Welcome to the 102nd Ronde van Vlaanderen - Vlaanderens Mooiste! One of the five monuments of cycling, it is a symbol of Flanders, the heartland of classics cycling. You can keep your Tour de France, you can shove your Walloonian sealed roads where the sun don’t shine. This is De Ronde. This is what cycling is all about. The Muur, The Kwaremont, the Koppenberg, Bosberg, Taieenberg, Eikenberg, Paterberg. Who will conquer the hardest trials Flanders have to offer - and write their chapter in the history of cycling - today?
This year the finish returns to Oudenaarde after last year's arrival in Meerbeke, and the final difficulties will be the Oude Kruisberg and Oude Kwaremont, as opposed to the Muur-Bosberg combo where Bewley cracked Van Avermaet to take his third Ronde on the bounce last year.
It’s been dominated recently by that same Sam Bewley - the Bewbastard. Solo wins twice, and a two-up sprint once. He's still in his prime and the Kiwi will be chasing a record fourth Ronde on the bounce, as well as going equal with Roger de Vlaemick as the third most winningest rider in Monuments, on 11. Only Tom Boonen and Eddy Merckx have more. Whilst recently legends such as Cancellara, Boonen, Burghardt and even, so they say, now Van Avermaet have gotten old and fallen by the wayside, the Bastard has only become more dominant. The latter not yet, of course. In fact Flanders' Lionheart is still one of the Kiwi's biggest challengers, coming second here twice in the last two seasons. We know he's still hurting for a win, and left last season with a mental victory over his arch-rival in the East Midlands. If he could win today, in perhaps his final real chance at ever besting Bewley on his home roads, it would be one for the ages. But even this year, does he still have the legs to challenge Bewley? If not… what about someone younger?
The Bastard. The Lionheart. The Leviathan. The Prince. They all have impressive nicknames, but only one of them will be called the King of Flanders in tomorrow's papers.
A sunny day here at the start and throughout Flanders, which should mean a lovely day out for the thousands already lining the finish here in Oudenaarde, as well as the day's key climbs, and a slightly less hellish one for the riders on the startline. However winds up to 50 km/h will, whilst not the worst you'll ever see, maybe have an impact on the race.
We start, as we usually do, in Brugge. A beautiful place to start, and as ever the fans turn out in their tens of thousands to view these gladiators roll through their town. To quote Karel Van Wijnendaele, a sportswriter for founding newspaper Sportwereld, "all Flemish cities had to contribute to the liberation of the Flemish people", and that is why this race crosses as many as possible. This is a national symbol - always was, always will be. Enough rambling, though. It's race time.
The initial attack gets a quick gap and so no 50km of brutal early racing to entertain you nutters watching this whole thing or the people of Western Flanders, but a nice way to start for the riders. The riders in the break of the day are: Guerreiro Van Niekerk Wyss Van Aert and Selig. Not a super strong break and no teammate of the big favourites, but surely for Grieg/Wisniowski and Lierse/Vanbilsen it's nice to have a rider for later and a get-out-of-helping free card for the first 150km!
Pace-making (or lack thereof) duties are shared between the favourites' teams, as usual, those glimpsed on the front in the first 100km are: Air France, Aker, Carlsberg, Desigual, Evonik, Moser, RBC, Tinkoff and Volvo. The gap casually balloons out to over 10 minutes, but nothing that will be too high later on.
Over one of the most oft-used flat sectors in De Ronde's history, the Haaghoek cobbles between Sint-Kornelis-Horebeke and Zegelsem, we can see the struggles already happening in the bunch - be it down to the wind or difficulties so far, up to 20 riders are already out the back, including over half of the T-Mobile squad! Still 163km to go, it's a long way to Oudenaarde for them. Well, not really - if they abandon they can be in the showers within half an hour, which could sound tempting for some of our climbers and riders from exotic locations who never saw cobbles until they moved to Europe!
Van Aert leads the breakaway past the iconic chapel in Geraarsbergen, atop the Muur. An icon of De Ronde and cycling in general, this climb (and chapel) got their chance to shine with a blast-to-the-past finish in Meerbeke last year, and also is the centrepiece of the CT race Geraardsbergen-Bosberg each year, recently won by Roger Kluge. The gap is down to 5'23 at the top, the peloton surprisingly keen on an early catch perhaps?
100km to go and a lull in the race as the gap plateaus around 5 minutes and there's still a while to go until the bergs and straats start to come in thick and fast.
Can't we just mooove on to the fun part?
Moser and RBC now well in charge with 85km to go as the pace starts to rise, with just 10km to go until the Kerkgate sector heralds the beginning of the meaty part of the race! The gap is already down to 2'13.
Over the first berg of this "meaty part" of the route, the Kattenberg, a young rider to watch for this race in the future, Tiesj Benoot, puts the hurt into the peloton and sheds it to 117 riders, and catches the breakaway! So 122 riders left with 65km to go!
However on the following sector of the Holleweg Benoot really does some damage, the crosswind assisting him at splitting the peloton in half, with just 52 riders left at the front and Sulimov (due to an untimely puncture) and Sibilla on the wrong side of it!
A third twist in this just 4 kilometre-long tale, The bunch splits again and now just 27 riders remain, and Kristoff is the latest victim! He and his teammate, Havik, are doing their best to join on before the Eikenberg!
Benoot and two Moser domestiques look to keep the Kristoff group away given the Norwegian's threat, but soon when they tire it'll be a ripe opportunity for some long-range moves, 60km to go and just 27 riders remaining is a finely poised scenario!
A great effort from Havik connects the two groups for a leading group of 38 over the Eikenberg, though. 10km to the fearsome Koppenberg, could the race light up on those tough slopes?
No, it's not to be - Sam Bewley comes to the front, but no attack is made. And the onus surely is not on the Kiwi to attack at this point - you would be looking to an adventurous outsider for that. However the front group is thinned to 32 now. 42km remaining!
Is Bewley just trying to intimidate his rivals? It seems so, as he leads, with Laporte, again over the Steenbeekdries.
Summerhill attacks! The others weren't expecting this at all - except for the always-attentive Sam Bewley! Just on an innocent stretch of road joining Steenbeekdries and Taaienberg, and quite a gap already! This is a dangerous, dangerous move!
Van Avermaet knows he can't let his rivals ride away like this, and looks to catch them on the Taaienberg, with or without riders with him!
And it may be without too many, as only Kamyshev, Stallaert and Senechal follow him on his bridge to the leading duo, with Vanspeybrouck and Teunissen looking to bridge behind.
Dreadful timing for a puncture here, and this ugly fate has befallen on Wisniowski as he was following Van Avermaet's bridge quite closely! Oh dear oh dear, this could spell the end for the Pole's chances!
A great effort from Lagab eventually brings across 12 more riders to the move just before the Donderij: Trentin, Lagab Nolf, De Maar Nooytens, De Vreese Altur Gerts Kristoff Vanbilsen and Boroš.
Another awful puncture, this time it's the Belgian Champion, Vanbilsen! Meanwhile Wisniowski has dropped his companions who were dropped by Lagab, and is looking to catch up to the leaders. He could find a very able and very willing companion in Vanbilsen!
A leading group of 14 now, with five riders dropped in the Donderij cobbles: Nooytens, De Maar, Gerts, Boros, and Kristoff!
With 30km to go over the Achterberg, the gaps are:
1'18 back to the five dropped riders + Wisniowski
2'04 back to Vanbilsen
2'28 to the next group, which are all dropped domestiques
5'57 to the next major group, with Sibilla and Sulimov
De Vreese on a really good day here doing a good job for Van Avermaet, but wisely the other riders are still leaving the work up to Summerhill and Bewley. For many of these riders, they'll either be preparing to ride conservatively for the podium or top 5, or plotting a move on the upcoming Oude Kruisberg to surprise the big favourites!
Not too surprising to see the first of those names being Van Avermaet, but unfortunately for him, Bewley and Summerhill were expecting it and are close behind! However this is still a big, big move from a strong rider, and many in the group can't follow!
With the cobbles of the Oude Kruisberg done, it's just those three, Stallaert and Teunissen left. An important move from Van Avermaet, and possibly a deciding one if these guys can stay away! Just some false flats to go to the summit.
A really bad day for Senechal here and he can't even follow this counter move from Vanspeybrouck, with a surprisingly still going Laurens De Vreese the only one who can right now as the rest of the group look despondent as well! But Senechal dropped from even this Trentin group, and a very bad day for Tinkoff here with Sulimov puncturing earlier, Sibilla dropped and Senechal obviously on an off-day!
But De Vreese looks tired now too and Vanspeybrouck has to go it alone to make up the 45 seconds to the leading five, who are fast descending to the Paterberg now!
20km to go and we're at the foot of the Paterberg, Vanspeybrouck has caught up to the leaders to make a group of 6 to contest the victory here over our final two climbs - the iconic Kwaremont-Paterberg combo, but today it's been reversed, much like the Muur-Bosberg combo earlier! The Paterberg is short and steep, but it can be very selective in a tired group, as this one may well be.
Van Avermaet is taking this race by the horns and pushes the pace on the Paterberg as well! What a courageous ride by the Belgian, he will not die wondering if he could have ever won De Ronde! Not a full on attack, but definitely a high pace!
Only one rider can follow. Of course it's him. Of course he can. Of course he will. Of course it's Samuel Bewley, always matching Van Avermaet's moves and there to crush him at the end. But Flanders' Lionheart will not be rolling over, and Bewley knows he'll have to help out to distance Stallaert for the sprint!
No answer from Vanspeybrouck or Summerhill, the Carlsberg rider hangs his head and it looks like these two are gone for good!
Lagab leads the group over two minutes behind over the Paterberg, still with him are Altur, Nolf, Kamyshev, Daniel, his teammate Trentin and De Vreese. They'll be fighting to get into the top 10 really, not much likelihood at catching the front six! And what a ride by the Algerian, from stitching the group back together after the Taaienberg and on the front again in the finale here.
Side by side, our two leaders! The Kwaremont looms over them, and this is the last chance for Greg Van Avermaet to shake Sam Bewley off his wheel! 30 seconds to the chasers and if these two faff about it'll be curtains for this move, but with Stallaert in the group, and maybe capable of outsprinting them via some not uncalled for wheelsucking, behind neither of these two want that!
He looked sore on the Paterberg and Pieter Vanspeybrouck is feeling the effects of his valiant bridge across. He won't take a top 5 today, and the focus now will be on holding off those behind rather than catching those ahead.
Up ahead, Van Avermaet isn't going 100% yet it looks like, but he is putting on the pressure on as he and Bewley hit the Kwaremont!
Van Avaermaet is giving the Kwaremont everything he's got now, but Bewley doesn't budge from the Belgian's wheel! Incredible scenes here, pure strength is required here on this final climb of the day between two of the best classic racers on the planet!
Stallaert with a very strong ride here today, and now the young Belgian actually attacks the Kwaremont, what a ride here from Joeri Stallaet as he looks to shake off Summerhill, and throws his cards down in search of victory!
No luck for Van Avermaet on the final slopes of the Kwaremont, Bewley has survived yet another attack from the Belgian today, and there's only 15km and one stretch of cobbles left! Van Avermaet slowing down here and looking to recover behind Bewley.
Van Avermaet and Bewley really riding for the win or nothing here: the former is willing to only attack or follow his more illustrious rival, whilst the latter doesn't want a second in the wind and refuses to work here!
And yes, Stallaert breaks away from Summerhill and Teunissen and is now chasing the leaders alone, and this could throw quite the spanner in the works for Bewley's plans if he makes it across!
A standoff between Van Avermaet and Bewley lets Stallaert come across, and unless this trio learns to share their pacemaking toys, it could mean the arrival of Summerhill and Teunissen too!
Van Avermaet uses the standstill to his advantage, and as the other two rejoin he puts in a corker of an acceleration from behind Bewley! The Lionheart may yet roar in Oudenaarde!
Bewley soloes across again now, 10km to go and it's back to where we were. You could cut the tension with a chainsaw here, electrifying racing from the Flandrien home rider and the crowds are responding, on the roadsides but most of all here at the finish line in Oudenaarde, the crowd are shouting him on watching the live feed!
Now, what will happen on the Varentstraat, and can these two work together to hold off the other three this time?
And right on cue, here is Stallaert attacking Summerhill and Teunissen to bridge to the leaders on the Varentstraat, where Bewley continues to have Van Avermaet's number despite constant pressure!
And so yet again, it's all back together as Bewley refuses to work with Van Avermaet. The Belgian is giving the Moser man an earful right there on the road, and I really don't blame him, not great conduct from the Kiwi here! 6km to go, can anybody find the legs after 260km of racing to avoid a sprint of dying men?
Not much change in any other groups, Vanspeybrouck is at 1'15 back with 2'37 to the Trentin group coming off the Varentstraat. So looks like we can focus on the race for the win here! So let's switch back to up ahead and
Oh my word, it's Bewley attacking under the five-kilometre banner and Van Avermaet caught off-guard a wee bit here and he has to cover more ground to respond! Stallaert is right in the wheel, whilst Teunissen and Summerhill are cracked and it looks like for good now!
Could it be possible that the Bastard himself, the great Sam Bewley, is rattled by the presence of Stallaert in this group? Because if he is, his fears aren't vanquished yet!
That was a huge attack from Bewley but he can't shake the very strong Stallaert, and he also can't prevent Van Avermaet from catching them!
What's more, Van Avermaet is right into a counter-attack! This is effectively a long sprint while Bewley is at his weakest, and it's almost exactly how he won the East Midlands Cycle Classic last year! At this point, even I as a New Zealander have to cheer on the pure unbreakable spirit of Greg Van Avermaet. Come on!
3.2km to go, and Van Avermaet as the weakest sprinter of this trio is giving all he has for a last-gasp effort to stave off Bewley and Stallaert.
Oh my word, I don't believe it! A moment of weakness from Sam Bewley? Or a very very good and risky bluff, as he elbows through his companion, and Stallaert is forced to begin to chase down Van Avermaet! What a final two kilometres we are in for, Van Avermaet with a small gap, Bewley maybe tired and the relative newbie Stallaert looking to bridge the gap between them!
1500m to go for Van Avermaet, the crowd is screaming him home and he grits his teeth, he is in an absolute world of pain here! If he times this effort right, he is finally the King of Flanders. If not... well it's another near miss.
Stallaert and Bewley don't look like they have it in them to close that gap - Van Avermaet's few metres has turned into 16 seconds with one kilometre left. If Bewley pulls out a big sprint, he could do it. But you really sense if he could have caught Van Avermaet, he would have at least started the process by now!
Flamme rouge for Greg Van Avermaet, he's ripped his earpiece out and can see the finish line here in Oudenaarde. But first is one thousand metres of tarmac, one thousand metres of pain and maybe bliss, and potentially the greatest thousand metres Greg Van Avermaet will ever cycle. The Lion had pounced - all that's left is the kill!
600m left, Van Avermaet is still keeping up the speed and looking cool as a cucumber on the outside but on the inside he must be a hot mess of pain, emotion and blood thumping in his ears, head and chest. He's so close, the fans - his fans are going absolutely bananas!
Bewley and Stallaert open up their sprints, but it's surely too late - they're racing against each other and not Greg Van Avermaet, because...
The King of Flanders has arrived! A roar from the Lionheart and an emotional celebration from Greg Van Avermaet, who is finally won a monument - his favourite monument. De Ronde van Vlaanderen belongs this year to Greg Van Avermaet after one of the most spirited, strong and smart efforts we've seen at this race in years.
He may not be remembered as one of the greats due to Sam Bewley, but this day, where he finally got one over on his Kiwi nemesis, will be remembered as one of De Ronde's great races.
Further behind, Stallaert seems to have the edge on Bewley with 600m to go, but the Kiwi is creeping up from behind!
But in a mix, I think, of tiredness and bitter disappointment, the Kiwi can't come around or even hold the wheel, as Joeri Stallaert takes a memorable second place with a strong, mature ride. As one Flandrien takes victory in one of his last shots at this race, another announces his arrival as a future contender here. So take a bow, Joeri Stallaert!
For our third place, Sam Bewley, it’s a bitter end to what was poised to be his fourth Ronde victory in as many years. But some tactical mishaps and a poorly-timed attack have cost him dearly. However whilst he may have missed out on some records today, he’s got a chance to take his 13th monument in Roubaix soon. But really, he needs to recover and learn from today. Even the greatest can learn.
A couple of minutes behind and Summerhill and Teunissen seem very tired, and Vanspeybrouck has almost caught up with 1.2km to go. He may well break into the top five if he can come around them!
Or not! Yet again a bridge attempt too much for the Carlsberg rider and Summerhill looks much stronger than Teunissen in the sprint.
And yes, the American takes fourth. Not a great day for him, with an ambitious early attack he clearly wanted the win and he looked very strong until the Paterberg, where he couldn't follow the pace of Van Avermaet. But no disaster for Danny Summerhill, though he'll hope to make the podium in Roubaix at a bare minimum after this.
For Teunissen fifth is a great result, for someone who was expected to be top 10 on a good day. A great ride to follow some key moves and play his cards right, and he is justly rewarded. Meanwhile, Vanspeybrouck comes in sixth after a brave ride, he did look very strong and so it's a real shame he couldn't follow Van Avermaet's initial move on the Kruisberg!
