Van der Breggen is already so strong shortly after her return: "I told Vollering: I’m not the youngest anymore, you know"

For someone who said before Strade Bianche that she probably lacked the intensity for such a tough race, Anna van der Breggen was surprisingly sharp on Saturday. The returning world-class rider was the only one able to stay with Demi Vollering in the final, in a direct duel between SD Worx-Protime’s former leader and the new one. Van der Breggen lost out on the brutally steep climb to the Piazza del Campo but was naturally satisfied with second place.

SD Worx-Protime had promised to attack, and they did just that. Femke Gerritse opened the finale, being the first to crest Le Tolfe on the final circuit. Vollering’s FDJ-SUEZ team was put on the defensive, but just like SD Worx-Protime, other teams also sent riders into the breakaway. That group—featuring Pauline Ferrand-Prévot of Visma | Lease a Bike as the most dangerous contender—built up a lead of a minute and a half.

FDJ-SUEZ had to chase and used the second ascent of Colle Pinzuto to cut a minute off the gap. Vollering powered over the top and looked to have dropped Van der Breggen, but a brief chain issue gave the latter a moment to recover. On Le Tolfe, Van der Breggen took the initiative herself, attacking on the steep descent. As a result, she had enough left at the top of the climb to respond to Vollering’s attack. The two of them rode together towards Siena.

Read more below the photo.

Vollering attacks after Le Tolfe, Van der Breggen follows

Van der Breggen moves forward with second place in Strade Bianche

That Vollering won was something Van der Breggen could accept. It was only her sixth race day since returning after three years away from the peloton. "I'm very satisfied with this result. This was an incredibly tough race, hectic from start to finish. Finishing second here gives me a lot of confidence for the future," she said contentedly. "Because this race was so grueling, I’m really happy that I could still do this so deep into the final. I would have never dared to think that beforehand."

Van der Breggen was able to conserve energy for a long time thanks to Gerritse being in the breakaway. And that was necessary, especially after Blanka Vas dropped out due to a flat tire. "My task was to try and follow if Demi, Elisa Longo-Borghini, or anyone else attacked. Before the final time up Le Tolfe, I knew I had to be at the front. There was no one ahead of me, so I could pick my own line on the descent. That’s why I dared to take it so fast. It was perfect because it allowed me to gain the advantage I needed for that climb."

The now 34-year-old Van der Breggen—who said she raced Omloop van het Hageland last week as training—saw the writing on the wall in the final. "She’s just a bit more explosive, and my legs weren’t feeling great anymore. The only thing I could do was start early and not wait for that explosive attack at the end. So, I made the first move. If I had had the legs, that would have been a great moment, but there was simply nothing more in the tank."

Read more below the photo.

Vollering vs Van der Breggen, we're going to see that a lot!

Van der Breggen suffered all day, and knew what was coming from Vollering

Overall, Van der Breggen enjoyed the race—except for the moments when she was truly suffering. Unexpected, surprising… those were the words that came to mind. And to think that after Trofeo Binda, she will head to an altitude training camp in preparation for the Ardennes Classics. "She’s actually ahead of where we had hoped she would be. The Ardennes Classics are the main goal, and this is a great dress rehearsal," said SD Worx-Protime team boss Danny Stam, full of amazement.

Now, let’s talk about that duel with Vollering—after their battle in the Tour of Valencia, this was one we had all been waiting for. "Demi wanted me to take turns after our attack, but I needed a moment before I could. I told her: 'I’m not the youngest anymore, you know!'" Van der Breggen laughed. "It was really special to race against each other because we know each other so well. We understand what the other is capable of, and that makes for good teamwork. At some point, I have to beat her, but so far, it’s been fun."

That might become a key factor moving forward. Because Van der Breggen and Vollering know each other so well, the more experienced of the two had a good idea of what was coming in the final stretch to Siena. "I know her strengths, but so does everyone. I mostly felt my legs, and if they get better, I’ll be able to beat her on climbs like this. Every top rider knows the strengths of their rivals. This was mainly a test, and physically, as well as in terms of racing in the peloton, I think this test was a success."

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