La Course 2019: Marianne Vos powers to victory

After two editions in the high mountains, this year's La Course is a hilly out-and-back race in Pau. Marianne Vos gobbles up Amanda Spratt on a steep ramp inside the last 500 metres and powers to the win. Leah Kirchmann and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig round out the podium. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results La Course 2019

1. Marianne Vos (nld)
2. Leah Kirchmann (can) + 0.03
3. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (den) s.t.
4. Lucinda Brand (nld) + 0.04
5. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (rsa) + 0.06
6. Elisa Longo Borghini (ita) s.t.
7. Annemiek van Vleuten (nld) + 0.07
8. Soraya Paladin (ita) s.t.
9. Ane Santesteban (spa) s.t.
10. Anna van der Breggen (nld) s.t.

Race report
The lead group takes shape at kilometre 6. Korevaar, De Vuyst, Chabbey, Noskova, Ryan, Lippert, Cordon Ragot, Muzic, Manly, Roy and Canuel open up a gap of 1.30 minutes before Manly drops back. The other riders widen the gap to 1.45 minutes.

Cordon-Ragot goes after them with two laps to go. She gobbles up the lead group, but she is brought back when Van Vleuten accelerates on the Côte de Gelos. Twenty riders go with the Giro Rosa champion.

Jasinska goes alone at 40 kilometres from the finish. Van der Breggen brings her back and forges on with seven riders in her wheel. More riders come across before Paladin, Brand, Moolman, Ludwig and Spratt open up a gap. When the others are brought back just before the steep Rue Mulot Spratt pushes on alone.

Spratt widens the gap to 30 seconds before Vos and Brand go after her inside the last 14 kilometres. Van Vleuten, Paladin and Ludwig rejoin the duo, while the peloton makes it back a little later.

Vos brings Spratte back on the steep Rue Mulot and pushes on hard. She wins the race 3 seconds ahead of Leah Kirchmann and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.

Another interesting read: route La Course 2019.