The weather is mild, the roads are dry – the stage is set for an interesting race. Will it be another dominating performance by Bewley, who’s the two-time defending champion? Or can someone surprise him and us to take the win? Take a look back at the favorites here, or just jump right into the race:
The break of the day is established without too much hassle. We’re still well ahead of the first cobblestone sector and these seven riders have a lead of more than three minutes: Tarvis, Crncevic, Lavoine, Lay, Katrasnik, Varga and Delgerbayar. The Estonian Tarvis is the best rider for this terrain, but not good enough to expect him to hang on later in the race.
The first cobblestone sector comes and goes, and we see a few casualties. Some riders need their equipment fixed; some just couldn’t keep up. But the peloton takes it easy, most riders make it back and the advantace of the break increases to six minutes.
Over the first nasty ascent with cobbles, a split in the break occurres. They had been working well together so far, still about four and a half minutes ahead, but now the weakest cobble riders, Crncevic, Lay and Katrasnik fall behind. Over that same hump, the peloton is still 100 riders strong.
It’s one of the shorter climbs that triggers the first significant split in the pack. About 50 riders fall behind and while no top favorites are among them, a few strong-ish riders are caught behind, including Tim Declerq and Yoeri Havik.
We’re in the final third of the race now and Tarvis increases the pace up front. Only Varga manages to stay with him. Two and a half minutes to the peloton.
The next combination of cobble sectors leads to further trouble for another batch of riders. Among them this time is Vegard Breen as well as a few of the better domestiques like Jempy Drucker or Kevin Eeckhout. 36 riders remain in the peloton.
Tarvis is the last of the breakaway to be caught after a valiant effort. It’s now show time for the favorites. Several teams are still well-represented: Evonik has three domestiques with Blythe, as does Moser for Bewley. No other team has more than two, but most leaders still have one teammate with them, including Breen, who’s made it back to this group of 30.
But the race has significantly sped up now. Bewley sets the pace and only seven riders can follow – a significant gap opens behind them! Bewley’s companions are Summerhill, Trentin, Kamyshev, Blythe, Sibilla, Theuns and Teunissen. Baugnies and Vanbilsen are the most notable exclusions!
And it is Baugnies who brings the eight back a few kilometers later. But still, an early sign of who’s still fresh and who pays attention – and there are only 17 riders left up front. In addition to those mentioned, they are David, Per, Polanc, Puccio, Breen, Boros, Vanbilsen, Nolf and Sibilla. It doesn’t seem likely, at this point, that another rider will interfere with the outcome of this race.
It’s basically an elimination race for most riders at this point. Puccio is the first to lose contact, but not the only one. David, Breen, Per, Theuns and Boros also have trouble following.
And this is the reason why! Summerhill is trying to force a decision early and attacks. Bewley and Blythe are the first to respond, but Kamyshev and Trentin are attentive as well.
Teunissen makes a big effort and catches up to make it a leading group of six entering the final 20 kilometers.
But this is still not enough! Only a few hundred meters later, Bewley just rides away!
On the tiny penultimate cobble sector, Theuns, Sibilla and Polanc catch up to what is now the first group behind Bewley. Trentin leads the chase, the gap’s at around 25 seconds.
Behind them, Baugnies and Vanbilsen are currently set to battle for the final Top 10 spot – but we’re still a good way from the finish line. The following trio consists of David, Breen and Nolf.
The chase up front is not going well enough for Danny Summerhill, so he just takes matters into his own hands and attacks!
And he manages to catch up to Bewley! The duo has a significant gap of 35 seconds entering the final 2,6 kilometers of cobblestones.
Alas, it wasn’t for long. Exhausted by the chase, Summerhill has to let Bewley go again. Summerhill is still looking well and has 40 seconds on the group behind him, but is the race for the win decided now?
Meanwhile, Tom David has an incredibly poorly timed flat tire. Things have shuffled around a little – Baugnies passes him with Vanbilsen now in company of Nolf close behind, but Breen has overtaken all of them and is alone behind the main group.
We’re entering the final stretch and the race is indeed decided. Bewley continues his sheer dominance as he’s about a minute in front of Summerhill, who in turn has a minute on his chasers. But the Andorra rider is slowing down a bit, and behind him …
… there’s suddenly movement! Theuns attacks with Trentin in his wheel.
Theuns can’t keep it up, but Trentin digs deep and under the flame rouge, he’s close to Summerhill! But both aren’t looking very fresh anymore.
Now it’s Blythe who makes one last effort towards the podium and tries to close the gap.
But first: Sam Bewley makes it three in a row! An effort that doesn’t go unnoticed, as he’s too tired to even celebrate, despite his huge advance.
Summerhill manages to fend off the late push by Trentin and finishes second, the Italian repeats last year’s result and completes the podium.
The chasers are too exhausted to actually sprint and just drag their bodies towards the line. Blythe’s acceleration was enough for him to finish fourth in front of Teunissen. Sibilla and Theuns will probably be happy with 6 and 7, in contrast to Kamyshev in eighth place who again fails to live up to expectations. Polanc finishes ninth.
Breen rounds out the Top 10.
Vanbilsen (11th) and Baugnies (12th) will surely be disappointed by their results today, but they simply missed the right moves and didn’t have enough energy left to catch up.
Nolf and David follow next. Nolf probably hoped for a bit more while David was plagued by that untimely puncture, which cost him the chance for a better result.
Per finishes 15th, chased by Boros, the first domestiques to make it to Zottegem – followed a few seconds later by the next ones, including Boros’ teammate Hnik as well as Neilands and Puccio. Van Lerberghe completes the Top 20.
E3 Prijs 
