The elite cobblers showed up for the first cobbled classic of the PT season. There are so many similar riders so it`s hard to predict any possible outcome.
Maybe a bit ahead of the others are Boonen and Bewley due to their sprint advantage and Cancellara and Burghardt as best cobblers.
But lots of other teams have their outside favourite and it wouldn`t be such a huge surprise if one of them wins instead of these quartet as the greatest cobblers are so close in the Pro Tour.
And although we mustn`t forget the wildcard team. Bpost is known for their huge focus on these races and of course they also belong to the teams sending a favourite here.
Dockx is the first rider attacking out of the peloton. Their leader Vanmarcke belongs to the very outside favourites and so it`s a smart move to send a guy into the break.
He is joined by 4 more riders: Einsle Insausti Martens Juul-Jensen
None of those teams is really a top contender. Santander`s Insausti actually is already their teams leader and is the best cobbler of these together with Juul-Jensen.
A bit later Burke is reaching them after a solo ride. Blythe`s team mate is taking pressure of their team.
Simply Red Bull, Milka, Bpost, Pokerstars. All the big cobbler teams are seen working on the front.
No more attacks and so the breakaway is allowed to go. The gap is at 3'30 now with still 156km to go.
Juul-Jensen and Insausti do the most work in the group and lead them over the first pavement of the PT season. The weather is looking nice. So the crash danger is less worse than with heavy rain. Therefore we have a bit wind which might influence the race.
With Bacardi and Pendleton`s two more teams with good cobblers in Burghardt and Gusev are doing some work now. Obviously there are enough teams willing to work today.
Bad luck for Paul Martens. He crashes and will need to work a lot to come back to the breakaway now.
92km and a gap of 5'40.
Time for some more serious attacks. It`s Kruijswijk and Verbist. Interesting move by both of them. While first is the team`s leader, second might be Bewley`s best helper on the cobbles.
Martens is back in the group. Good news as he is obviously not injured and it was more the shock in the first moment.
81km and the gap is down to less than 5min mainly due to the hard work by Pokerstars with top favourite Tom Boonen.
The late attackers are somewhere in the middle.
This must have hurt. Steurs on the ground. Their bad luck with crashes obviously took over from the last season and they surely need to train their riders better in these situations.
He at least comes back and stays in the peloton but this doesn`t look good at all.
With 73km to go the two attackers join the breakaway and have a 4'20 gap now.
Obviously they are taking over the main part of pace making now. Still the peloton is coming closer. They lost ~50s on the last 12km.
Next to Pokerstars, who were doing the most work so far it`s Pendletons now. Their top rider Gusev surely is a candidate today even though he doesn`t belong to the very best.
The breakaway did split on the last section. Kruijswijk, Verbist, Insausti and surprisingly Einsle and not Juul-Jensen are in the first group.
Also the peloton did split now. A group of more than 40 is behind and probably won`t come back as the gap is widening with every meter. Good for the favourites that all of them are in the first group, while Rosseler might be the only mentionable name behind.
Juul-Jensen is back in the first group. So he was just not concentrated the last time.
Behind the quintett it`s Martens solo and Dockx and Burke already with a bigger gap.
40km left and the hardest part starts. Pokerstars mainly and Simply Red Bull are working now and the gap is down to 2'20.
Bad moment for a crash. It`s Albert this time. Another quality cobbler and this might hurt the team a lot as he was Vanspeybrouck`s best helper.
He is at the very end of the peloton now as he got back on his bike very quick, but it will still be hard to come to the front again as De Vocht and Nolf took over now. Last one could easily lead a team on his own here as well.
Nolf is going very fast and we already see some riders splitting behind. Boonen really got a luxury helper in his squad.
A huge split in the peloton with Boonen, Bewley, Gusev, Nuyens and Vanmarcke being the only team leaders in the first group of 21 while all others are in the next group.
But no problem for the later group. Simply Red Bull accelerated a bit and soon they were back in the front group again. So nothing serious happened here.
With 30km to go the gap is down to 1'10 and soon the breakaway will be caught.
Pokerstars with 7 riders at the front now and most surprising to see Boonen in the first position on the pavement before. Now he is going back into 3rd-4th position behind his team mates.
This did split the group another time and it`s down to 48 riders with Steurs being the only favourite behind. Obviously the earlier crash was worse than expected as he often goes to the doc at the moment. Very bad luck for Festina.
Nuyens realizes that he won`t win a sprint against Boonen, Bewley or even Cancellara, Burghardt etc. so he attacks with 25km to go.
But 4km later it`s all caught again. Not only Nuyens but also the early breakaway.
More and more riders falling out of the group now with Van Avermaet, Jelloul, Kruopis and Einsle being the last.
2km later another attack. This time by Gusev and Blythe.
Difficult for them as Simply Red Bull took over from Pokerstars now and it`S Cancellara himself chasing them so they don`t have any chance.
This looks far more serious. Tom Boonen initiates a new wave of attacks even though the Belgium could easily wait for the sprint actually.
He is followed by a few riders such as Nuyens, Franzoi, Bewley and Fenn.
But again some top cobblers are coming to the front and highering the pace. It`s Burghardt this time chasing them together with Cancellara`s team mate Sibilla.
Lots of riders lose contact now as the pace is incredibly fast. Luke Rowe and Kvist probably the best of these.
Boonen was the strongest and still has a gap while all others are in the pack of 30 again. 17s gap for him with 13km to go.
It will be tough for him as almost all top cobblers are personally chasing him such as Franzoi, Cancellara, Burghardt, Bewley, Gusev, Vanspeybroeck...
They really work together very well here.
Still the Belgium has a 20s gap with 5km to go. No matter how fast they chase behind the gap isn`t becoming smaller at the moment. Great efford by him.
3km left and Boonen seems to suffer a bit more now. They almost caught him and then it will be very hard for him to win today.
Burghardt, Gusev and Franzoi are doing the first moves and start the sprint.
Behind them Bewley, Cancellara, Blythe, Pozzato, Nuyens and Vanspeybrouck probably in the best position.
2km left and Boonen is caught by Burghardt. Franzoi is struggling a lot now and also Gusev is slowing down a bit. Bewley seems the top favourite now as he is still hiding behind Franzoi. But also the others are still waiting for their real move.
Burghardt is still leading but it`s a long way to the finish and he is already in the wind for quite some time now. Bewley flies past Boonen, who had the wrong tactic today. Pozzato is perfectly leading out Cancellara with Blythe behind him.
Burghardt also went too early as he is falling back now. Cancellara has still not doing his final move but Ballan is coming fast in the middle as well.
Bewley is still leading but Cancellara past Pozzato and is being the fastest at the moment as also Summerhill, who is coming in the middle. It seems as if Ballan and Pozzato will only fight for the 4th.
What an acceleration by the Swissman. Who should stop him now. Bewley is still in 2nd but it will be very close between him and Summerhill.
In the end a deserved win for Spartacus. His team was doing quite a lot over the day and he was always chasing hard when other favourites were attacking. Surely the strongest today. Big win for Simply Red Bull.
Photo finish between the next. A mm decision but it`s Kiwi Bewley being 2nd ahead of a very strong Summerhill today.
Not that close between the next. Pozzato with a strong 4th today ahead of Ballan and surprisingly Vanmarcke already. Strong result for him and the Venchi squad.
Wildcard rider Vanspeybrouck as 7th with a solid result ahead of disappointing Burghardt, who surely expected more but went far too early and Blythe.
Boonen still holds on to 10th but this could have been far better for him today and it must be a disappointment for him. At least his team mates Nolf (11.), Kluge (14.), De Vocht (18.) will give the team some points.
Drucker as 12. another huge surprise ahead of some disappointing riders: Gusev (13.), Franzoi (17.), Nuyens (22.).
Steurs really suffered in the end and was almost falling out of his group and finishes as 71. more than 7min behind. Tough race for him but it can just become better for him.
Only one rider did not finish the race with Kiel Reijnen.
Result
1
Fabian Cancellara
Simply Red Bull
4h53'57
2
Sam Bewley
Milka - AVG
s.t.
3
Danny Summerhill
Wikipedia
s.t.
4
Filippo Pozzato
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
5
Alessandro Ballan
Koenigsegg
s.t.
6
Sep Vanmarcke
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
7
Pieter Vanspeybrouck
Team BPost
s.t.
8
Marcus Burghardt
Team Bacardi
s.t.
9
Adam Blythe
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
10
Tom Boonen
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
11
Frederik Nolf
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
12
Jempy Drucker
Team B&O
s.t.
13
Vladimir Gusev
Pendleton's
s.t.
14
Roger Kluge
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
15
Matteo Trentin
Project 1t4i
s.t.
16
Sébastien Turgot
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
17
Enrico Franzoi
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
18
Wim De Vocht
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
19
Michel Sibilla
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
20
Andrew Fenn
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
21
Ramon Sinkeldam
Project 1t4i
s.t.
22
Nick Nuyens
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
23
Niels Albert
Team BPost
s.t.
24
Steven Kruijswijk
Team B&O
s.t.
25
Maarten Wynants
Team Puma - SAP
+ 1'24
26
Alexandre Aulas
Simply Red Bull
+ 2'47
27
Anthony Geslin
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
28
Sebastian Langeveld
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 3'33
29
Evert Verbist
Milka - AVG
s.t.
30
Kevin Van Impe
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
31
Stijn Joseph
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
32
Thomas Vedel Kvist
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
33
Luke Rowe
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
34
Timothy Dupont
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
35
Gianni Meersman
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
36
Kevin Fouquet
Koenigsegg
s.t.
37
Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy
Milka - AVG
s.t.
38
Bert-Jan Lindeman
Koenigsegg
s.t.
39
Remco Broers
Team BPost
s.t.
40
Timothy Vangheel
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
41
Nick Ingels
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
42
Kristoffer Nielsen
Team B&O
s.t.
43
Danilo Wyss
UBS - BMC
s.t.
44
Christopher Juul-Jensen
Aker - MOT
s.t.
45
Jon Ander Insausti
Santander
s.t.
46
Kevin Eeckhout
Wikipedia
+ 6'13
47
Adil Jelloul
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
48
Greg Van Avermaet
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
49
Aidis Kruopis
Team Bacardi
s.t.
50
Steven Caethoven
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 7'21
51
Joeri Stallaert
Team BPost
s.t.
52
Sébastien Minard
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
53
Bas Giling
Project 1t4i
s.t.
54
Laurens Ten Dam
Project 1t4i
s.t.
55
Michael Schär
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
56
Pieter Mertens
Pendleton's
s.t.
57
Preben Van Hecke
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
58
Mauricio Sanz
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
59
Francis Mourey
Pendleton's
s.t.
60
Guillaume Blot
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
61
Yoann Offredo
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
62
Sebastien Einsle
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
63
Grégory Rast
Pendleton's
s.t.
64
Francisco Javier Echarri
Santander
s.t.
65
Kevin Ista
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
66
Sébastien Rosseler
Project 1t4i
s.t.
67
Alex Kirsch
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
68
Anthony Lavoine
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
69
Cedric Lebris
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
70
Panagiotis Vlatos
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
71
Geert Steurs
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
72
Koen De Kort
Project 1t4i
s.t.
73
Philip Vandaele
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
74
Claudio Corioni
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
75
Zdenek Stybar
Milka - AVG
s.t.
76
Ricardo Van der Velde
Team Bacardi
s.t.
77
Lars Croket
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
78
Oumaru Minoungou
Pendleton's
s.t.
79
Thomas Riber-Sellebjerg
Team B&O
s.t.
80
Kris Boeckmans
Team BPost
s.t.
81
Morten Reckweg
Team B&O
s.t.
82
Paul Martens
Project 1t4i
s.t.
83
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck
Team BPost
s.t.
84
Gert Dockx
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
85
Dimitri Claeys
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
86
Jay McCarthy
Wikipedia
s.t.
87
Leopold König
Milka - AVG
s.t.
88
Pieter Ghyllebert
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
89
Martin Mortensen
Koenigsegg
s.t.
90
Philipp Walsleben
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
91
Andzs Flaksis
Wikipedia
s.t.
92
Vegard Robinson Bugge
Aker - MOT
s.t.
93
Juan Abenhamar Gallego Martin
Santander
s.t.
94
Gediminas Bagdonas
Team Bacardi
s.t.
95
Paolo Locatelli
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
96
Marco Zafferani
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
97
Tim Declerq
Team BPost
s.t.
98
William Walker
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
99
Steven Cummings
Pendleton's
s.t.
100
Cristian Cominelli
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
101
Maxim Belkov
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
102
Kenny Elissonde
Wikipedia
s.t.
103
Benoît Sinner
Festina-Canal+
+ 9'26
104
Coen Vermeltfoort
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
105
Vegard Stake Laengen
Aker - MOT
s.t.
106
Lloyd Mondory
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
107
Andrew Talansky
Wikipedia
s.t.
108
Mathieu Drujon
Team BPost
s.t.
109
Ethan Weiss
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
110
Kristof Vandewalle
Project 1t4i
s.t.
111
Jure Kocjan
Team Bacardi
s.t.
112
Anders Lund
Aker - MOT
s.t.
113
Nathan Haas
Aker - MOT
s.t.
114
Meron Russom
Pendleton's
s.t.
115
Alexandre Shushemoin
Aker - MOT
s.t.
116
Laurent Pichon
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
117
Tom Thill
Team Bacardi
s.t.
118
Jocelyn Bar
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
119
Dion Beukeboom
Wikipedia
s.t.
120
Freddy Johansson
Koenigsegg
s.t.
121
Kiril Yatsevich
Team Bacardi
s.t.
122
Sebastien Reichenbach
UBS - BMC
s.t.
123
Jetse Bol
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
124
Steven Burke
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
125
Sean Downey
Pendleton's
s.t.
126
Piet Rooijakkers
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
127
Silvan Dillier
UBS - BMC
s.t.
128
Tyler Butterfield
Team Bacardi
s.t.
129
Marcel Aregger
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 11'45
130
Sten Stenersen
Team B&O
s.t.
131
Vicente Reynès
Santander
s.t.
132
Jose Goncalves
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
133
Kristian Sobota
Team B&O
s.t.
134
Jesse Sergent
Milka - AVG
s.t.
135
Moreno Hofland
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
136
Artem Topchanyuk
Aker - MOT
s.t.
137
Armindo Fonseca
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
138
Marco Brus
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
139
Riccardo Zoidl
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
140
Joseph Biziyaremye
Aker - MOT
s.t.
141
Piotr Mazur
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 12'50
142
Rafael Rodríguez Segarra
Santander
s.t.
143
Alexander Wetterhall
Koenigsegg
s.t.
144
Javier Aramendía
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
145
Florian Stalder
UBS - BMC
s.t.
146
Bob Jungels
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
147
Cameron Meyer
Koenigsegg
s.t.
148
Juraj Sagan
Team B&O
s.t.
149
Sonny Colbrelli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
150
Maxime Bouet
Milka - AVG
s.t.
151
Nevio Tirloni
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
152
Arkaitz Durán
Santander
s.t.
153
Thomas Koep
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
154
Mario Gonzalez Salas
Santander
s.t.
155
Evan Huffman
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
156
Edoardo Girardi
UBS - BMC
s.t.
157
Pedro Pablo Pereyra
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
158
Stelly Robert
Wikipedia
s.t.
159
Piter Campero
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
160
Chu Thien Sinelobov
UBS - BMC
+ 17'21
161
Dimitri Champion
UBS - BMC
s.t.
162
Viktor Renäng
Koenigsegg
s.t.
163
Ole Hirschlein
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
164
Aberlardo Ablenado
Santander
s.t.
165
Antonio Santoro
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 17'49
166
Rafaâ Chtioui
UBS - BMC
s.t.
167
Westley Gough
Milka - AVG
s.t.
DNF
Kiel Reijnen
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
