Lotta Lepistö kept the team’s progression up with another podium position in the first ever Pajot Hills Classic on Wednesday. After several attacks in the final, the race eventually came down to a sprint, won by Marianne Vos (Rabo Liv) ahead of Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans) and Lepistö.

The Finnish national champion explains how show she was boxed in with 400 metres to go and had to make up ground in the sprint. “We were boxed in and I had to make a quick decision. I made a move to take another wheel on the left side. The sprint was uphill and I just kept pushing all the way to the line.”

It was an active day for Lepistö who was also involved in a five rider breakaway with 15km to go. “There were lots of attacks but nothing went. When that move went I just went across immediately. My mindset today was ride as hard as you can, with no risk there is no result. We wanted a hard race today and didn’t want a sprint so I was covering attacks all the time. After 80 kilometres my job was done but I still felt good. Carmen [Small] said to me lets go for the sprint.”

The race took place over 122,4 kilometres with 8 cobbled sections and five climbs. It was the inaugural edition of the event, ahead of Sunday’s iconic Tour of Flanders. Lepistö says the midweek race was good preparation and now boosts the confidence for Sunday. “It was good preparation to open the legs. I really suffered on Binda then last weekend I started feeling better and today was just super.”

Team manager, Thomas Campana commented, “It was a good result for us today. The race was very slow. We expected a harder final and our tactic was for a hard race. Lotta did a lot of work for the team before and the fact that she was still there at the end shows how strong she is. The girls really wanted to make it happen today and we went close. Now we will have three days of rest and make a good recovery and we will need a good plan for Sunday.”