LOTTE CLAES, QUEEN OF BELGIUM

Race reportMar 1, 2025

Women TeamOmloop het Nieuwsblad WE

Lotte Claes won the Omloop Nieuwsblad on Saturday. Starting at kilometre zero, the Belgian rider from the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team won the 138km race for the first time in her professional career and the first World Tour victory for the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS women's team.

Lotte Claes

I can't believe it. I just can't believe it. It's a fabulous day. I'm happy to win this wonderful race. It was a real time trial the whole way. It wasn't really planned to be in the breakaway so early, but I seized the opportunity. I was feeling very good with very good legs. At the end of the race, we were down to two girls. I pushed hard. In the last kilometer, Aurela Nerlo (2nd on Saturday) launched the sprint. It was very early. I hung on because I was less explosive than her, but I knew I could make the difference at the end. And that's what I did. In the last hundred metres, I came through. The feeling of joy is immense. It's been a crazy day.

Grégoire Le Calvé

Sports Director

It's incredible because it's our first World Tour victory. We achieved this performance at the opening event of the season in Belgium, where the world's best were present. And the ARKEA - B&B HOTELS team wins, it's incredible. Last year, our team took a while to settle in, but the second half of the season was good. The squad hasn't changed much and we've kept our ambitions high. We still lack a bit of experience at times, but every race we try. Today it paid off with Lotte Claes in the breakaway. The idea wasn't to go all the way, but to try and get over the first cobbled climbs and sectors in the belief that the best riders would come back afterwards. In the end, the breakaway quickly caught up. The gap grew to 13 minutes. With around 60km to go, I knew it was going to the finish. Lotte tried several attacks. In the end, what made the difference was the mental and tactical knowledge that the girls build up over the course of the races. Gaining experience allows us to race more and more accurately.

Emmanuel Hubert

General Manager

It was an extraordinary day with a first World Tour victory for the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS women's team, a breakaway that started at kilometre zero and went all the way. Opportunism paid off. Lotte Claes has made tremendous progress. For the ARKEA - B&B HOTEL team, it's a collection of great things. I'd like to congratulate all the riders, the staff and the management of this team.

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