After missing out on her first win in five years, Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon SRAM) was left behind Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) in the Tour of Flanders.

The ever-positive Nieuwadma, never discouraged or heartbroken as she was in Strade Bianche, visibly improved her race form and was once again on top of the podium thanks to the world-class Lidl-Trek team performance.

Niewiadoma did his best on the final climb of the Paterberg alongside the Italian champion.

"I would be disappointed if I didn't feel like I had made progress or if I felt like I fell further behind in the final. It's very motivating to know that I'm getting stronger and that I was able to drop Demi and Lotte on the climbs," Nienyadoma told reporters after the race.

"Of course, it's something I've been chasing for a long time and I feel like, 'Oh shit, I wanted to win. But on the other hand, I feel like just seeing the other positives, such as improving my shape and improving my racing, motivates me not to give up and look for the next chance."

Niewiadoma's last win on the road was at the 2019 Women's Tour, some 1,753 days ago at this point. She also won the world title at the Gravel World Championships last fall. This spring, the Polish was right in the race for 2024.

She finished seventh in Omloop Het Nieuwblad, fourth in Strade Bianche, and was runner-up in Flanders today. He seems to be on the verge of his 19th win on the road.

"This is my first podium in Flanders. Honestly, I'm happy with how I'm feeling and how I've prepared so far. [Of course, it would have been great to win here. But I am on a very good path to win more races down the road.

Nieniadoma lost to Longo Borghini after she and teammate Shirin van Anlooy had a perfect run in the finale of the Oudenaarde.

But Nienyadoma did not think for a moment that the three would not contribute after they left SD Walks and the other favorites to win.

"I didn't think about not working," said Niewiadoma, with the championship firmly in mind.

"I didn't think about running for second or third place. I was thinking, 'I just need to get on the podium,' but that quickly changed to, 'No, I'm here to win the race.'"

Niewiadoma and Longo Borghini crossed the junction to Van Unrooy at Patelberg with 12 km to go, and from there to the final straight at Oudenaarde, with the chase group including Marianne Vos (Vimaris a Bike) and SD Walks stars maintained a close gap between them and the rest of the field.

"I knew that if I ran, I had a better chance of getting a sprint win with 100m to go than if I tried to win and Vives, Lotte (Kopecky), and (Silvia) Persico were caught by a second group faster than me," Nieuwadma said on Wednesday. She said she took her cue from Vos' aggressive race at Doire de Flenderen.

"I think in racing you have to be invested if you want to win. I think Marianne Vos gave the best example of that by winning at Dwars door Hlaanderen. I feel like I can only play this game with three teammates behind me."

Niewiadoma was the only Canyon-SRAM rider to participate in the exhilarating finale. However, she did not blame her team for the misfortunes of other top riders, including Chloe Dygert (who crashed twice in Koppenberg).

"It was a very hard, hectic and dangerous race. So I am happy that as a team we were able to find each other in all this madness.

"I think we are a strong team and we just need to be patient. With more experience and a little more luck we can turn things around."

Niewiadoma was especially grateful for his position in front of the peloton on the Koppenberg climb, which allowed him to run the grueling 600-meter cobblestone climb without having to walk, something all but two riders in the 2023 event had to do.

"As we knew from last year, the Koppenberg was a very important mountain. The approach to that climb was insane, to be honest. [It was a big success to be in the top 10 and to make it all the way up there without having to walk.

Niewiadoma's next chance to break her unbeaten record comes in 2019 at the Amstel Gold Race, which she has won in the past. It's a great opportunity for the Polish rider, who seems to be in the best shape she has ever been in, while Vollering, a dominant force in the Ardennes, looks far from her best.

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