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6th podium of the season: Thalita de Jong 2nd in Dwars door het Hageland

Thalita de Jong (30) finished second in Dwars door het Hageland. The race, characterized by 14 unpaved sections, is already the sixth podium finish of the season for de Jong.
08 June 2024
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In the women's edition of the Elmos Dwars door het Hageland, the riders had to cover 128.3 kilometers. They encountered 14 unpaved sections and the cobbled climb of the Citadel of Diest three times. In the first lap on the local circuit in Diest, the peloton broke apart and about 40 riders gained a 45-second lead. "It was quite a hectic race," says Thalita de Jong. "Understandably so, the gravel sections followed each other quickly, and it was always a fight to stay well-positioned. I deliberately stayed a bit back, but that meant I got caught behind crashes or dropped riders a few times. That’s the risk you take, of course. I also felt that everyone was physically and mentally drained after a while."

Dwars door het Hageland was ultimately decided on the final climb of the Citadel of Diest. Lucinda Brand won, Thalita de Jong finished a commendable second, adding a sixth podium finish to her season. "I didn’t have the freshest legs, and it had already been two weeks since I last raced. In the finale, Sterre (Vervloet) and Fauve (Bastiaenssen) constantly stayed at the front, although the course made real teamwork difficult. However, in the final kilometer, Fauve brought me all the way to the front. Then it was just a matter of catching Mischa Bredewold, who was still attacking. I managed that, but in the last 50 meters, Lucinda Brand passed me on the inside corner. I could have won, but I guess I’m still too nice (laughs). That makes it a bit bittersweet. This is a missed opportunity, but at the same time, I’m actually quite happy with what I showed today."

 

Picture: PhotoNews