18th April – Brabantse Pijl: Lennik – Overijse
After a controlled start to the Brabantse Pijl, the race only really came to life after the halfway mark. Around 45 kilometres from the finish, a breakaway of seven riders managed to go clear. Not long after, Josie Nelson tried to bridge across on behalf of Team Picnic PostNL, but she was reeled back in by the peloton on the cobbles of the Hertstraat.
Heading into the final lap, the breakaway was caught and the race was wide open. The pace remained high, and Francesca Barale did well to hold her position in the ever-reducing front group. With 10 kilometres to go, Elisa Longo Borghini launched a decisive attack. Despite a strong chase on the final climb, no one managed to bring her back. Longo Borghini soloed to victory, while Francesca Barale crossed the line in 17th place, finishing as the first rider home for Team Picnic PostNL.
After the finish, Barale said: “It was a really hard race, as always, and definitely a good warm-up for the Ardennes. The plan was for Josie and me to be there in the final. It was tough from the start—there was never really an easy moment, especially once we hit the local laps. We focused on staying together as a team, but the race quickly split into a select group. Josie and I were always in the mix and tried to make something happen. She made a strong move to try and bridge to the front, which was the right call, but unfortunately didn’t make it across.
This is the kind of race that always tends to come back together. In the final lap, I focused on staying with the favourites on the climbs, which I managed to do, but by the time we reached the final climb, I was pretty empty. It’s a shame I couldn’t sprint, but I’m happy with how I raced and the feeling heading into the Ardennes.”