Kasia Niewiadoma pointed at her heart: “It’s just the moment that decides about the victory … not like planning and waiting for a certain hill or whatever. But just you feel it somewhere here … you go, and then I think that’s the best.” A simple explanation for a solo 50-kilometer breakaway that netted her WM3’s first ever win in a World Tour race.
Niewiadoma came into sight all alone in Kettering’s Yard market area, punching the air. Almost two whole minutes later Marianne Vos made it a 1-2 for the Dutch team in the sprint, and wheeled to a delighted halt beside the Polish champion.
As Alice Barnes explained, the wind didn’t cause quite the impact that was expected and the reason for Niewiadoma’s great escape succeeding was down to the big teams all looking at each other. In a long week, everyone tries to save energy. Boels-Dolmans, Wiggle-High 5, Liv-Plantur and Canyon-SRAM engaged in a high-stakes game of ‘First to blink loses’ … and they all lost.
WM3 had made a plan to turn things up after the bonus sprint, expecting a sidewind, but cancelled the plan when they hit a headwind. Niewiadoma got bored and tried something herself.
Daventry town centre was crammed for the roll-out, a riot of colour and noise.
And then a moment of stillness and quiet to remember the victims of recent terrorist outrages. Helmets removed, sunglasses taken off, journalists standing silent, photographers lowering their cameras.
The neutralised zone took in a parade lap around the centre and then out into the countryside. I drove out to Rockingham to see the Queen of the Mountains climb, taken out by Aurdey Cordon-Ragot, before turning south again to the finish in Kettering.
We started hearing reports of a major crash, with riders stretchered to hospital. There were a whole host of abandons, Georgia Baker was ill and had a crash; Doris Schweizer was in her civvies in the team car park by the time I pulled in to the finish, dropping out unwell.
The day belonged to the Plish national champion, however: “When I attacked, I wasn’t really thinking … I expected that someone would join me. Unfortunately, I was there alone.”
“I was kind of really motivated to keep pushing, and all this time, I was thinking about the girl from my (Breast Cancer Care) ribbon. Somehow I felt a lot of energy from her that we can do it. It’s so crazy right now!”
Driving the off-course route, cutting through the village of West Haddon, the crowds were building, with schoolchildren and nursery classes prominent by the side of the road, something that struck a chord with Niewiadoma: “Wow! That’s so amazing. As I mentioned before I’m in the UK for the first time. So I didn’t know what to expect. I heard a lot of stories that it’s so great here. But it’s so nice, I really like it when you hear a lot of child(ren) and people screaming your name.
That was also crazy because actually I feel like I am in a small Poland here because there are so many Polish people. Its just crazy really, I saw a lot of Polish flags. People are so into cycling here.”
Alice Barnes was asked if she thought the GC battle was over already; Niewiadoma was sitting in the front row of the press conference room waiting to take her place in front of the media, and she shouted out: “Yes!”
We’ll see.