The Baloise Ladies Tour got underway yesterday evening, with a fast 2.6km prologue around the streets of Vlissingen in the Netherlands. Team dsm-firmenich’s Charlotte Kool used her power and sprinting prowess to take the win.
After a successful campaign at the race last year, Team dsm-firmenich riders were determined to do the same in 2023 and they certainly started with a bang. Strong early rides were then followed by Kool, who was the third rider down the ramp for the team. Using all of the power and speed that has been honed in her sprint training, plus a well-thought out plan by the team’s experts, Kool was able to blast around the fast street circuit, topping the timing charts with an effort of three minutes and eight seconds. A nervous wait followed, as more than half the bunch still had to go, but try as they may, no-one was able to beat her time. Eventually, when all riders were finished, Kool was able to celebrate taking a brilliant first win in the brand-new Team dsm-firmenich colours.
Speaking after the finish Kool said: “I know this course really well as our holiday home is close by, so some good memories on this boulevard helped make me fly today. With the team, we also made some crucial decisions about the wind conditions which made a big difference, so that really helped me too. I’m really proud to get the first win in the new colours today!”
