Erin Boothman wins dominantly in the U19 Women’s race

Erin Boothman has added the Women U19 Gent-Wevelgem to her list of achievements. The powerful British rider stayed alert in the final kilometer and sprinted to a commanding victory. Arens and Koops secured the second and third spots on the podium.

The Women U19 began their Gent-Wevelgem In Flanders Fields at 10:00. The weather was favorable for the riders during their 71.3 km journey. The first hour of racing was calm, with a compact peloton and no early breakaways. A minor crash in Ypres caused a brief disturbance but had no major consequences.

As expected, the Kemmelberg played the role of decisive factor. Top favorites Boothman and Arens proved to be the strongest, breaking away from the peloton. Behind them, the peloton fractured significantly. A group of about ten riders formed at the top of the Kemmelberg and began the chase after the two leaders.

At the front, Boothman and Arens matched each other’s pace. Greek rider Stampori launched an attack from the chasing group in an attempt to bridge the gap. With 10 km to go, Stampori was still holding strong, getting within around 15 seconds of the leaders, but couldn’t close the gap.

With 3 km remaining, Stampori’s bid seemed over as Koops joined her in the fight for third place. Arens attempted a late attack to surprise Boothman, but the British rider proved too strong and powered to the win. Koops claimed the final podium spot.