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Koch pips Vos to win Paris-Roubaix Femmes / Photo: © POOL/AFP
Koch pips Vos to win Paris-Roubaix Femmes
German Franziska Koch edged out cycling great Marianne Vos to win the Paris-Roubaix Femmes one-day classic race on Sunday.
The 25-year-old claimed the biggest victory of her career as she managed to outfox Visma-Lease-a-bike teammates Vos and last year's champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot in a three-up sprint to the line.
Ferrand-Prevot had tried to set up her illustrious teammate for the victory, but Koch launched her sprint first and held off Vos by half a wheel to win.
It was a cruel defeat for former world and Olympic champion Vos, whose father died just over a week ago.
Four riders had broken clear with 45km to ride of the gruelling 143km-long cobbled classic.
Hungarian Blanka Vas was dropped after an acceleration by Vos, which also briefly distanced her teammate.
Ferrand-Prevot was struggling to keep up but dug in to reach the famous old velodrome in Roubaix alongside Vos and Koch.
She tried to lead out the sprint to help Vos, but Koch proved too strong.
W.Carter--SFF
