A celebration too early and a very bitter second place for Lorena Wiebes in the Amstel Gold Race. The Dutchwoman from the SD Worx-Protime team, convinced of having won the Ardennes classic this Sunday April 14, raised her arms in victory. But that was without counting on the last-minute return of another Dutchwoman, Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike).
Present on her left, the three-time world champion continued her effort to the end and finally won this race, for the second time in her career. Vos, 36, had already won at the Amstel in 2021 and this Sunday signed her third success of the season after her victories at Het Nieuwsblad and in À Travers la Flanders. Logically disappointed, Wiebes finished in tears after the race after realizing her mistake.
In October 2020, Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe experienced a similar mishap on Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Convinced of having a sufficient lead over his opponents, the Frenchman, crowned world champion a week earlier, had raised his arms too early and was overtaken at the wire by Primoz Roglic, before finally being downgraded for a sprint irregular. " This is the first time that it happens to me. It will be the last…”, he then slipped. Lorena Wiebes should a priori not let herself be fooled either.