'People were not riding' – Movistar emerge as top aggressors in Tour of Flanders, rewarded with Lippert podium

Of all the teams expected to be lighting up the Tour of Flanders Women, Movistar were probably not the top pick at the start of the race, but by Sunday evening, the Spanish squad had firmly cemented themselves as one of the most attacking teams this spring.

In a week where we expected to see Classics powerhouses SD Worx-Protime and Lidl-Trek go head-to-head on the cobbles, it's been Movistar – spearheaded by Liane Lippert, Marlen Reusser and Cat Ferguson – who have showed aggression and drive in both Flanders and Dwars door Vlaanderen.

They didn't take a result on Wednesday, but at Flanders, the team's desire and ability to take the race on from the front delivered them a third-place finish through Lippert, her first podium in this race.

"We had the plan with Marlen and me to be two strong leaders and two different cards for this race, and all the girls did a super good job in positioning us and keeping us calm for the first part of the race," Lippert said.

"We actually opened the race up with me attacking on the Oude Kruisberg, and then I think we knew that I was really strong, and on the Kwaremont I was actually splitting [the group] without struggling too much with the best of the race. 

"On the Paterberg the same, I felt pretty comfortable and was happy that the group was working, and then just gambling for the sprint."

What stood out about Lippert's ride, though, was not that she was able to follow the right wheels to go with Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) to the finish, but that she was actually the one that instigated what would become the winning break, after efforts from Reusser and Ferguson too.

Though third is a result Movistar were happy with, there was perhaps some frustration that other teams did not want to race so aggressively.

Reusser told Cyclingnews earlier in the week that she'd found recent races to be too conservative, and she was only a little more positive about the racing style at the finish of Flanders.

"Still people were not riding. Nobody took a lot of responsibility to ride behind the break, but there was more race action," she said. "But I also think a lot of it we did again ourselves. Like me personally, sometimes a bit too much."

Why, though, are Movistar motivated to work when others aren't? Perhaps it's just a matter of outlook.

"We are convinced we have a strong team and we should use the whole team," Reusser said. "We have a sports director, Kelvin Dekker, who is up to make some good plans. Me personally, I prefer much more to race the race, rather than wait, wait, wait. Maybe I race too much, but it's nicer."

Lippert too praised the teams aggression, pointing out that it's how Movistar have to race with the options they have – no Kopecky or Elisa Longo Borghini, but two very threatening riders.

"I think especially with the combination of Marlen and me, we have to do this. That's our card or our benefit, with me on the punchy climbs and she can go over and attack, like we did also in Dwars door Vlaanderen," the German rider said. 

"In the end, I think it's really good that we try and that we also broke the race in some parts. It's good to be aggressive."

Still, though, there was a feeling that the race could have been harder, with some key points seeming like an elimination race – whittling down because of riders falling out the back of the peloton, rather than because any one team were drilling it at the front. 

"It would be more beneficial, especially for Marlen and me, if the race was a bit harder, more aggressive and harder already on this Valkenburg and on these climbs that are not on cobbles, that would make others suffer more," Lippert said.

"I think it's really hard [to beat Kopecky]," Lippert conceded. "Maybe to make her suffer a bit more on these climbs, but then it's also hard because I'm wasting a lot of my own energy, so I think it was the best possible result."

For Reusser, her faith in her teammate meant she wanted a little more from the race. 

"Of course, we're happy with third, but I think seeing what [Lippert] was able to do today, I really think she's in top, top, top shape. I think she could somehow maybe even win that race," she concluded. "We're happy with third, but also a little bit sad."

Any minor disappointment from Sunday will surely only fuel that team going forward, however, as going to the Ardennes and beyond, they know that if they take it up, they will be rewarded with results.

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