Karlijn Swinkels is back on top at the Grand Prix de Wallonie Dames. Two years after her first victory and following last year’s runner-up finish, the Dutch rider of UAE Team L’IMAD once again took the honours in the Belgian classic, claiming her third individual victory of the season.
The victory was built on a superb team performance and sealed in the final metres thanks to a perfectly timed move from Eleonora Gasparrini, who set up the decisive attack before finishing ninth herself.
The 127.4-kilometre race started in Seraing and finished in the spectacular setting of the historic Citadel of Namur. The race was shaped by a six-rider breakaway that stayed clear until the final stages, with UAE Team L’IMAD and Lidl-Trek among the teams driving the chase and gradually bringing the gap down.
With 13 kilometres to go, Gasparrini launched an attack alongside three other riders. However, the lack of cooperation in the group meant that the move was quickly brought back.
The decisive selection came on the twisting roads leading up to the Citadel of Namur, where the front group was reduced to the strongest riders. Both Swinkels and Gasparrini remained in contention, ready to play their cards in the finale.
With just 300 metres to go, Gasparrini anticipated the sprint, forcing the main rivals, Elisa Balsamo and Celia Gery, to accelerate in order to close the gap. That created the perfect opportunity for Swinkels to launch her counter-attack.
The Dutch rider accelerated through the final corner, overtook her rivals at speed and powered clear to a convincing victory.
For Swinkels, it is her second Grand Prix de Wallonie victory, following her first triumph in 2024.
Karlijn Swinkels: “I’m really happy with this victory, and the team was outstanding today. All my teammates believed we could win and they gave me their confidence from the very beginning. I’m very happy to have repaid all their hard work with this victory.
They worked really hard to bring back the breakaway and then, in the finale, we tried to make the race more selective and take the fastest riders out of contention. Elisa Balsamo was still there and I knew she could be very dangerous, but we played our cards intelligently.
It was really special to win here in Namur again. This is a race that suits my characteristics very well. I really wanted to win today, and being able to do it for the second time in my career makes me particularly happy.”
(ph. Getty Sport)
