The cobblestones WWT season begins in Drenthe
After the suspension of Strade Bianche as a preventive measure against the expansion of coronavirus, the first European race of the Women's WorldTour will be Bevrijdingsronde van Drenthe, which will also be the first to compute for the combined classification of cobblestones 2020.
This beautiful Dutch classic has been held since 2007. During the 160 km route, cyclists will have to face 8 cobbled sections and three climbs to Van Berg, the characteristic climb of the race. The wind, on the other hand, is usually an important factor, and the race is usually broken into pieces far from the finish line.
Last year Marta Bastianelli (1200) beat Chantal Blaak (600) in a tight sprint. Although Marianne Vos (1200) has been the winner of the race three times (2011, 2012 and 2013), she is a serious doubt this 2020, as she is recovering from surgery in the groin. Other winners in Drenthe still active are Amy Pieters (1200) (2018), Amalie Dideriksen (600) (2017), Chantal Blaak (600) (2016), Jolien d'Hoore (1000) (2015) and Elisabeth Deignan (1200) (2014).