Eight days after Demi Vollering’s victory in the Tour of Flanders, the team continues to make history. This Sunday, Germany’s Franziska Koch won the sixth edition of Paris-Roubaix Women. Following a tactical finale, she beat Marianne Vos and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot in the sprint to claim the greatest victory of her career.
The race began to take shape 45 kilometres from the finish line in the legendary Mons-en-Pévèle section. Led by defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, an elite group broke away, including Marianne Vos, Blanka Vas and our German champion, Franziska Koch.
After shaking off the Hungarian rider 30 kilometres from the finish, Franziska found herself alone against the Visma-Lease a Bike duo. Despite being outnumbered, she showed great composure, letting her rivals set the pace for the most part so she could conserve her energy for the final showdown.
On the final lap, Franziska Koch managed to hold her position against the Visma duo. Forcing Marianne Vos to take the outside line, our German champion used her burst of speed to claim victory. Visibly moved, she thus secured the legendary cobblestone, a symbol of her first victory in a classic of this calibre.
This success is a reward for Franziska Koch’s exceptional consistency since the start of the year. Having already played a key role in the team’s victories at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Tour of Flanders, she also shone with a third-place finish at the Strade Bianche.
At the age of 25, the two-time German champion has reached a significant milestone and demonstrated the team’s collective strength.
Final result :
- Franziska Koch (FDJ UNITED-Suez)
- Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) m.t.
- Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike) m.t.