Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad) continued the rich vein of form, which has netted her both the San Dimas and Redlands Classic stage races, to take a rare road race victory in the fifth edition of the GP Stad Roeselare. The 2008 World time trial champion escaped the clutches of the peloton with 20km to go and soloed away to win alone.
Behind Neben, the chase group was led home by Emma Johansson (Hitec Products-UCK), taking her second runner-up spot of the week after la Flèche Wallonne, who outsprinted Neben’s HTC-Highroad teammate Adrie Visser.
"I cannot recall ever having won a one-day Classic before, so that's really exciting," said Neben after her victory. "This is bike racing, the timing has to be right, and I felt that going for it at 20 kilometres or so was the right moment."
"Adrie [Visser] had just come up to my group so I felt I should take that risk and attack, knowing I had a team-mate there. It was difficult but I felt good and after how hard the race had been all day, I felt that if I could get a gap I might be able to make it work."
"When I got to five kilometers and I still had 45 seconds I thought I could stick it. A lot of people say 'ten seconds for every kilometre' so I figured it was going to be close, but I still had a little bit of energy and good rhythm."
"But you don't take anything for granted and I didn't want to celebrate until I saw the finish line."
With the first half of the course taking in a similar loop to that of the men’s Gent-Wevelgem race, talking the steep, cobbled Kemmelberg twice, the unseasonable heat took its toll on the peloton. With the hills out of the way the peloton was reduced to just 37 riders as it approached the flat section and finishing loops around Roeselare.
The second half of the race saw a long solo break from Shara Gillow (Australia); with 40km to go she had a lead of 1’30”, but her lead fell quickly as a group fo nine riders peeled off the front of the chase group.
Gillow was caught with around 25km to go and Neben made her move shortly afterwards. As the American crossed the line, with two 8.6km finishing loops to go, she led by 15 seconds over the broken chase group, and with one lap to go it had risen to 47 seconds.
Despite the efforts of the AA Drink-Leontien.nl team to bring back Neben on behalf of Kirsten Wild, she had increased her lead to 52 seconds with 5km to go, and she crossed the line alone to take her first road race victory since stage 6 of the 2007 Route de France.
Johansson led Visser over the line 36 seconds later.
Result GP Stad Roeselare:
1. Amber Neben (USA) HTC-Highroad
2. Emma Johansson (Swe) Hitec Products-UCK @ 36s
3. Adrie Visser (Ned) HTC-Highroad
4. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Lotto Honda Team
5. Marine Bras (Ned) Dolmans Landscaping Team
6. Kirsten Wild (Ned) AA Drink-Leontien.nl Cycling Team
7. Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Garmin-Cervélo
8. Liesbet De Vocht (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 2012-Ridley Team
9. Christine Majerus (Lux) Team GSD Gestion
10. Sarah Duster (Ger) Nederland Bloeit