A committed team ride and incredible lead-out, as Team Picnic PostNL and Charlotte Kool win in Baloise Ladies Tour

Team Picnic PostNL’s Women’s program secured a brilliant victory on Thursday afternoon, where a great team ride set-up Charlotte Kool for the fast finale, who duly powered to the sprint win in Knokke-Heist

Starting the race off well in the prologue the previous evening, Team Picnic PostNL set out their stall early on Thursday’s road stage where they looked to battle for the win in the sprint finish. Taking control of the peloton throughout the day with one of the big sprint favourite’s in their ranks, the team helped bring back the early break and policed the counter attacks that followed. Anchoring any moves and ensuring that nothing went clear, it all came down to the expected sprint finish. Biding their time, the team changed forward in the closing two kilometres with an incredible pull from Franziska Koch leading the team under the flamme rouge and through the last corner. From there, Rachele Barbieri took over and upped the pace once more, before Kool launched from her wheel with the ramp to the line in sight. Giving everything she had to the finish, Kool stamped on the pedals and held off the fast finishing Consonni, to take a brilliant stage win. With that result, she and Team Picnic PostNL move into the race lead going into Friday’s stage.

Click here for quotes from Kool and coaching staff.