Here it is! The first PT Cobbled Classics of the year. The Belgian roads of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad has always filtered out the weak from the strong over the numerous cobbled sectors, and I would expected the exactly the same in this edition.
192 riders lined up on the start line in Gent, many relishing the challenge ahead, whilst others will be hoping just to make it to the finish without their bones being rattled to pieces.
The first attacks came shortly after the flag drop and were sadly not captured by the TV cameras at the front of the race. Present in the initial breakaway were:
Planckaert Bar Kalf Van der Sande Andersen Eaton Cullaigh Gallego Martin
As the escapees gap opened to over 1 minute, there was a sudden attack by Bridges, who must have had instruction from his team manager to get up the road.
Sadly, he would just sit in no man's land for nearly 20km, only getting as close as 20 seconds off the break, but eventually fatigue would get the better of him, and he would be brought back into the main pack.
Over the first cobbled section and the back of the peleton was in tatters! Riders were everywhere on the road. No favourites, so no panic for the teams, but many domestiques that were clearly chosen to help out more than this...
Well here is your reason for the peleton being destroyed behind. Carlsberg, Gazelle, Swisslion and Volvo were clearly not happy with the size of the break up the road, and were driving hard on the front. Something going to break soon - either break will be caught or the peleton will self-destruct and there will be no one left to support come the finish.
Well here is the answer - hard push in the peleton means hard push in the break, as the gap sat at 1'30". Over the subsequent cobbles sections, would see the end for many in the break. Kalf and Gallego Martin would be the first to crack, with Andersen and Cullaigh following shortly.
The aforementioned pace of the peleton would see an early finish for a handful of riders. Back in their team cars after less than 50km were:
Olei Fiorelli Schomber Benito
Puncture for Benoot! He might not be a favourite of the day, but he is the leader for Fablok. No one comes to help from the team, but he is luckily still in the cars so joins back in the peleton with only small amount of energy wasted.
55km to go, and Van der Sande goes pop in the break. Every cobbled section was a battle for the Farfetch rider, and it was impressive to see him last this long!
5km later on from Van der Sande going bang, the rest of the break was pulled back in. Only Planckaert was setting any pace, and the workload of one is always going to lose out to the peleton of around 50 riders.
Is this a sign of intent or is it just staying out of trouble? 45km to go, and as the peleton attack a group of 5 cobbled sections in a 16km stretch, Sam Bewley is driving the pace on the front. Senechal was in close proximity, along with the likes of Wisniowski, Stallaert and many other favourites.
The peleton however was slowly whittling down, as more and more riders went out the back. Some domestiques with jobs completed, but some where some shock names for this stage of the race... Thomas? Gone! Bush? Gone! Fenn? Gone as well! Van Avermaet - sadly the legs have not longer got it...
With 40km remaining, just 15 riders remained in what was now the lead group on the road. Two favourites had domestiques for company, but everyone else was only their own:
Sorry to say, if your rider isn't here, they aren't in contention for the finish...
First move of the favourites and it is Ferreira! 30km to go and the Campari man isn't waiting to the finish to show his colours.
Sadly, the attack is pulled back by Tinkoff, but it is the end of Sulimov's support for Senechal. As the lead group slows again, time for Wisniowski to give his chance a go.
25km to go, and the Polish rider quickly open up a gap of 35 seconds over the favourites, who struggled to organise their chase.
No one is wanting to work with Bewley, so he is having to do it all himself! His pace enough to see the back of Pedersen and Stallaert in the group, but the gap to Wisniowski actually went out to 46 seconds!
10km to go, and we have attacks from Baugnies, Vanmarcke and Altur in a bid to join Wisniowski off the front.
The trio aren't allowed to go away from the other favourites, and all it does is reduce the gap to the Greig rider to 23 seconds.
WOW! Big move from Bewley with 4km to go. He instantly leaves all the others behind him, bridges the gap to Wisniowski and goes again to open a gap off the front. The acceleration of this man is unreal.
Under the flamme rouge, and even the sun sees the Kiwi as the divined spirit! He is soloing to the line, and there is no stopping him today. Everyone else is riding for 2nd place now.
Not even a moment to celebrate from Bewley as he repeats his victory from last year. Who will stop this man on the cobbles this season?
In the sprint for 2nd place, it is heartbreak for Wisniowski. Caught with 500 metres to go, he doesn't even have enough left in the legs to sprint and would have to settle for 11th place across the line.
Theuns takes 2nd place in the sprint, with Vanmarcke rounding out the podium. Altur takes 4th place ahead of Vanspeybrouck in 5th.
Baugnies, Ferreira, Spengler, Teunissen and Zepuntke complete the top 10.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 
