Seventh place for Vos in Strade Bianche Donne, Ferrand-Prévot suffers bad luck at crucial moment
# Vos Claims Seventh at Strade Bianche Donne as Ferrand-Prévot Faces Misfortune
In a dramatic twelfth edition of Strade Bianche Donne, the race kicked off with an early opening, as the peloton experienced splits during the first gravel sectors. The riders from the yellow-and-black team remained vigilant at the front, setting the stage for an electrifying finale.
The climax of the race unfolded on the longest gravel sector of the day, San Martino in Grania. Here, Femke de Vries, Marianne Vos, and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot managed to position themselves among the top contenders, entering the final gravel sectors within an elite group of twenty riders.
However, with 40 kilometers remaining, Ferrand-Prévot encountered serious mechanical issues, which forced her to drop from the lead pack. Meanwhile, Vos showcased her resilience, ultimately finishing in seventh place.
“I gave everything in the finale,” Vos stated after the race. “It was a very special race. I could already feel there wasn’t much left in the legs. You hope you can recover a little in the run-up to the final kilometre, but the climb to Piazza del Campo never lies. It was certainly a nice race to return to the peloton.”
While Vos’s performance was commendable, Ferrand-Prévot’s misfortune was a tough pill to swallow. “I had a mechanical problem at a very bad moment, which meant I had to change bikes. I tried to come back afterwards, but when we followed the wrong road, our chances were gone,” she reflected. “I felt good and would have liked to attack in the finale, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find out how far I could have gone.”
### Final Results at Strade Bianche Donne
1. Elise Chabbey (FDJ United – SUEZ) – 03:35:42
2. Kasia Niewiadoma (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) – +00:00:00
3. Franziska Koch (FDJ United – SUEZ) – +00:00:00
7. Marianne Vos (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:34
25. Femke de Vries (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:06:25
29. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:06:37
36. Sarah Van Dam (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:12:56
– Daniek Hengeveld (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – DNF
– Katharina Sadnik (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – DNF
Despite the challenges, both Vos and Ferrand-Prévot demonstrated their tenacity and commitment to the sport, paving the way for future performances in the peloton.
