Press Conference:
RUTH WINDER
How special does it feel to win?
It feels really cool. It is a big race to win for me, and I’m still very excited by it, even if it was by a tiny amount and I didn’t have that ‘I’ve won a race’ feeling, because I didn’t get to celebrate on the line. So it feels different to the other races I’ve won, but it’s still really special.
It’s your first one-day win, so does that make it even more impressive?
Yes. Also just that it’s a Belgian classic on top of that. Obviously, it’s different this year with not so many fans, but it feels like bike racing in Belgium and the Netherlands is huge. It feels really cool, and people recognise you on the road and congratulate you and stuff.
So it means something more?
The fans are so into it. For me, bike racing is entertainment, it’s a sport. Of course I love it, but it’s also about how the more people can watch it, the better it is. The fans and the spectacle of sport alone is one of the reasons I love sport, so that’s really cool for me when people get excited about the race. The fact that it was so close made it stressful for me and Demi [Vollering], but it made it really exciting for all the fans.
What were the moments after the finish line like?
We crossed the line and Demi had celebrated. Demi celebrated so confidently that I just assumed she’d seen something. I had to go to the podium, one of the officials came over and said I was there for first place. I think I cried a little bit, then I did the TV interview, and then they told me I didn’t win again. I felt nauseous, for what felt like half an hour.
You wouldn’t want to repeat that?
It was a little painful, especially as I wouldn’t have been unhappy with second. I think I did everything I could in that race. Obviously I wanted to win, and winning felt really good and it meant a lot.
How did you make it into the front?
Annemiek van Vleuten attacked and was setting up Leah Thomas, on the climb about a kilometre from the finish of the circuit. We caught the girls that were up the road, and we were super motivated to work together and stayed clear.