Strade Bianche Women Elite

González (20th) best Movistar Team rider in Siena; Spanish squad with five members into first selected group until final 20km.

Dutchwoman Anna Van der Breggen (DLT) took an impressive victory in the women elite version of the Strade Bianche (136km), the opening event of the 2018 UCI WorldTour, after taking on a solo adventure into the last two ‘sterrato’ sectors of a race where rain and mud made for a truly epic race, only for the strongest in the peloton.

The Movistar Team again shifted its own expectations and kept five of its members -Oyarbide, Jasinska, Neylan, González and Biannic- until the last 20km (final three gravel sectors) inside a 50-rider group in pursuit of a break subsequent to the original, early move.

González, who was even close to staying with the first chasing group into the penultimate ‘sterrato’, finished as best Movistar rider in 20th place, 4’28” behind the winner. Neylan, in turn, took 25th at 6’32”.

Picture (c): BettiniPhoto.net