Quite a decisive day for the general classification today. Tomorrow is a flat stage so the cobblestones today will create the big gaps.
The same cobbled hill over and over again, 10 times over. It'll be hard, without a doubt.
Willy Wouters
The day started out wet and it was hard weather to ride in. A tough day in the saddle. The breakaway contained 16 riders, which was way too much, but the peloton let them ride anyway.
Yellow-jersey wearer quickly lost touch with the peloton and then it was up to us to create the pace. I put myself at the front on the ascending road. The breakaway seemed out of reach, we've let them gone too far.
But quite soon Stijn asked me to make a risky move, I did. He asked me open up the gas and he followed.
But the next time we hit the cobbled, about 31km from the finish, he went solo, looking for the breakaway. My story was over.
The peloton rode surprisingly weak today and I was able to keep their pace once they had caught me again. I finished 26th.
Stijn Van Gent
The first half of my race went quite smooth. I kept myself at the front and enjoyed protection from my team mates.
But the time difference with the breakaway was getting out of control, and the peloton didn't have the energy to set up a proper pace. Willy and me went looking for them ourselves.
Willy gave me a more than decent lead-out into the chase of my life. I had to keep on going and going, gnawing the gap second by second. I realized I'd never make it, but I had to keep going!
Catching rider per rider, I never reached the front. Just about when I started the sprint, the winner was already enjoying his final meters.
And in the end, Ghyselinck took the win after a hard day in the breakaway. He definitely earned the victory, but I couldn't help feeling so disappointed. I raced an excellent race and came so close, maybe I could've battle for my first professional victory!
Pellizotti2: I'll remember that for next year, to go into the breakaway myself Thanks, He didn't have any energy left at the finish, though, lucky he was still 6th
Jesleyh: Yeah, you can't be in any breakaway, unfortunately this time I missed the split
JuanMotr: It's definitely not bad He'll have plenty of chances this year.
FreitasPCM: We'll see about that in moments, thanks!
Since the intermediate sprints could provide Willy with some bonus points, he could still finish top 15 in the general classification. Our target of the day: get Willy bonus seconds, get Stijn in the sprint for the win.
Willy Wouters
I attacked early on. I had quite some juice in my legs today and I sure as hell wasn't going to let them rot in the peloton!
I got picked up by three others and formed the breakaway of the day. I picked up the necessary seconds to jump from 16th to 14th on the GC. My objective of the day was completed halfway through the race!
But at about 22km from the finish, I felt there could be more in it for me. I had to shake my breakaway companions, since I'm not great in the sprint.
With little over 10km left to go, I felt the peloton breathing down my neck, I was riding the time trial of my life.
Turning the final corner, they were so close, I started sprinting out of defense, so close to the finish!
But unfortunately, I didn't make it. I got caught 1km to the finish line and finished 30th. I can't believe how close I was to my first professional victory...
When I heard we were closing in on Willy, only kilometers before the finish, I felt too bad for him. But only a second later I realized this was my chance now. Time to set up for the sprint. I managed to stay quite up front, but in those narrow roads it was fighting for every place!
Tom Leezer surprised everyone with an early sprint. I wanted to follow him but I got blocked in to the right, those damn small roads!
He won the stage fairly easy, and I finished 7th, totally blocked in and unable to sprint my potential.
Today was a disappointment, if I may say so. Willy came so close, but lost. I had a good chance at a top 3 but got blocked in. I guess that's cycling, and with such small roads we're lucky to have been spared of falls.
We're blogging from our hotel in Italy now. It's really nice here, and the organization of a World Tour race is impressive. Tomorrow we start off with a Team Time Trial. With all of our inexperience (the youth program), it'll be quite awkward, we fear... But anyway, that's not why we're posting this tonight.
We took along some newspapers to read here, since we both don't speak any Italian. Willy is subscribed to De Gentenaar, a popular newspaper renown for its incredible sports-section, the best of all Belgian newspapers, pages of sports every day. After the Ronde van West-Vlaanderen, there were some interviews, and it seems we made the cut in the editing room! Our first public media-thing, besides this blog!
We'll skip a couple of things in the article, some are about the organization, Ghyselinck... We'll translate into English for you, except for the title, it means, loosely translated: Tour of West-Flanders: Belgium on top.
RONDE VAN WEST-VLAANDEREN: BELGIË BOVEN
Yesterday was the third and final stage of the Ronde van West-Vlaanderen. Jan Ghyselinck, our young Belgian, riding for the Cofifis outfit, started in the leader's jersey.
The final stage took place in the streets of Nieuwpoort and took the riders for a 178km profile. Promising young talent Willy Wouters nearly outsmarted the peloton and spent the entire day in the front of the race, only to get caught literally meters before the finish line. Tom Leezer took the stage, while Jan Ghyselinck finished 5th, earning him his first major stage race victory.
[...]
Another detail worth noticing is the new generation of Belgians. Besides Jan, two other Belgians caught our attention: Lotto Belisol riders Stijn Van Gent and Willy Wouters. Stijn rode an impressive second stage and finished 5th all around, Willy showed determination and stamina and got rewarded the combativity award in the final stage. We found them in the Lotto Belisol bus together after the race:
5th and 14th in the general classification, you both must be happy. Van Gent: I'm thrilled about that. It just proves we're both on the right track and we just have to keep training and keep getting stronger. Wouters: I never expected this result here. So I'm definitely glad with this result, yeah. Stijn, for you this isn't a coincidence, in the opening weekend you showed great potential already. Now you're just confirming that. Tell us, where does it end, where can you get? Van Gent: I have no idea. I will just try to work hard and get better every year. These kind of races are definitely my style, and I hope to get better at it. You celebrated your 22th birthday two weeks ago. First of all, congratulations. Secondly, how does it feel being one of the youngest riders in the World Tour, riding with Lotto Belisol? Van Gent: Well, so far it's been just excellent. Lotto is probably the team with the greatest youth development program. We're leaving for Italy tomorrow, all part of Lotto's young rider program. The team has welcomed me and I already feel a part of it just perfectly! Willy, only 21, and showing so much potential. Are you dreaming of winning the Ronde Van Vlaanderen Wouters: Dreaming, sure. But I'm afraid that's not really where I belong. No matter how much I love racing in Belgium, I'm afraid my future lies in the mountains. Belgium is desperately looking for a next Tour de France winner, will you put us out of our misery? Wouters: (laughs) Well, I'm definitely working on it. No, seriously, I think we have a very big shot with Jurgen (Van Den Broeck, red.) this year. He's very strong and has become one of the strongest climbers in the world. What are your plans for the rest of the season? Van Gent: We will mainly be racing Italian races as part of the youth program. But I'll be here for the cobbled season. Wouters: My main priority is the Giro. My first Grand Tour, I plan on a little more than just surviving there! Thank you, Stijn Van Gent and Willy Wouters, good luck to you in Tirreno-Adriatico!
Loving the attention to detail in this story! It's commitment to go that extra mile with things like this that always make me love your stories! Long may it continue, and good luck to Willy and Stijn
. I always feel so much frustration when one of my rides get boxed in
