OPENINGThe women's IXINA Leeuw-Oetingen p/b Lotto, a 140 km 1.Pro one-day race, started for the second year running in the neighbouring town of Sint-Pieters-Leeuw and finished, as tradition demands, in Oetingen. After a long run-in the race tackled a 12 km finishing circuit five times, each lap featuring two cobbled sectors and the short, sharp Zavelberg (0.6 km at 6.5%), whose summit sat less than three kilometres from the line and offered an obvious launchpad for a late attack. Despite that climb, the race profile favoured a fast finisher, and Lorena Wiebes started as the clear top favourite.

UNFOLDSThere was no early breakaway. The peloton stayed together until crosswinds split the field into several echelons after around 60 km, but the riders caught out behind were soon able to regroup. As the finishing circuits ticked down the pace stayed high and the bunch was steadily thinned. Cleo Kiekens (Citymesh - Customm) tried to slip away solo but could not hold off the chase, and a two-up move from Anneke Dijkstra (VolkerWessels) and Marta Lach (SD Worx - Protime) was also reeled in, leaving the race set up for a sprint from a reduced group.

DECIDEDThe decisive moment came on the final ascent of the Zavelberg. With a mass sprint looking likely, Wiebes chose not to wait and instead accelerated over the climb, taking the race by surprise. She could not get clear alone — Fleur Moors, the 20-year-old Belgian of Lidl - Trek, was the only rider able to latch onto her wheel as the pair opened a gap on the run to the line.

FINALEWhat looked like becoming a bunch kick turned into a sprint à deux. Wiebes and Moors stayed clear off the top of the Zavelberg, and in the two-up sprint the Dutch national champion won decisively, claiming her third Oetingen victory and a more attacking win than her previous two. Eleven seconds back, Megan Jastrab (UAE Team ADQ) won the bunch sprint for third ahead of Ilse Pluimers (AG Insurance - Soudal) at +0:12, with Lach completing a strong SD Worx day in fifth.