OPENINGThe fourth edition of the Antwerp Port Epic Ladies ran out-and-back from Antwerp over a gravel-heavy parcours featuring roughly forty unpaved sectors, the women's curtain-raiser the day before the men's race on the Whit weekend that turns the province of Antwerp into a hub of international women's racing. There was no early breakaway in the opening phase; only after more than an hour of racing did a two-rider move finally get clear, Anneke Dijkstra (VolkerWessels) and Femke Markus (Team SD Worx-Protime) taking the initiative. Markus then crashed, but was able to continue and, after a short chase, rejoined Dijkstra at the front.

UNFOLDSAs the leading duo pressed on, the peloton behind thinned rapidly on the unpaved sectors. At around halfway the first part of the bunch — some 35 riders — bridged across to Dijkstra and Markus, and the catch immediately triggered fresh attacks, including a dig from Marie Schreiber. SD Worx-Protime were the most active team throughout; getting clear was difficult, but the relentless high tempo steadily distanced more riders until only around twenty remained at the front.

DECIDEDFrom that select group of roughly twenty, Markus attacked again with 26 km to go, this time going alone. She opened a gap immediately and kept extending it, helped considerably by her SD Worx-Protime teammates sitting on and disrupting the chase behind. The move was decisive: Markus would not be brought back.

FINALEMarkus rode clear all the way to the line in Antwerp to take her second professional victory, her first since winning Leiedal Koerse four years earlier. Around 1m23s later, the reduced chase group arrived, and SD Worx-Protime made it a clean sweep as Marta Lach won the sprint for second ahead of teammate Femke Gerritse in third. Letizia Borghesi (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Lily Williams (Human Powered Health) led the rest of that group home for fourth and fifth at the same time.