AG Insurance - Soudal to Ronde van Vlaanderen

Letizia Borghesi and Kim Le Court-Pienaar spearhead our team for the 23rd edition of the Belgian Monument.

First held in 2004, the Ronde van Vlaanderen Women is one of the hallmark races of the spring. Defined by its many steep cobbled climbs, some of them having legendary status, De Ronde is a huge event for both riders and fans, who create an incredible atmosphere on the hills as the peloton passes by.

Starting and finishing in Oudenaarde, the race is played out in the Flemish Ardennes, where the riders will tackle a total of nine climbs, including the Koppenberg, the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg. The last of these, coming inside the final 14 kilometers, is short but incredibly difficult, and after 150 kilometers can make a big difference and spark what could turn out to be the race-winning move.

Last season, Kim Le Court-Pienaar became the first African rider in seven years to finish in the top ten at De Ronde after an incredibly strong ride that netted her fifth place in Oudenaarde. Now, the Mauritian Champion returns at the start together with a solid AG Insurance - Soudal squad that also features Letizia Borghesi, Shari Bossuyt - one of the most consistent riders of this season in the one-day races - Belgian Champion Justine Ghekiere, Marthe Goossens, and Ilse Pluimers.

Sports manager Jolien D’hoore is confident in this team’s chances of doing a strong race, playing a big role on Sunday, and getting a good result: “The route is pretty much the same, only the first loop has changed massively compared to last year. The final part is identical to what we are used to, which means the race dynamics will be the same, so we know what to expect. We have a very good team. Marthe and Ilse are in a strong shape and ready to support the team. Shari and Justine have a good chance of featuring in the finale, while Kim and Letizia showed last year they can be there after a hard race. We have more cards to play on Sunday and we are looking forward to what is the best race of the season.”