{"id":884492,"date":"2026-09-05T16:28:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T16:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/884492\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T16:28:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T16:28:10","slug":"finistere-ladies-classic-sarah-van-dam-takes-the-win-after-a-photo-finish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/884492\/","title":{"rendered":"Finistere Ladies Classic: Sarah Van Dam takes the win after a photo finish"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sarah Van Dam (Visma-Lease a Bike) surged from a five-rider breakaway to edge Lily Williams (Human Powered Health) in a photo\u2013finish victory at the Finist\u00e8re Ladies Classic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Eva Van Agt (FDJ United-SUEZ) grabbed the final spot on the podium ahead of Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L’IMAD) and Kiara Lylyk (Mayenne-Mobana-Mypie).<\/p>\n

With 40km to go, Van Agt, Van Dam and Squiban were the first movers for a decisive break and soon joined by Williams and Lylyk.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The quartet worked well together to set up the final sprint, which was instigated by Williams on the far left side of the finish straight. Lylyk tried to move past on the right side, but Van Dam blasted through the middle and was the only rider to hold off Williams.<\/p>\n

The Saturday UCI 1.1 opener for a weekend of races on the Cap Sizun peninsula in France, Finist\u00e8re Ladies Classic began in Pouldreuzic. The northbound course along the Brittany coastline crossed the finish line in Plouhinic just 18km into the start, which then presented eight laps of a hilly 9.5km circuit.<\/p>\n

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Each clockwise lap included an uncategorised 1.5km climb of 4.1% average gradient, leaving 3.5km the finish line, with the final approach uphill as well. Six times on the circuit provided intermediate sprint points in Plouhinec.<\/p>\n

Rosita Reijnhout (Visma-Lease a Bike), Solene Muller (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) and Ema Comte (Cofidis) pulled away from the peloton on the opening laps. Once they were pulled back, another attack proved more successful by five other riders.<\/p>\n

Once at the mid-point of the finish laps, Eva Van Agt (FDJ United-SUEZ), Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L’IMAD), Lily Williams (Human Powered Health), Sarah Van Dam (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Kiara Lylyk (Mayenne-Bonbana-MyPie) had a 30-second gap .<\/p>\n

Once through the start-finish with three laps to go, a solo chase by Nikola Noskova (Cofidis) had her 30 seconds away from the breakaway group. The peloton trailed another 42 seconds back, with EF Education-Oatly taking over with the pacemaking.<\/p>\n

The quintet stamped out a steady tempo and never saw Noskova get closer, as with two laps to go the peloton closed down her effort. The peloton hovered at a minute in arrears over the next 15km, no attacks launched from the group.<\/p>\n

The breakaway group surged across the uphill road into Plouhinec for a ninth time all together, with the photo-finish going to Canadian Van Dam by the slightest of margins.<\/p>\n

Results<\/p>\n

Swipe to scroll horizontally<\/p>\n

Position<\/p>\n

Rider (Country) Team<\/p>\n

Time Gap<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

Sarah Van Dam (Can) Visma-Lease a Bike<\/p>\n

2:22:05<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

Lily Williams (USA) Human Powered Health<\/p>\n

Row 1 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

Eva Van Agt (Ned) FDJ United-SUEZ<\/p>\n

Row 2 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

Maeva Squiban (Fra) UAE Team ADQ<\/p>\n

Row 3 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

Kiara Lylyk (Can) Mayenne Monbana My Pie<\/p>\n

Row 4 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Amber Kraak (Ned) FDJ United-SUEZ<\/p>\n

0:00:02<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Ally Mar\u00e9e Wollaston (NZl) FDJ United-SUEZ<\/p>\n

0:01:32<\/p>\n

8<\/p>\n

Nadia Quagliotto (Ita) Cofidis Women Team<\/p>\n

Row 7 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

9<\/p>\n

Nina Berton (Lux) EF Education-Oatly<\/p>\n

Row 8 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

10<\/p>\n

Victoire Berteau (Fra) Cofidis Women Team<\/p>\n

Row 9 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

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