Welcome to the start in Turnhout. After 199.1 kilometer, the 140 riders have reached the finish line in Heist-op-den-Berg. We take nine laps around the local church, which lays on a small, cobbled hill.
As we leave Turnhout, the cameras are pointing the wrong way to register the first attack of the race: Nsengimana, Mostov and De Vos.
Six more riders joined ( Kukrle, Mano, Konovalovas, Shirota, Miltiadis and Siskevicius), but the peloton didn't like the size or some people in it, so it was caught again.
The second attempt was successful, and consists of these three riders: Gallego Martin Porter Filutas
The maximum lead is five minutes before a broad coalition of teams give chase. Lierse, GCN, Bianchi, OMV, Tryg, Zalgiris, Adriatic, Netia, Signal Eduna and Azteca with one rider each in a nice queue.
Gallego is the best cobbler in the break, followed by Porter. On the first sector the differences are immediately clear, as Gallego has to slow down to let the others return and Filutas has a lot of trouble to follow. This doesn't bode well for the next 140 kilometer, where we have to cross this section another eight times.
Rickaert led the peloton because it was his turn at the front, but because he is a much better cobblestone rider than those behind him he also got a gap. He obviously allowed himself to be caught again. Dewulf was the only rider to suffer a puncture on this ascent, while Chokri would suffer the same fate on the second ascent. Both men returned safely.
On the third ascent we see an OMV rider somewhere in the group with his hand up. It is Young with a puncture! With some help of the locals around the Sint-Lambertuskerk, he gets back underway and can breathe a sigh of relief. 100 kilometer to go, the gap is three minutes. The same story on every ascent for the break, Gallego gets a small gap but lets Porer and Filutas return. In the peloton, some riders handle it better than other but it doesn't lead to splits yet.
On the fifth ascent, Gallego got his biggest gap as of yet, but he once again slows down. The peloton is ready to climb for the fifth time, now two minutes behind with 75 kilometer to go. Van Aert led the peloton around the church this time but still the peloton is in one piece. It is the first ascent without a puncture, as Mareczko had suffer one on the fourth.
The sixth ascent is the definitive end for Filutas. Porter managed to stick to Gallego's wheel but the Hungarian has to give up. The gap has come down to 1'30, so the chances of the leading two are shrinking by the kilometer.
The customary puncture for this ascent goes to Naesen, which is a bummer for the amateur who was considered an outsider. With 55 kilometer to go the peloton has increased the pace, so unfortunately for him returning alone was not possible. The team decided not to send riders back to help him, so he is the first rider behind the peloton. He is accompanied by Bagot, Granigan and Voicu who lost out due to natural pace.
Gallego has enough of Porter's wheelsucking and attacks on the road leading into Heist-op-den-Berg. The peloton is maintaining the 1'30 and hasn't caught Filutas yet, but that will happen on the next climb. Naesen is also unable to return, four minutes behind with 40 kilometer to go.
Ascent seven causes the first rift in the peloton, about 30 riders with a small gap over the others. Van Keirsbulck, Nepomnyachsniy and Kluge are spotted in the latter group before it was restored. Gallego one minute ahead, Porter at 30 seconds. Two laps to go.
GCN increase the pace and catch Porter, with Gallego now also in sight at 25 seconds with 25 kilometer to go. The pace was so high that another split occurred around 25th position. Main riders amongst the front are Maes, Kasperkiewicz, Orue, Richardson, Kumara, Kolev, Manamalage, Van Keirsbulck, Young, Boev, Mohs and Perera. Lierse chasing behind to bring Joseph and Peeters back.
Gallego is indeed caught a few kilometer later. Lierse brought part of the peloton back, the lead group now containing 53 riders with a considerable gap to the second peloton. Joseph and Peeters have returned as have Nepomnyachsniy, Kluge, Taubel, Jacobs, Kosic, Domene, Minoungou, and Kuroeda. All main cobblestone specialists are now at the front together with some sprinters.
There are no attacks on the second-a-last ascent, but more importantly no punctures as well. The gap between the two groups was 1'15, but the front group is now split in two parts. Taubel, Joseph, Kluge, Jacobs, Kuroeda, Kolev and Kosic were all badly positioned, and have to chase back as the bell for the final lap rings.
They do eventually get back to the dismay of Kasperkiewicz, who attacks with 15 to go. He is one of the best if not the best cobbler in the race, but doesn't want to wait for the final sector. Silva, Kumara and Frankovic are the domestiques which have to clean up. A group of 25 has ridden away from the second peloton and is now a minute behind the favorites group, including Corwin, Ghani, Langeveld, Kamberaj, Porsev, Vaquera, Mansilla, Changpad and Canelon.
Kasperkiewicz lasted less than five kilometer, and briefly tried again before being caught for the second time. The second group has also caught up to the first group, so we head to the final climb with 75 riders. Riders at the back will have to move forward in the group though before the section, moving forward on the climb is almost impossible.
Taubel then tries at eight, Kasperkiewicz is glad he finally got a buddy and follows. The group is about to be split again, but the cobblestone specialist are all trying to follow the duo. The sprinters are hanging on at the back.
Taubel dropped back but Kasperkiewicz holds a minimal lead heading into the final five kilometer. On the front row of the peloton we see a mix of cobblers and sprinters: Maes, Kuroeda, Canelon, Mansilla and Jacobs followed by Joseph, Manamalage and Van Keirsbulck.
Kasperkiewicz is caught but immediately we have two new attacks: Joseph and Taubel. Kasperkiewicz does not follow immediately and finally rests a bit. We are three kilometer from the finish line, one before the Heistse Berg. The sector is 500 meters long with an average of 6 % and a maximum of 14 %.
The duo leads with 20 seconds as we head along the church onto the cobble climb. Maes leading the peloton followed by Jacobs, Van Keirsbulck, Kasperkiewicz and Kuroeda. Mohs as best sprinter in sixth position. On the other side of road, Orue tried to follow the attack but couldn't get clear of the pack.
Joseph and Taubel are first at the top but Maes has led the group much closer to their wheel. Mohs still in sixth position, surviving the climb pretty well. However, Boev, Peeters and Perera are only few places behind, so the sprint is definitely not decided already.
Off the cobble section the gap is measures at 7 seconds with 1.5 to go. Boev has picked the wheel of Mohs, a small gap occurring behind them which might rule out the other sprinters.
Taubel leads Joseph out of the final corner for a sprint. Maes leading the chasers ahead of Jacobs, Kasperkiewicz, Van Keirsbulck and Kuroeda. Mohs coming around the outside of them with Boev on his wheel. Orue and Kosic are also well positioned.
Joseph passes Taubel, but Mohs and Boev now lead in the bunch sprint. Can they make up the gap in the final 400 meters? Peeters and Young sprinting behind but they are probably too far behind to challenge for the victory.
Boev draws alongside Mohs and they are closing in to the leading duo, but the finish line is also approaching for Joseph. Peeters and Young are looking good in the sprint for fifth, the cobblestone specialists all side by side but sitting ducks compared to the sprinters.
Stijn Joseph wins the Heistse Pijl! He waited for the right moment to attack with the right company, and was the smartest in the sprint. Lierse SK wins their close-to-home race, showing the continental teams how it's done!
Taubel beats Boev in the photo finish for second place. Great job by Taubel for holding off the sprinter, but he was chanceless for the victory once Joseph got on his wheel. Boev is the best amateur and this performance will have put him on the radar for many continental teams for a contract for next season.
Mohs finishes fourth, which might have a bittersweet taste as he was pretty close. Peeters completes the party for Lierse by finishing fifth ahead of Young. Kuroeda, Perera, Kosic and Van Keirsbulck complete the top ten. Kasperkiewicz eleventh ahead of Jacobs, Kluge, Domene, Nepomnyachsniy, Maes, Manamalage, Orue, Porsev and Changpad. These riders form the front group, as the gap to Kamberaj in 21st is nineteen seconds.
