It was SD Worx and Demi Vollering who deserved their victory in Wednesday's Brabantse Pijl. The Dutchwoman won solo from the 10km mark to grab her first win of the year.

But Canyon-SRAM also made up the race, with Pauliena Roijackers putting Vollering at the front of the race.

But Kasia Niewiadoma proved to be the strongest chasing group behind Vollering, dropping Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) on the final hill in Ovelaise and then pushing past Rian Lippert (Team DSM) on the finish straight.

Paul is still looking for his first win since 2019, but the podium finish (his best of the year so far) was a welcome boost ahead of the Walloon Classic, La Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

"It's nice to feel like I'm there, able to fight, able to aim for the podium. To get a podium for the team is a nice reward for everyone," he said after the grueling race, which took him through 23 hills in an unexpected rain storm. [Especially after the Amstel Gold Race. I think today's race allowed me to regain my mental approach, attack, take responsibility for the race, and show early on that I belong among the best in the world."

Niwiadma, who has won Amstel in the past and has been on the podium in Flèche and Liège, said she and her teammates were committed to an attack race from the start. In Sunday's Amstel Gold Race, she finished fifth in the chase group behind winner Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope).

"Everyone on the team was committed to racing. 'We learned some lessons from Amstel and we wanted to race differently today. With Pauliena up front, we were able to play differently and create opportunities for the team to get results.

"Pauliena's attack was perfect. Paulyena's attack was perfect. When we caught Pauliena, the DSM players didn't want to work.

Niewiadoma, who will lead the team in next week's Ardennes Classic to close out the spring campaign, said he ran on instinct rather than special tactics to do his best behind Vollering in the final.

"Going into the last kilometer, I wanted to plan a strategy, but I went with my gut. I thought, 'Lippert might come back.' I thought Lippert might come around me, but when I turned around and saw her face I knew I was good to go."