Anna van der Breggen solos to Strade Bianche 2018 victory
Dutchwoman kicks off the Women's WorldTour with first victory of the season

Epic is an over used word in cycling, but Anna van der Breggen’s Strade Bianche victory was just that.
The Olympic champion battled through torrential, freezing rain, attacking alone with about 18 kilometres to ride, to win ahead of Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle-High5).
>>> Tiesj Benoot puts in super show of strength to win 2018 Strade Bianche
If the deluge did not make the event notable enough, Van der Breggen’s dominant performance, winning by 49 seconds, despite the pair working behind her, made the race even more remarkable.
It was the seventh sector that made the difference, the 27-year-old biding her time until the incredibly steep, slick slopes to make her move, riding briefly with last year’s winner Longo Borghini, before dropping her and riding on alone.
After winning a mountain bike stage race in Cyprus last week, today was Van der Breggen’s first road race of the season, and the form she showed sends an ominous shot across the bows of her rivals.
The 136km race set out just as the rain set in causing a number of mechanicals in the bunch. In no time three riders attacked and went clear, building an advantage of a maximum of 1.15. After Myuko Haguwara (Alé-Cippolini) was dropped on the first of eight gravel sectors, Katia Ragusa (Bepink) and Swedish champion Sara Penton (Team Virtu) forged on alone.
The fourth gavel sector did for that pair, however and the peloton carried on as one until the fifth and longest sterrato sector of the day. The 9.5km section is largely up hill and it was there a very strong trio escaped.
World champion Chantal Blaak (Boels-Dolmans) former time trial world champion Ellen Van Dijk (Sunweb) and Alena Amialiusik (Canyon-SRAM) were only allowed a maximum of 50 seconds though as they toiled into a headwind.
A group of 30 were remaining in the peloton that caught them with just 20 kilometres left to the finish. It was then, after a brief hiatus, that Van der Breggen launched her race winning attack.
Her winning advantage of 49 seconds is testament to her strength, though she did not find the day easy.
“It was a crazy start to the season, but it was so special,” she said at the finish line. “I think it was one of the hardest races I ever did, but the team did great bringing hot tea and jackets.
“I don’t know if in a race like this you can have a plan. We tired to keep up there with as many riders as possible and keep as warm as possible. I had my rain jacket on until 25km to go and I never did that before.
“If you win a race like this it makes it memorable and I will remember this race for the rest of my life, so I am happy.”
Van der Breggen won the Women’s WorldTour last year and today’s result sees her don the series' leader’s jersey once again. Whether she even races at next week’s event, the flat Ronde van Drenthe remains to be seen, however.
Results
Strade Bianche 2018 (136km)
1. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Boels-Dolmans, in 4-10-48
2. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon/Sram, at 49s
3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle-High5, a 59s
4. Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels-Dolmans, at 1-32
5. Lucy Kennedy (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, st
6. Janneke Ensing (Ned) Ale Cipollini, at 1-37
7. Amanda Spratt (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at 1-41
8. Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) Cervélo-Bigla, at 2-25
9. Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Sunweb, at 2-36
10. Cecile Uttrup Ludwig (Den) Cervélo-Bigla, at 2-50
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Owen Rogers is an experienced journalist, covering professional cycling and specialising in women's road racing. He has followed races such as the Women's Tour and Giro d'Italia Donne, live-tweeting from Women's WorldTour events as well as providing race reports, interviews, analysis and news stories. He has also worked for race teams, to provide post race reports and communications.
-
-
'I'm just a farmer's son from Belgium' — Yves Lampaert shocked at winning stage one of the Tour de France
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider says he was hoping for a top ten, but went five seconds faster than anyone else in the time trial
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Balsamo: 'For every Italian rider it is a dream to wear the pink jersey'
Excellent team work brings the jersey home for Trek-Segafredo’s Italian world champion
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Julian Alaphilippe: 'Crashing is part of the sport'
Frenchman says he has back pain following his Strade Bianche crash, will start Tirreno-Adriatico on Monday
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Tadej Pogačar is a 'Campionissimo' says Eddy Merckx
Belgian legend says Pogačar is one of the greats after Strade Bianche solo victory
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Five talking points from Strade Bianche 2022
There are more things to think about than Pogačar
By Stephen Puddicombe • Published
-
Tadej Pogačar wins Strade Bianche with stunning solo attack
The UAE Team Emirates rider becomes the first Tour de France winner to win the Italian classic
By Pete Trifunovic • Published
-
Lotte Kopecky takes a classy victory at Strade Bianche
The Belgian champion out sprints and outwits Annemiek van Vleuten to take her biggest win to date
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Five things to look out for at Strade Bianche 2022
Both the men and women's pro pelotons take on the gruelling gravel of Strade Bianche this weekend - here's the key things to look out for
By Stephen Puddicombe • Published
-
Has the Women’s WorldTour outgrown the teams that race it?
Strade Bianche is the first race of 2022 Women’s WorldTour, but this year the top level of women’s racing has more days than ever. We ask if the WorldTour is too big
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Strade Bianche 2022 start list: Line-ups for the Tuscan Classic's 16th edition
The Tuscan Classic returns this weekend on Saturday 5 March
By Adam Becket • Published