Marta Bastianelli triumphs at Omloop van Het Hageland

Marta Bastianelli of Alé Cipollini took her first win of 2016 Sunday at Belgium’s Omloop van het Hageland.

The 28-year-old Italian, winner of the 2007 world championship road race, was the first across the line in a reduced sprint. Liv – Plantur’s Leah Kirchmann earned runner-up honors, while Lotta Lepistö of Cervélo – Bigla took third.

The 129.1km event saw plenty of aggressive racing throughout the day, with one move after another going off the front and then getting reeled back in, but things came together for a sprint finale in the end.

Lepistö led the sprint into the final 100 meters, but Bastianelli was able to overtake the Finnish champion to take the victory. Kirchmann pipped Lepistö at the line to nab second.

“I was in a really good position coming into the final and just told myself this is why I have been suffering all day and I can make it,” Lepistö said. “I was behind Tiffany Cromwell and she opened the sprint full gas, and I could see the finish line. I saw 250 meters to go and decided to go but it was too early. It was two seconds too early but I just had to keep going.”