The Netherlands at the top in Harelbeke: Femke Markus triumphs in Leiedal Koerse
The Netherlands at the top in Harelbeke: Femke Markus triumphs in Leiedal Koerse
Sunday, May 1, 2022 at 08:46
Femke Markus won the first edition of the E3 Saxo Bank Classic for women on Saturday, which also goes by the name Leiedal Koerse. The 25-year-old rider of Parkhotel Valkenburg entered the 1.2 race with Nicole Steigenga and Mischa Bredewold, two compatriots.
In the first edition of the E3 Saxo Bank Classic for women, the participants were presented with a race of 134 kilometers, with passages over the Knokteberg, Hotond, Kortekeer, Stationsberg, Kapelberg, Paterberg, Oude Kwaremont, Karnemelkbeekstraat and Tiegemberg. A very tough course and so it was soon all chickens on deck in the peloton. In the initial phase we got several attacks, but this one in the buds.
With seventy kilometers to go, tweesters manage to pull away from the pack. The Dutch women Mischa Bredewold (Parkhotel Valkenburg) and Nicole Steigenga (Team Coop) started to make the difference mainly uphill and so the movement ran to the two minutes. In the crumbling peloton we mainly saw the women of Plantur-Pura leading the way, but first we had started to hold back.
Parkhotel Valkenburg plays out the surplus perfectly
In the deeper final, two riders managed to get away from the thorough finish and make the crossing to Steigenga and Bredewold. Kirstie van Haaften and Femke Markus, two teammates at Parkhotel Valkenburg, drove straight to the front of the race. This was a problem for Steigenga: the Team Coop rider had to compete against three people from Parkhotel Valkenburg in the final phase.
It turned out to be an unequal battle, although Steigenga was not easily fooled. A sprint had to decide on a win and a loss. Markus was clear and managed to outdo Steigen. Bredewold was third, Van Haaften fourth. Thalita de Jong won the sprint for fifth place almost two minutes after Markus’ arrival.
Marthe Truyen was the first non-Dutch rider in the daily result: the young Plantur-Pura rider crossed the line in sixth place. In the top-10 we come across no fewer than seven Dutch flags, with Danique Braam and Scarlett Souren in seventh and eighth place.
WorldTour ambitions
The organization of Leiedal Koerse is ambitious towards the years. “We think working together is a slim way to keep Harelbeke and Bavikhove high on the cycling map. Leiedal Koerse can enjoy the course structure and the brand name of E3 Saxo Bank Classic. E3 Saxo Bank Classic can in turn benefit from the hospitality and public appeal of Leiedal Koerse.”
“The collaboration is also cost-effective and energy-saving. 1 course for 1 day, 1 arrival for 1 day, 1 time setting up the whole machine for three races is a lot.” Jacques Coussens, the great man behind E3, adds: “We are aiming high with this match. It will now continue at the 1.2 level, but in the long term we also want to go to the WorldTour. The faster the better.”