Strade Bianche Donne 2023 LIVE - Annemiek van Vleuten versus Lotte Kopecky, the rematch

“That last climb doesn’t lie, [especially] if you rode for so long on your own. Lotte and I were riding very well together. I knew we could save a little bit for the last climb, and Lotte and me are great climbers, so. I knew we could catch her. It was a bit exciting of course.”

1. Demi Vollering (SD Worx)
2. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx)
3. Kristen Faulkner (Team Jayco AlUla)

It came down to the bike throw between the SD Worx team-mates, who could not be separated before the short descent into the square. (Piazza, Charlie)

Vollering led on the Santa Caterina, then came round Vollering with 300m to go. Instead of picking one of them, the bosses allowed them to duke it out. They couldn't be separated by eye and after a long wait for a result, it was given as Demi Vollering, who takes her first Strade Bianche Donne.

Right at the foot of the climb. What a ride from Faulkner, but there's nothing she can do to stop this pair. She doesn't drop like a stone, though. Will the SD Worx riders fight it out?

It's all going to come down to the fabled final Santa Katarina climb. Faulkner is going to hit it first, I think.

Faulkner, who might be better off if she was caught sooner rather than later, is going down swinging. As it is she's being hung out to dry. Another SD Worx one-two is looking inevitable.

It's a two-up team time trial and the SD Worx riders are coming for the American. They're just about in the same wide shot. As they approach Siena, surely they'll catch her?

Here's the moment a horse decided to get involved in the racing.

Bringing back Vollering, but presenting an oppiortunity for Kopecky to react. She's been able to sit back and now can link up with her team-mate. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig shifts up the gears to try to close the gap to the pair up ahead, but she's labouring. Movistar's riders, both in the stripes, are being left behind. It's team time trial time.

If anything the gap to Vollering is increasing. Was she shaken by the horse. The Dutch rider is crunching the gears up the climb.

14KM TO GO: SIX RIDERS CHASING DOWN VOLLERING

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx)
Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-Sram)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ)
Puck Pieterse (Alpecin Fenix)
Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar)
Liane Lippert (Movistar)

They're about 30 seconds behind her. Kopecky is the only one who can sit back, really.

That's not code for anything. An actual horse has escaped from somewhere and is charging down the track ahead of Demi Vollering.

SD Worx are playing a clever tactical team game here. Finally Faulkner's lead starts to come down.

She's onto the penultimate gravel sector, which averages 14% gradient, and still her lead is barely coming down, even as the best riders come to the front.

Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) is doing some work, even though she won't be expected to be there at the finish. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin Fenix) is there; Annemiek van Vleuten also knows she needs to get to work and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig especially is looking great.

Monteaperti is only 800m long, but it does get steep. This should be where the race lights up, and we'll really see what the American has in her legs. It's looking very good for her. Movistar have come to the front of the bunch in service to the World Champion.

And with the racing kicking off behind, the American decides to leave her colleague behind. She's a much stronger climber than the younger Dutchwoman.

She makes light work of the effort and the pair are soon climbing a deux, and increasing their lead towards a minute.

We're starting to see attacks, and counter-attacks. The favourites are going to have to be especially vigilant from hereon.

As we (finally) join the live TV pictures, the Jumbo Visma rider goes on the attack on the tarmac. She managed a 3rd place at Setmana Valenciana last month, which is her best result of the season so far. I doubt the bunch will see her as much of a threat, though, and she might get some time out there on her own ahead of the next gravel sector, which is a ways away.

The climbs are coming. It's a bit chilly in Tuscany, but it's all about to heat up.