The Belgian rider finished in second place after a strong performance from the entire team in Wevelgem
As she stood on the start line in Wevelgem on Sunday for In Flanders Fields, Fleur Moors knew she had one job: be in the breakaway. Her sports director, Ina Teutenberg, had been clear that the crucial moment of the race would come on the tough Kemmelberg climb, and it was the Belgian rider’s role to represent her team on the brutal cobbled slopes. Good positioning would be imperative when the race began to split up, and the entire Lidl-Trek squad knew this well.
Attacks came early as the peloton weaved through the Flandrian countryside, navigating gravel roads, cobblestones and tight corners. After riding collectively as a unit throughout the race, the team was ready when a group of 14 broke away on the Baneberg. Both Moors and sprinter Elisa Balsamo were part of it, working well together until the final ascent of the Kemmelberg. As Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) pushed hard over the cobbled climb, Moors dug deep to follow the wheel of the Dutch rider and a group of five was established.
For the last 35-kilometres of racing, the quintet held off a rapidly approaching bunch behind with Moors patiently waiting until the sprint to make her move. With Balsamo and the rest of the squad prepared behind in the peloton if the race came back together, Moors played a perfect tactical game, forcing Wiebes to close down attacks that came in the closing kilometres. Once the finish line was in sight, the 20-year-old opened up with an impressive turn of speed and narrowly finished in second place to Wiebes. It was the first WorldTour podium of Moors’ career and is a promising sign for the future of a talented Classics rider.
Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images
In Fleur's words
It’s my first WorldTour podium so I am really happy with it. The team was really strong today and we helped each other the whole day. I think we made steps with this which makes me really happy. Ina told me in the meeting I needed to be in the attack so I was saying to myself ‘I need to do it!’
She’s really good on the radio and is also the reason why I made it on to the podium. It’s so nice to have her. In the sprint, Wiebes was the favourite because she is the strongest. She showed that by also closing down the attacks from UAE, but it is still nice to come this close and we always need to believe that one day we can beat her.
