Pim Ligthart and Marianne Vos win 2011 Netherland National Road Championships
Vacansoleil – DCM team’s Pim Ligthart won 2011 Netherland National Road Championships in Ootmarsum on Sunday, June 26.
The 23-year-old Dutch professional cyclists easily beat Bram Tankink of Rabobank Proteam. Reinier Honig of the Landbouwkrediet team came in the third spot.
Floris Goesinnen (Drapac - Porsche Cycling), Bauke Mollema (Rabobank ProTeam) and Rob Ruijgh (Vacansoleil - DCM) were in fourth, fifth and sixth place, respectively.
After winning the race, Pim told the media, "When we went into the last corner, I knew I was going to be champion, it was a very nervous race with an early escape. I knew that the wrong Rabos were in the group and that they would counter.”
Recently, Pim took the first place in Hel van het Mergelland and grabbed the third spot in Clasica de Almeria.
Lars Boom (Rabobank ProTeam) was in good form, but he was unable to maintain his pace and grabbed the 18th spot ahead of Pim De Beer (Cyclingteam Jo Piels) and Arne Hassink (Test Team Raiko - Argon 18).
At the beginning of the race, Vacansoleil-DCM team was in the front of the race with strong cyclists. Lieuwe Westra was the first rider who was joined by three cyclists, which included Joost van Leijen, Ruijgh and Pim Ligthart.
With few kilometres to go, Leijen maintained his pace with Pieter Weening and build a gap of 1.5 minute. After few kilometres both of them were caught and a six-man group was formed including Bauke Mollema, Bram Tankink, Rob Ruijgh, Ligthart, Floris
Goesinnen and Reinier Honig.
All of them worked together and build a lead over the peloton, but with the help of his team-mate, Ligthart crossed the finish-line ahead of other cyclists.
Pim further added, “The whole year the team told me that I could win this race. At one point you start believing it even though this is my first pro year, it still feels unreal having the jersey; I have to thank Ruijgh and the whole team. I am looking
forward seeing these guys in the Tour.”
In the women category, Marianne Vos won the 2011 Netherland National Road Championships. Vos covered a distance of 135 kilometres with a timing of 3 hours, 27 minutes and 9 seconds.
Irene Van Den Broek (AA Drink - Leontien.nl) was the runner-up and Chantal Blaak (AA Drink - Leontien.nl) was in the third spot.
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