Aurela Nerlo, a prestigious second place

Mar 2, 2025, 02:38 AM

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Photo credit : Quentin Photographie BE

Winspace Orange Seal's first World Tour podium has arrived! Aurela Nerlo finished second this Saturday in the Omloop Nieuwsblad, the prestigious Belgian opening classic. "I'm happy, it's my first podium on this level competition. My last international podium was in 2019, on a 2.2 race. Here, it's a very special feeling," she said.

"It was a very good plan to go in the breakaway"

The Polish rider slipped into the first breakaway at the beginning of the race. The gap grew and exceeded 13 minutes with 60 kilometers to go. Enough to allow the five leading riders to approach the final in the best possible way. It was in the Muur van Geerardsbergen, the legendary climb of the race, that Aurela Nerlo and Lotte Claes, the future winner, definitively isolated themselves at the front. "I think that collaborating with Lotte in the final was the right option to go as first to the finish".

Despite the big gap, more than 3 minutes in the last 10 km, Aurela Nerlo had trouble believing that the breakaway would go all the way. "I knew that the peloton was chasing, that we had a big gap but our advantage decreased gradually. I really believed it with three kilometers to go. So it was a very good plan to go in the breakaway, I thank Damien (Pommereau, sport director) for this !".

"I would not have believed it!"

After trying to distance her rival in the last kilometer, Aurela Nerlo took the second place on the finish line. It's a mixed feeling but satisfaction predominates. "Of course, victory was very close but I think I did everything I could. If someone had told me before the race that I would finish second, I would not have believed it!". This day of March 1st 2025 will for sure remain in her memory. "It's a special feeling to receive so many congratulations from the public and requests for autographs after the podium. It's something new for me!".

This result on the first main classic of the season reflects a good start of the season for Winspace Orange Seal, already visible during the Spanish races in the past weeks. "We have now to continue to be ambitious for the future". The team, including Aurela Nerlo, will ride Omloop van het Hageland on Sunday.

Ranking :

Aurela Nerlo : 2nd

Marie-Morgane Le Deunff : 68th

Constance Valentin : 92nd

Kiara Lylyk : 93rd