Floortje Mackaij leads home Movistar one-two at Vuelta CV Feminas
Liane Lippert finishes second as Movistar's two new recruits from DSM see flying start with Spanish squad.
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Dutchwoman Floortje Mackaij scored solo victory in her first race in a Movistar jersey at the Vuelta CV Feminas.
The 27-year-old attacked out of a small group to come to the Valencia finishline 32 seconds ahead of teammate Liane Lippert and Zaaf Cycling racer Nikola Nosková.
The result sees Movistar’s off-season transfer tactics deliver big after both Mackaij and Lippert joined the Spanish squad from Team DSM this winter.
“I couldn’t ask for a better start of the season,” Mackaij said. “This is why I like cycling. Since winter I’m super happy with the team, in training everything has been going well, and I couldn’t wish for a better start.”
Mackaij’s victory opens Movistar’s 2023 account on home roads in what will be a pivotal season as Annemiek van Vleuten rides toward retirement at the end of the year.
The race came down to a bunch of five as early as midway through the race.
The group escaped on the major climb of the race and pulled together to grow a good gap over the bunch before Mackaij made her winning move inside the final 10km.
Nosková was marked out by Mackaij’s Movistar teammate Lippert when the Czech went off in pursuit. Lippert put the power down in the final straight to finish second and deliver her new team some early season bragging rights.
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