Le Samyn des Dames: Emma Norsgaard takes strong sprint win in Dour

Movistar Team are having a brilliant start to the season as they strike another win in Belgium, with Emma Norsgaard taking the win at Le Samyn des Dames after a hard race where only in the final meters did she manage to go through remnants of a late attack.

Early attacked Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) put the pressure on the peloton heading into the final part of the race, as attacks came in the final cobbled sectors. With 13 kilometers to go Alice Barnes put in a dig which saw the Valcar - Travel & Service-led peloton loose a lot of riders.

At the final time going up the Côte des Nonettes some more moves split the peloton but everything came back together ultimately. Taking advantage of the slow down in the pack Shrijn van Aanrooij attacked with Vittoria Guazzini in the wheel which seemed for brief moments to be the decisive attack. The duo didn't strike off a perfect collaboration though and were caught within the final kilometer as the uphill ramps in Dour saw the peloton accelerate.

Van Aanrooij committed to keep the move alive but in the final 200 meters last year's runner-up Emma Norsgaard blasted through the duo and managed to hold off an emerging Chiara Consonni to take her first win of the season. Vittoria Guazinni survived to finish third.