Irish champion Lara Gillespie secured third place at A Travers les Hauts de France, finishing a demanding day of racing with another podium for UAE Team L’IMAD.
The 130.5-kilometre race from Quéant to Écourt-Saint-Quentin came down to a sprint. Dutch rider Nienke Veenhoven (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) took victory ahead of Belgian champion Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance – Soudal Team), with Gillespie completing the podium.
However, UAE Team L’IMAD had to work hard to put Gillespie back in contention after a dangerous move escaped late in the race.
UAE Team L’IMAD responds to late breakaway
UAE Team L’IMAD looked to control the race from the opening stages and remained active through the key moments.
Racing across exposed sections also brought echelons into play. With UAE Team L’IMAD competing with a reduced squad, Abigail Miller helped the team early by following several important moves.
The situation changed in the closing stages. A breakaway containing several strong riders gained a significant advantage, but UAE Team L’IMAD did not have a rider in the move.
With around 10 kilometres remaining, the team was forced to chase.
Jooris and Bäckstedt help bring Gillespie back
Febe Jooris and Elynor Bäckstedt took responsibility in the final kilometres, working to reduce the gap and bring Gillespie back into the front group.
Their effort succeeded, giving the Irish champion an opportunity to contest the finish. However, the energy required to close the move left the team with fewer resources for the final sprint.
Gillespie was then left to navigate the closing stages on her own and find the right wheel for the finish.
Despite the difficult build-up, she sprinted to third place, securing another podium for UAE Team L’IMAD.
Gillespie reflects on third-place finish
Gillespie admitted she had hoped for more from the race but highlighted the work of her teammates and the challenges the reduced squad faced.
“I’m a little disappointed with the result because I obviously wanted more today. We were racing with a reduced team, and that made a difference, especially with the echelons and the hard open sections. Abigail Miller did a great job in the first part of the race, following some of the key moves. Unfortunately, we also didn’t have anyone in the breakaway that went clear in the final 10 kilometres.
Visma were attacking throughout the whole day. I tried to close the gap, but unfortunately I couldn’t make it across. Elynor and Febe did a great job to bring the gap back and get me into the front group. At that point, though, I was on my own and was trying to find the right wheel for the sprint. Considering everything that happened, it’s still a good podium, although of course I would have liked to get more.”
The result gave Gillespie third behind Veenhoven and Bossuyt, completing a podium earned after UAE Team L’IMAD’s late effort to bring the race back together.
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