers from the finish. Behind Ferrand-Prévot, the second place conquered by Letizia Borghesi is worthy of applause, the 26-year-old from Trentino riding for EF Education-Oatly, who at the entrance to the velodrome distanced her rivals, crossing the finish line a couple of seconds before the group of best riders, led in a sprint by Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx Protime, third at the end of the grueling 148 kilometers.
Immediately behind the podium, Marianne Vos, who preceded Canadian Alison Jackson, fifth, and Maria Giulia Confalonieri, sixth. Among our national riders, good performances also by Balsamo and Consonni, who finished ninth and tenth respectively.
THE RACE - Among attacks, accelerations, immediately stopped attempts, and a few crashes, the first truly notable action was proposed by Dutch rider Quinty Ton (Liv AlUla Jayco) and Polish rider Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Sea), who quickly escaped the peloton around the thirty-fifth kilometer, gaining an immediate significant advantage: they were first reported with a 1'05" lead and then, about twenty kilometers later, with a 2'40" buffer.
Around the eightieth kilometer, Lidl Trek proposed a counterattack: Ellen van Dijk broke away from the group and launched herself in pursuit of the breakaway, catching them shortly after. A trio was formed at the front, but, worn down by the Dutch rider's pace and fatigue, the two initial attackers gave in, and the experienced teammate of Elisa Balsamo remained alone at the front for several kilometers before being caught by world champion Kopecky and other riders.
The cards continued to be reshuffled, and not even the progressions of the outgoing champion were enough to definitively select a group of victory contenders. 35 kilometers from the finish, radio tour reported that the leading group consisted of about twenty riders including Kopecky, Wiebes, Balsamo, Norsgaard, Van Dijk, Georgi, Zoe Bäckstedt, Vos, Ferrand-Prévot, Consonni, Letizia Borghesi, and Confalonieri.
Lidl Trek tried again, after van Dijk sending Emma Norsgaard ahead. The Danish rider pedaled with power and conviction; behind her, however, there was no agreement for a real pursuit. So Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) broke the deadlock and decided to try to catch the breakaway herself: the French rider's plan worked, Norsgaard was first caught and then overtaken.
The French rider, much acclaimed this morning at the start, found herself alone at the head of the race and began to savor the success, entered the velodrome to the roar of the crowd and shortly after began to celebrate crossing the finish line with raised arms 58" before Letizia Borghesi.
To reread the textual chronicle of the race, click here
FINISH ORDER
1 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Visma-Lease a Bike Women Team 3h40'07"
2 Letizia BORGHESI EF Education-Oatly 58"
3 Lorena Wiebes Team SD Worx-Protime 1'01"
4 Marianne VOS Visma-Lease a Bike Women Team 1'01"
5 Alison JACKSON EF Education-Oatly 1'01"
6 Maria Giulia CONFALONIERI Uno-X Mobility 1'01"
7 Elise Chabbey FDJ-Suez 1'04"
8 Chloe DYGERT Canyon//SRAM Zondacrypto 1'06"
9 Elisa Balsamo Lidl-Trek Women 1'21"
10 Chiara Consonni Canyon//SRAM Zondacrypto 1'21"
11 Jelena Eric Movistar Team 1'21"
12 Lotte KOPECKY Team SD Worx-Protime 2'04"
13 Pfeiffer Georgi Team Picnic PostNL 2'12"
14 Emma Norsgaard Bjerg Lidl-Trek Women 2'12"
15 Zoe Backstedt Canyon//SRAM Zondacrypto 2'16"
16 Romy KASPER Human Powered Health 2'50"
17 Sophie Von Berswordt Visma-Lease a Bike Women Team 3'23"
18 Lara Gillespie UAE Team ADQ 3'26"
19 Jade Wiel FDJ-Suez 3'31"
20 Ellen VAN DIJK Lidl-Trek Women 4'42"
21 Jeanne KOREVAAR Liv AlUla Jayco 4'44"
22 Vera Tieleman DD Group Multum Continental Team 6'19"
23 Maria Apolonia Van 'T Geloof Arkéa-B&B Hôtels Femmes 6'38"
24 Imogen Wolff Visma-Lease a Bike Women Team 6'38"
25 Marta Lach Team SD Worx-Protime 6'38"
26 Millie Couzens Fenix-Deceuninck 6'38"
27 Sarah ROY EF Education-Oatly 6'38"
28 Christina Schweinberger Fenix-Deceuninck 6'38"
29 Anastasiya Kolesava Canyon//SRAM Zondacrypto 6'38"
30 Teuntje Beekhuis Uno-X Mobility 6'38"
31 Rosa Klöser Canyon//SRAM Zondacrypto 6'38"
32 Amber Kraak FDJ-Suez 6'40"
33 Elynor Backstedt UAE Team ADQ 6'40"
34 Lauretta HANSON Lidl-Trek Women 6'47"
35 Elena CECCHINI Team SD Worx-Protime 6'50"
36 Vittoria Guazzini FDJ-Suez 6'50"
37 Marie LE NET FDJ-Suez 6'50"
38 Lucinda Brand Lidl-Trek Women 6'50"
39 Giada Borghesi Human Powered Health 7'40"
40 Flora Perkins Fenix-Deceuninck 8'01"
41 Mylène De Zoete Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling 8'01"
42 Franziska Koch Team Picnic PostNL 8'01"
43 Quinty Ton Liv AlUla Jayco 8'01"
44 Lonneke Uneken Volkerwessels Cycling Team 8'06"
45 Nina Berton EF Education-Oatly 9'00"
46 Marthe Truyen Fenix-Deceuninck 9'00"
47 Floortje MACKAIJ Movistar Team 9'00"
48 Carina Schrempf Fenix-Deceuninck 9'00"
49 Amalie DIDERIKSEN Cofidis Women Team 9'51"
50 Amber Pate Liv AlUla Jayco 9'51"
51 Charlotte Kool Team Picnic PostNL 9'51"
52 Maud Rijnbeek Volkerwessels Cycling Team 9'52"
53 Kata Blanka Vas Team SD Worx-Protime 9'52"
54 Eline Van Rooijen Team Coop-Repsol 9'52"
55 Elizabeth DEIGNAN Lidl-Trek Women 9'59"
56 Lily Williams Human Powered Health 10'51"
57 Lucie Fityus St-Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 10'51"
58 Katia RAGUSA Human Powered Health 10'51"
59 Emilia FAHLIN Arkéa-B&B Hôtels Femmes 10'51"
60 Danielle De Francesco Arkéa-B&B Hôtels Femmes 10'54"
61 Daniek Hengeveld Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling 10'54"
62 Marion BORRAS Cofidis Women Team 10'54"
63 Elyne Roussel St-Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 10'54"
64 Tereza Neumanova UAE Team ADQ 11'01"
65 Barbara GUARISCHI Team SD Worx-Protime 11'01"
66 Elizabeth HOLDEN UAE Team ADQ 11'01"
67 Maurène Tregouët Arkéa-B&B Hôtels Femmes 11'04"
68 Margaux Vigié Visma-Lease a Bike Women Team 11'16"
69 Constance VALENTIN Winspace Orange Seal 11'16"
70 Aurela Nerlo Winspace Orange Seal 11'16"
71 Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset Team Coop-Repsol 12'00"
72 Sterre Vervloet Lotto Ladies 12'05"
73 Lea Lin Teutenberg Lotto Ladies 12'05"
74 Kathrin Schweinberger Human Powered Health 13'25"
75 Kristyna Burlova Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling 13'25"
76 Anniina Ahtosalo Uno-X Mobility 13'25"
77 Megan Jastrab Team Picnic PostNL 14'09"
78 Yonna Van Dam DD Group Multum Continental Team 14'09"
79 Camilla Ranes Bye Team Coop-Repsol 14'09"
80 Amandine Fouquenet Arkéa-B&B Hôtels Femmes 14'23"
81 Femke Beuling Volkerwessels Cycling Team 15'07"
82 Olivia Baril Movistar Team 15'07"
83 Lucia Ruiz Perez Movistar Team 15'07"
84 Marthe Goossens AG Insurance-Soudal Team 15'09"
85 Ilse Pluimers AG Insurance-Soudal Team 15'09"
86 Nicole Steigenga AG Insurance-Soudal Team 15'09"
87 Eugénie Duval FDJ-Suez 15'09"
88 Fauve Bastiaenssen AG Insurance-Soudal Team 15'09"
89 Julia Borgström AG Insurance-Soudal Team 15'09"
90 Chloé Desmet DD Group Multum Continental Team 15'28"
91 Alicia GONZALEZ BLANCO St-Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 15'32"
92 Marie-Morgane Le Deunff Winspace Orange Seal 15'32"
93 Susanne ANDERSEN Uno-X Mobility 16'02"
94 Scarlett Souren Volkerwessels Cycling Team 16'02"
95 Martina ALZINI Cofidis Women Team 16'05"
96 Petra Zsanko Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling 16'19"
HD. Valerie DEMEY Volkerwessels Cycling Team
HD. Laura Lizette Sander Team Coop-Repsol
HD. Linda Riedmann Visma-Lease a Bike Women Team
HD. Anna Van Wersch Lotto Ladies
HD. Maaike Coljé Arkéa-B&B Hôtels Femmes
HD. Amber Van der Hulst Liv AlUla Jayco
HD. Britt De Grave DD Group Multum Continental Team
HD. Carys Lloyd Movistar Team
HD. Alexandra Volstad EF Education-Oatly
HD. Jony Van den Eijnden DD Group Multum Continental Team
HD. Julie Stockman DD Group Multum Continental Team
HD. Rachele BARBIERI Team Picnic PostNL
HD. Silje Bader Team Picnic PostNL
HD. Josie TALBOT Liv AlUla Jayco
HD. Florence Normand Winspace Orange Seal
HD. Georgia BAKER Liv AlUla Jayco
HD. Coline Raby St-Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93
HD. Mieke DOCX Lotto Ladies
HD. Aidi Gerde Tuisk Team Coop-Repsol
HD. April Tacey Team Coop-Repsol
HD. Maria Martins Canyon//SRAM Zondacrypto
HD. Camille Fahy Winspace Orange Seal
HD. Fiona Mangan Winspace Orange Seal
HD. Ilken Seynave Lotto Ladies
HD. Alberte Greve Uno-X Mobility
HD. Babette Van der Wolf EF Education-Oatly
HD. Kirstie Van Haaften Cofidis Women Team
HD. Maggie Coles-Lyster Human Powered Health
Ab. Julie De Wilde Fenix-Deceuninck
Ab. Clémence Chereau St-Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93
Ab. Alison Avoine St-Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93
Ab. Lisa Van Helvoirt Volkerwessels Cycling Team
Ab. Sofia Bertizzolo UAE Team ADQ
Ab. Marte Berg Edseth Uno-X Mobility
Ab. Cat Ferguson Movistar Team
Ab. Gladys Verhulst Wild AG Insurance-Soudal Team
Ab. Valentine FORTIN Cofidis Women Team
Ab. Eugenia BUJAK Cofidis Women Team
Ab. Marta Jaskulska Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling
NP. Julie Hendrickx Lotto Ladies
NP. Sofie Van Rooijen UAE Team ADQ