Marit Raaijmakers scored the biggest victory of her career in Germany, winning the Women’s Cycling Day one-day classic with teammate Yurani Blanco placing second for an impressive one-two finish at the end of the 121.6 km race in Thüringen.
The duo created the winning breakaway 17 kilometers from the line, joining three others on an undulating final lap. After an initial slowdown and standoff, Raaijmakers then launched her sprint 500 meters from the line, taking her first victory in Human Powered Health colors.
“I love working for the team, and I love to race a final for the win,” Raaijmakers said afterwards. “As Magnus says, ‘if it’s meant to be, it’s up to me’. Today I had a different role than normal, but as a rider, you have to be flexible in that, too. Living up to expectations is always a great feeling.”
The full roster of six proved itself as the strongest in the race, setting up a rider who, in her five seasons with the team, has so often been riding in support roles or as a road captain.
“The team rode amazingly,” exclaimed Raaijmakers. “Everyone knows their role, and without asking, we just did what we needed to do. Also, I could really feel the girls wanted me to have this opportunity. Like a little payback for the work I normally do. They believed in me before I did myself.”
With Raaijmakers and Blanco part of a lineup, which included Kathrin Schweinberger, Silvia Zanardi, Jente Koops and Wiktoria Pikulik, there were various winning scenarios. With the assistance of the team director, finding the right one would be key.
“We had different plans and cards to play,” explains Raaijmakers. “We had a sprint plan and an attack plan. We soon got permission from the sprinters to go for it, which I appreciate.”
With the numbers advantage in the break, Blanco and Raaijmakers then took advantage.
“We were trying to do a hard race in the last climbs,” says Blanco. “Then to do a break or small group, and then try to win. So in the end, it’s great to achieve this.”
In the process of finishing with the top two and two further riders in the top 25, the squad also came away with the team prize.
The team next heads to a series of one-day races in Belgium and France, before the Tour de Pologne Women in July.
LOTTO Thüringen Women Cycling Challenge results
1 RAAIJMAKERS Marit – Human Powered Health 3:17:49
2 BLANCO Yurani – Human Powered Health ”
3 EISEN Malou – VolkerWessels Cycling Team ”
4 ZEMANOVÁ Kristýna – VIF Cycling Team ”
5 KLEIN Lisa – REMBE | rad-net Women 0:32
6 VAN DER DUIN Maike – CANYON//SRAM 1:03
7 CONSONNI Chiara – CANYON//SRAM ”
8 UNGEROVÁ Sofia – MAT Atom Deweloper Wrocław ”
9 RIJNBEEK Maud – VolkerWessels Cycling Team ”
10 NĚMCOVÁ Barbora – Dukla Women Cycling ”
