Daria Pikulik, representing Human Powered Health, clinched an impressive second-place finish in the grueling one-day cycling race, Omloop van Borsele. The victory, however, belonged to Dutch cyclist Sofie Van Rooijen of VolkerWessels. The fiercely contested race saw a neck-and-neck battle among the leading trio, with Van Rooijen narrowly edging out Pikulik and British cyclist Elynor Backstedt from Lidl-Trek.
Challenging Conditions and Strategic Racing
The 133 km flat route belied the challenging conditions faced by the cyclists, with cold temperatures and strong winds. These factors fragmented the peloton, resulting in small groups of riders crossing the finish line with significant time gaps. Out of over 130 starters, a mere 74 managed to complete the race. Pikulik’s sister, Wiktoria Pikulik, also representing Human Powered Health, finished 39th with a time gap of 7 minutes and 17 seconds.
Pikulik’s stellar performance in the Omloop van Borsele follows her recent endeavors in Canadian track competitions, where she vied for Olympic qualification, securing a commendable fourth place in the omnium event. Prior to this, on April 1st, she showcased her prowess in Belgium by clinching victory in the Ronde de Mouscron race with a spectacular finishing sprint.