KASIA FIGHTS TO FOURTH AT RONDE VAN VLAANDEREN

Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney was once again among the final contenders for one of the sport’s most prestigious victories, sprinting to fourth from an elite quartet at Ronde van Vlaanderen.

After last year’s second place, the result initially stung. Disappointment quickly gave way to perspective and pride however, as she reflected on her season so far, marked by a challenging crash at Strade Bianche.

“In some ways, all the bad luck and the things I had to deal with are now behind me, so it feels like a fresh, nice start for what’s next. Of course, fourth place isn’t what a rider dreams of or fights for, but I’m also realistic. I know the girls ahead of me are just much faster – really good sprinters. Preferably, I would have arrived solo or in an even smaller group over the Paterberg, but everyone was still riding incredibly well despite being really tired at that point.”

Kasia noted a renewed sense of cohesion within the team:

“We were all fighting with our hearts, doing our best in positioning and being in the front, making the race hard, and following attacks. I feel like we checked all the boxes – everyone did a great job, not only the riders but all the staff as well. As I said previously, maybe this is a fresh start for what’s coming this year. Before now, there were always small things missing, but today, the pieces finally came together and worked out almost perfectly.”

Just like in Wednesday’s Dwars door Vlaanderen, Kasia executed a near-flawless race, arriving into the final 50 kilometres as prepared as possible for the decisive showdown. Despite another postcard-perfect Belgian spring day, the atmosphere inside the peloton was anything but calm.

“The race played out just as we expected – nervy and chaotic. From the start, everyone was fighting for position, and the wind blowing from different sides was also making it very stressful for everyone. Of course, everyone wants to be at the front to stay out of trouble – and then there are crashes and chases. Up to the four hour mark, it was just chaos.”

From the infamous Koppenberg to the Taaienberg and Oude Kruisberg, the demanding Flemish terrain tore the race apart. This year, pure power proved more decisive than good fortune.

“With the dry conditions this year, it was all more about strength and less about luck. As we could see in the last two editions, when it rained, a lot of riders would have to walk up or get off their bikes on the Koppenberg, so of course you lose a lot of time. Therefore, the Koppenberg in wet weather was often where the big splits happened – but this year, you could see bigger groups making it all the way to the Kwaremont.”

It’s Kasia’s seventh top-ten finish in Belgium’s biggest race – further cementing her status as one of the most consistent and capable riders on the toughest of Spring Classics terrain.

As the first major peak of the season passes, and with half of Belgium lining the roadside to celebrate this sacred Sunday, it’s sad to see another Vlaanderens Mooiste come and go. In saying this, with Paris-Roubaix Femmes on the very near horizon, there’s always something to look forward to.