We're back to this legendary race for its 15th edition! Let's see how this one goes.
Favourites
HIL
STA
RES
COB
SPR
ACC
Naesen
72
77
73
76
77
76
Van Keirsbulck
71
75
73
78
70
68
Vanspeybrouck
69
75
68
80
65
66
Tsatevich
77
74
73
75
75
75
Vanmarcke
65
75
70
79
69
70
Thwaites
65
74
70
76
78
76
Declerq
73
73
71
77
67
67
Kristoff
65
70
66
75
80
74
Ovsyannikov
68
74
72
74
77
76
Ariesen
68
74
73
75
70
71
Taubel
65
69
73
78
61
64
Nielsen
67
71
75
74
73
71
Abraha
64
70
71
75
74
72
Kumara
67
74
70
75
71
67
Domene
57
73
68
76
74
75
Puccio
66
76
71
78
60
55
Weber
66
72
67
74
76
75
Richardson
67
68
68
78
60
61
Early breakwaway right off the start. The following six riders get into it: Stash Hvideberg Cimolai Sureda Visser Cardona
Most of them are ok cobblers, so it's not too much of a worry for the peloton.
We catch up with the said peloton with 150 kilometers to go. BNZ, Pas Normal Studios. Trans and Crabbe-CC are on chasing duty.
We're past the first cobbles section now, with the break cooperating well. The peloton behind are down to 71 riders.
90 kilometers to go and the peloton are past the next cobbled hill sector. They have to do this four more times. The group is down to just 31 riders and trail by 2 minutes. Taubel and Ariesen are the stronger cobbles riders not in this group.
Cardona is dropped on the next cobbled section and caught by the pack with 80 kilometers to go. The other five riders are still going strong.
Taubel has made it back to the pack but not Ariesen. Richardson is now dropped as the pack reduces to 29 riders. The gap to the break is 1'16".
The Ariesen group eventually make it back with 73 kilometers left.
All but Hvideberg is caught by the pack on the next cobbled sector. There's two more of those sectors to go.
Domene and Kolev is droppped, and Taubel is dropped again.
Hveideberg is caught with 59 kilometers to go on the penultimate sector. The peloton has 28 riders.
Defending champion Naesen is dropped!
Sbaragli attacks from the pack.
Naesen makes it back meanwhile.
Sbaragli is now past the final cobbled sector. He has pulled out a lead of 1'40" but has 40 long kilometers to hang on.
Tsatevich attacks next with 27 kilometers to go. Orue, Vanspeybrouck, Vanmarcke and Van Keirsbulck follow. They have a task on their hands with Sbaragli's lead up past the 2 minute mark.
The four chasers don't make it far and are caught.
Tsatevich is caught with 23 kilometers left. The gap to Sbaragli is down to 1'18" so the move has worked out somewhat for the peloton.
Vanmarcke, Ovsyannikov, Vanspeybrouck, Van Keirsbulck, Declerq and Orue attack out of the pack again.
Declerq and Ovsyannikov drops the others with 17 kilometers left and tries to chase down Sbaragli on his own.
The peloton now has twelve riders as the other attackers have been caught. Orue Vanspeybrouck Vanmarcke Naesen, Manakov, Ariesen Puccio, Van Keirsbulck, Thwaites Taillefour Rathe Sanikwathi
Tsatevich, Richardson and Tarvis has been dropped.
Vanmarcke goes solo and catches the front trio.
Thwaites is dropped from the chase group. 13 kilometers to go.
Orue, Naesen, Ariesen and Taillefour can't keep up with the pace and drop with 9 kilometers remaining.
The front two groups merge with 8 kilometers to go and it's ten riders now leading the race.
Manakov attacks almost immediately!
The gap to the Naesen group is increasing.
Vanspeybrouck and Van Keirsbulck are dropped from the chase group.
30 second lead for Manakov with 3 kilometers to go. The duo just dropped are a further 29 seconds behind. The Naesen group is at 1'33".
2 kilometers to go and Manakov has increased his advantage by another 10 seconds.
Another kilometer gone and Manakov's lead keeps going up. He's under the Flamme Rouge!
In the next groups, Vanspeybrouck has almost made up the gap.
Manakov takes the win in Gent-Wevelgem!
Sbaragli leads the chase group inside the final kilometer as all of them look tired.
The group splits with 400 meters to go with Sbaragli, Ovsyannikov, Sanikwathi and Vanmarcke having distanced Declerq, Puccio and Rathe.
Vanmarcke leads Sanikwathi as they reach the final 100 meters. Declerq has made up a lot of ground in the meantime.
Vanmarcke claims 2nd ahead of Sanikwathi.
Ovsyannikov is 4th, ahead of Declerq and Sbaragli.
Puccio is 7th, followed by Rathe.
Van Keirsbulck and Vanspeybrouck complete the Top 10.
Ariesen and Naesen make it two more for Crabbe-CC in the Top 12.
Taillefour is 13th, ahead of Orue.
Thwaites completes the Top 15.
Today's winner - Viktor Manakov.
Crabbe-CC played it to perfection as a team and claim the win and six riders in the Top 20! A good race Pas Normal Studios and Strava as well as also for Aramco. Hello Fresh and Trans will probably have hoped for more.
