Today was the Holland Hills, aka ParkHotel Rooding Hills Classic, a great race that includes 4 ascents of the Cauberg - but while the racing was excellent, there's bad news from Holland, as early reports indicate superstar Marianne Vos has fractured her collarbone.
Her crash happened early in the race - she and Sharon Laws (AA Drink-Leontien.nl) were out in a 2- woman break, when apparently a race motorbike got in the way, taking Vos down. Vos got back up (this IS Vos, after all!) and not only caught Laws, but stayed out ahead all day, coming second behind her team-mate Annemiek van Vleuten, who had caught the escape pair in the final 15km.
It's bad news for Vos, who will probably now miss the Spanish races Durango-Durango and Emakumeen Bira, as well as the upcoming Dutch Tour, RaboSter Zeeuwsche Eilanden - although hopefully it won't affect her two big goals of the year - the Olympics and the Worlds.
Here's hoping Marianne heals fast and well.
Holland Hills results
1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Rabobank, 02:31:18
2. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank, s.t.
3. Sharon Laws (GBr) AA Drink-Leontien.nl, s.t.
4. Emma Pooley (GBr) AA Drink-Leontien.nl, + 00:15
5. Chantal Blaak (Ned) AA Drink-Leontien.nl, + 01:47
6. Lucinda Brand (Ned) AA Drink-Leontien.nl, s.t.
7. Adrie Visser (Ned) Skil-Argos, + 02:22
8. Shelley Olds (USA) AA Drink-Leontien.nl, s.t.
9. Annelies van Doorslaer (Bel) Kleo Ladies Team, s.t.
10. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Fra) Rabobank, s.t.