Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling’s Jolien D’hoore dominated proceedings at the Belgian Omnium Championships at the Vlaamse Wielercentrum Eddy Merckx, in her hometown of Gent, East Flanders, to take the National title for a third successive year. The 24-year-old, who is also the Belgian Champion on the road, won the first five events to virtually guarantee herself overall victory, but an extraordinary performance in the final Points Race meant that she finished with an incredible total of 310 points.
Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro Duo Ridley’s Lotte Kopecky took the silver medal with 267 points, having finished second to D’hoore in all six events, while a good Points Race from Lotto-Soudal’s Molly Meyvisch saw her secure the bronze medal with 198.
“The racing went well obviously,” D’hoore smiled. “I had a ten-day rest period and I’m only two weeks back into training. I’ve been doing a lot of gym sessions in the last weeks and that is paying off right now. I’m feeling myself faster and stronger than before.”
After new teammates Chloe Hosking and Giorgia Bronzini’s performances in the Mitchelton Bay Crits in Australia, D’hoore is another rider to have started her 2015 campaign with a victory. The Belgian champion’s next target will be her first race with her new Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling teammates at the Ladies’ Tour of Qatar from the 3rd of February, followed by the Track World Championships, which will begin on the 18th.
“Now I need to work on my endurance to get ready for the Worlds in Paris and of course for the road season which already starts in Qatar,” D’hoore confirmed. “Seeing the results of my teammates gives me motivation to work even harder.
“They’ve had an amazing start of the season and I can’t wait to race with them and meet them,” she added. “Together we will be hard to beat!”
Result
1. Jolien D’hoore (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling)
2. Lotte Kopecky (Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro Duo Ridley)
3. Molly Meyvisch (Lotto-Soudal)
