Omloop Nieuwsblad 2025 Women's Race RECAP - Lotte Claes sprints to first pro victory, Demi Vollering finishes third

A lovely moment for Claes and her Arkéa - B&B Hotels Women teammates following her first professional victory!

Pieterse and Vollering sprint it out, and but Pieterse doesn't have the legs. Vollering takes third.

She times her attack well to overtake the Polish rider! What a moment for the Belgian rider! A breakaway victory - you simply love to see it. A huge win for Arkéa - B&B Hotels Women. Despite looking like Nerlo had gotten away from her, a last-ditch attempt from Claes sees her close the gap and go around the outside, with Nerlo unable to respond. It's a first pro win for the 31-year-old, and on home soil too - epic scenes.

Who's going to take it?!

Claes stays with her on this long attack...

A cross headwind going towards the finish, and the Belgian riders leads Nerlo under the 2km to go mark. They've got a gap of 3'36" - what a moment this will be for one of these two riders to pull off a shock victory to open the Spring Classics.

Nerlo takes over from Claes at the front, and Docx, previously from the four-woman breakaway, now joins Vollering and Pieterse.

She ups the pressure but Nerlo stays near, has the Belgian rider shown her cards too soon?

Into the final 5km and we still ahve Claes and Nerlo up the road, with a gap of 3'40" to Vollering and Pieterse. Could a shock victory be on the cards?

A gap of 3'55" for Claes and Nerlo, Vollering and Pieterse are in conversation behind as they try to catch the front two. Hearing that Pieterse was fastest up the Muur with 2'43".

The Dutch riders have dropped Lippert, Niewiadoma, and Reusser and work together to press on in search of the leading duo. A gap of around 5'00" for the breakaway riders.

Claes and Nerlo still together, now with a gap of around 4'52" as Vollering's group try to close the gap.

5'02" the gap now as Vollering ups the pace, Niewiadoma, Pieterse, Lippert, Reusser all there with her. They're the only ones who are able to keep up with the Dutch rider as she piles on the pressure on the climb.

She's got Vollering on her wheel as they begin the Muur van Geraardsbergen climb, Niewiadoma close behind.

Belgian rider Claes and Nerlo reach the iconic sight of the Muur-Kapelmuur chapel- will we see a Belgian victory today? Just over six minutes still the gap.

The cobbled section of the Muur van Geraardsbergen, but the breakaway start to separate as the road increases. Claes and Nerlo remain together at the front while Pirrone and Docx drop back.

SD Worx - Protime currently lead the bunch with 6'13 for the breakaway group now, can they take it to the finish? An iconic climb lies in store before then...

Vollering's new team are putting in a strong effort on the front on the peloton, with Puck Pieterse and her Fenix-Deceuninck compatriots close behind. Gap now around seven minutes. Around 5km to go until the Muur - Kapelmuur climb.