{"id":742140,"date":"2026-08-18T19:04:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T19:04:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/742140\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T19:04:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T19:04:10","slug":"egmont-cycling-race-elisa-balsamo-rounds-off-a-strong-lidl-trek-performance-with-victory-in-belgium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/742140\/","title":{"rendered":"Egmont Cycling Race: Elisa Balsamo rounds off a strong Lidl-Trek performance with victory in Belgium"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former world champion Elisa Balsamo took her first win of the summer on Tuesday, the Italian rider winning the Egmont Cycling Race <\/a>in Belgium.<\/p>\n

Her Lidl-Trek team had been aggressive throughout the race, attacking and controlling all day, creating a small group in the final. Eventually Balsamo escaped on the wheel of teammate Lucinda Brand, sprinting off her wheel to take the win well ahead of her rivals.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Hesters (Liv-AlUla-Jayco Continental) sprinted home in second place, with Solbj\u00f8rk Minke Anderson (EF Education-Oatly) taking third place.<\/p>\n

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The race was frantic from start to finish, producing a tense final with a number of riders going clear on the closing 26km lap. The last of those was Lily Williams, the Human Powered Health rider looking for a first win with the team. However, she was caught by the Lidl-Trek-led peloton with just 2km of the race to run.<\/p>\n

As the final approached, Brand went clear with Balsamo on her wheel, and the Italian sprinted clear, taking the win by a handful of seconds over Hesters.<\/p>\n

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The win was Balsamo\u2019s first victory since she took four stages of the Giro d\u2019Italia Women in early June, which were also the team\u2019s most recent victories.<\/p>\n

In only its fourth edition, the Egmont Cycling Race was held in and around the Belgian town of Zottegem, the 130.2km race covering five laps of a 26km circuit. Climbing well over 1,100m, each lap tackled three climbs, the Waesberg, Klemhoutstraat and De Vlamme, as well as dealing with the Lippenhovenstraat cobbled sector.<\/p>\n

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As a UCI 1.1 level race, the start list included five WorldTour teams racing alongside squads form all other levels, including five club teams.<\/p>\n

Though riders were dropped of the back, a fast start ensured the front of the race stayed together late into the second lap, then Katja Verkerk (Minimax) and Tabea Huys, riding as a stragiaire for Lidl-Trek, got a small gap. They were joined by Aileen Schweikart (REMBE-rad-net) and they set about building a lead of just over one minute, the race by then inside the closing 75km.<\/p>\n

As the lead grew Akari Kobayashi (Kasseien Fiets Huis) attacked the bunch in a vain attempt the reach the front, but after struggling alone for a few kilometres she was swallowed up by the bunch.<\/p>\n

With around 55km to go and Schweikart dropped, Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek) attacked the peloton, taking Lily Williams (Human Powered Health) and Alison Jackson (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) with her. They soon brought the break back and a larger group formed, though that too was caught as the peloton split yet again.<\/p>\n

Yet another group got away, this one of 16 riders, then went clear, but they too were brought back and the final lap started with the peloton all together. A late attack from Anne Knijnenburg (Volkerwessels) was brought back with 8km to go, before Williams made another move.<\/p>\n

Results<\/p>\n

Swipe to scroll horizontally<\/p>\n

Top 10<\/p>\n

Position<\/p>\n

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

Time Gap<\/p>\n

1<\/p>\n

Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek<\/p>\n

3:13:17<\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Hesters (Bel) Liv AlUla Jayco<\/p>\n

0:00:03<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

Solbj\u00f8rk Minke Anderson (Den) EF Education-Oatly<\/p>\n

Row 2 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

Katja Verkerk (Can) Minimax Cycling Team<\/p>\n

Row 3 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

Mia Gjertsen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility<\/p>\n

Row 4 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Alison Jackson (Can) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93<\/p>\n

Row 5 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Erja Giulia Bianchi (Ita) Canyon\/\/Sram Zondacrypto Generation<\/p>\n

Row 6 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

8<\/p>\n

Lonneke Uneken (Ned) Volkerwessels<\/p>\n

Row 7 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

9<\/p>\n

Lucinda Brand (Ned) Lidl-Trek<\/p>\n

Row 8 – Cell 2 <\/p>\n

10<\/p>\n

Alicia Gonzalez Blanco (Spa) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93<\/p>\n

0:00:07<\/p>\n

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