La Course 2019 result: Marianne Vos stuns Amanda Spratt to clinch victory after late burst
The Australian Spratt had been leading after a long solo attack and looked set to earn the biggest win of her career, but she faltered on the final gruelling climb
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
The great Marianne Vos burst past Amanda Spratt in a stunning late surge to win La Course for the second time.
The Australian Spratt had been leading after a long solo attack and looked set to earn the biggest win of her career, but she faltered on the final gruelling climb as Vos zipped past and gave in. Canada’s Leah Kirchmann finished second, with the popular Dane Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig third.
It was a typically well-timed assault by Vos, who won the first La Course in 2015 and now matches her Dutch compatriot Annemiek van Vleuten with two La Course titles. She produced similar eye-catching surges at the Giro Rosa earlier this month where she won four of the 10 stages.
“When I saw it came down, on the climb, I knew I had the legs,” she said afterwards. ”I feel really good, I came with good motivation out of the Giro Rosa. It’s a very special feeling.”
Britain’s Lizzie Deignan was still working her way back to full speed after taking time out of the sport to give birth last year, and battled mechanical problems including a puncture as she finished 77th.
The race, a one-day event every year except 2017, remains a controversial format, with Tour de France organisers ASO accused of making only a token effort as it plays second fiddle to the Tour stage on the same day.
“It’s stagnated, probably,” Deignan said. “We’re obviously not moving forward, it’s still one day, but it’s not going backwards. It’s got its place in the calendar and we take advantage of the platform it gives us, the media that are here, and take the positives from it. That’s all we can do really.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments