Debusschere wins Dwars door Vlaanderen

On a dark, rainy Wednesday in Belgium, one day after shocking terrorist attacks, Lotto – Soudal’s Jens Debusschere gave his home crowd the win they wanted, perhaps needed, at Dwars door Vlaanderen. Another Belgian, BMC’s Greg Van Avermaet animated the final 10 kilometers with a bold solo attack. He was caught in sight of the finish, and Debusschere’s brilliant lunge at the line won the day, as Bryan Coquard sat up too soon, thinking victory was assured.

“Of course I am happy with this victory. It was a race I had been looking forward to,” said Debusschere. “Because of what happened yesterday in Brussels it wasn’t sure if the race would take place. It was strange yesterday and this morning: Should we give in and cancel the race, or do we race with respect for the victims and with attention for the safety? The atmosphere at the start in Roeselare was very serene.”

Top 10

• 1. Jens DEBUSSCHERE, LOTTO SOUDAL, in 4:47:55
• 2. Bryan COQUARD, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :00
• 3. Edward THEUNS, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 4. Filippo POZZATO, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA, at :00
• 5. Jens KEUKELEIRE, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at :00
• 6. Giacomo NIZZOLO, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 7. Oscar GATTO, TINKOFF, at :00
• 8. Scott THWAITES, BORA-ARGON 18, at :00
• 9. Mike TEUNISSEN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :00
• 10. Fernando GAVIRIA RENDON, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :00

 
The early breakaway in the rainy 200-kilometer race included Alexis Gougeard (Ag2r La Mondiale), Jesper Asselman (Roompot – Oranje Peloton), Phil Bauhaus (Bora – Argon 18), Alex Kirsch (Stolting Service Group), Igor Boev (Gazprom – Rusvelo), and Kevin Van Melsen (Wanty – Groupe Gobert).

With about 80 kilometers to go, LottoNL – Jumbo’s Mike Teunissen rode clear of the peloton. Topsport – Vlaanderen’s Jonas Rickaert soon joined the attempt to bridge to the leaders. Luke Durbridge (Orica – GreenEdge) added his extra horsepower, and the three instigators rode clear.

Boev and Gougeard were dropped from the lead group and joined forces with the chasers. The Ag2r rider couldn’t keep the pace and was soon dropped as the peloton narrowed the gap to about one minute ahead of the Taaienberg, with 52km to go. The break was another 45 seconds ahead as Trek – Segafredo’s Edward Theuns ratcheted up the pace in the bunch.

Eight riders went clear of the peloton after the Taaienberg, and three more soon joined the escape. With about 44 kilometers to go, the large breakaway caught Teunissen’s chase group. The lead four riders remained up the road by about one minute.

The day’s next challenge, the Oude Kwaremont, reshuffled the race again. Van Melsen went clear of the break, and the large chase, 30 seconds back, collected all of the remaining escapees save Kirsch.

The Flandrian hills were unrelenting. The chase, now reduced to four riders (Nikolas Maes, Oscar Gatto, Durbridge, and Dries Devenyns), caught Kirsch at the crest of the Paterberg, 31 kilometers from the line.

Over the next 10 kilometers, the chase group’s size increased, and with about 20km to go, Lotto – Soudal’s Tiesj Benoot attacked at the top of the paved Vossenhol climb.

Benoot and his five companions soon caught Van Melsen. With 15 kilometers left, their advantage was 24 seconds.

The seven-man break bickered and attacked each other just outside of the final 10 kilometers, and accordingly, the peloton pulled the race back together.

Before the race’s final hill, the Nokereberg, Van Avermaet attacked alone. Blasting up the cobbled climb’s smooth gutter, the Belgian had a slim lead at the top with about eight kilometers to go.

Van Avermaet extended his lead to about 12 seconds with 5km left. Etixx – Quick-Step drove the peloton, working for Fernando Gaviria.

Under the red kite, the Belgian had a whisker-thin lead, and Etixx’s Niki Terpstra had him in his sights. Rounding the final left-hand bend, Trek – Segafredo took over, catching Van Avermaet with 250 meters to go.

Gaviria opened the sprint early but faded as Direct Energie’s Bryan Coquard looked to have the win in the bag. But the Frenchman sat up too early to celebrate, and Debusschere snatched the win by a bike throw, as the sun finally began to shine through.

Results

• 1. Jens DEBUSSCHERE, LOTTO SOUDAL, in 4:48:27
• 2. Bryan COQUARD, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :00
• 3. Edward THEUNS, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 4. Filippo POZZATO, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA, at :00
• 5. Jens KEUKELEIRE, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at :00
• 6. Giacomo NIZZOLO, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 7. Oscar GATTO, TINKOFF, at :00
• 8. Scott THWAITES, BORA-ARGON 18, at :00
• 9. Mike TEUNISSEN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :00
• 10. Fernando GAVIRIA RENDON, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :00
• 11. Tom VAN ASBROECK, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :00
• 12. Adrien PETIT, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :00
• 13. Marco MARCATO, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :00
• 14. Amaury CAPIOT, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at :00
• 15. Mads PEDERSEN, SSG, at :00
• 16. Christophe LAPORTE, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at :00
• 17. Pieter VANSPEYBROUCK, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at :00
• 18. Frederik BACKAERT, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :00
• 19. Loic VLIEGEN, BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 20. Jasper STUYVEN, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 21. Bert VAN LERBERGHE, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at :00
• 22. Jesper ASSELMAN, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at :00
• 23. Tim DECLERCQ, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at :00
• 24. Stefan KUENG, BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 25. Florian SENECHAL, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at :00
• 26. Andrey AMADOR BIKKAZAKOVA, MOVISTAR TEAM, at :00
• 27. Luke DURBRIDGE, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at :00
• 28. Dries DEVENYNS, IAM CYCLING, at :00
• 29. Alex KIRSCH, SSG, at :00
• 30. Antoine DUCHESNE, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :00
• 31. Vegard BREEN, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT, at :00
• 32. Greg VAN AVERMAET, BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 33. Phil BAUHAUS, BORA-ARGON 18, at :00
• 34. Pim LIGTHART, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :00
• 35. Niki TERPSTRA, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :11
• 36. Nikolas MAES, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :12
• 37. Jelle WALLAYS, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :38
• 38. Daniel MCLAY, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT, at :38
• 39. Tiesj BENOOT, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :38
• 40. Boy VAN POPPEL, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :38
• 41. Alexander PORSEV, TEAM KATUSHA, at :38
• 42. Leigh HOWARD, IAM CYCLING, at :38
• 43. Magnus Cort NIELSEN, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at :38
• 44. Sondre HOLST ENGER, IAM CYCLING, at :38
• 45. Ralf MATZKA, BORA-ARGON 18, at :38
• 46. Kenneth VAN BILSEN, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at :38
• 47. Raymond KREDER, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at :38
• 48. Luka MEZGEC, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at :38
• 49. Roy JANS, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :38
• 50. Rasmus GULDHAMMER, SSG, at :38
• 51. Juan Jose LOBATO DEL VALLE, MOVISTAR TEAM, at :38
• 52. Rick ZABEL, BMC RACING TEAM, at :38
• 53. Cyril LEMOINE, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at :38
• 54. Preben VAN HECKE, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at :38
• 55. Kenny DE HAES, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :38
• 56. Floris GERFS, BMC RACING TEAM, at :38
• 57. Nikolay TRUSOV, TINKOFF, at :38
• 58. Ivan SAVITSKIY, GAZ, at :38
• 59. Dylan GROENEWEGEN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :38
• 60. Reto HOLLENSTEIN, IAM CYCLING, at :38
• 61. Simone PONZI, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at :38
• 62. Jasha SÜTTERLIN, MOVISTAR TEAM, at :38
• 63. Gijs VAN HOECKE, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at :38
• 64. Pavel BRUTT, TINKOFF, at :38
• 65. Guillaume VAN KEIRSBULCK, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :38
• 66. Lukasz WISNIOWSKI, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :38
• 67. Andrei SOLOMENNIKOV, GAZ, at :38
• 68. Jaroslaw MARYCZ, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at :38
• 69. Nico DENZ, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :38
• 70. Lars Ytting BAK, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :38
• 71. Vladimir ISAYCHEV, TEAM KATUSHA, at :38
• 72. Vegard Stake LAENGEN, IAM CYCLING, at :38
• 73. Brian VAN GOETHEM, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at :38
• 74. Simone ANTONINI, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :38
• 75. Zakkari DEMPSTER, BORA-ARGON 18, at :38
• 76. Andreas SCHILLINGER, BORA-ARGON 18, at :38
• 77. Tom DEVRIENDT, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :38
• 78. Hugo HOULE, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :38
• 79. Alexandre PICHOT, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :38
• 80. Markel IRIZAR ARANBURU, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :38
• 81. Dimitri CLAEYS, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :38
• 82. Juraj SAGAN, TINKOFF, at :38
• 83. Ryan ANDERSON, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :38
• 84. Yohann GENE, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :38
• 85. Robert WAGNER, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :38
• 86. Steven TRONET, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT, at :38
• 87. Marcus BURGHARDT, BMC RACING TEAM, at :38
• 88. Dmitrii KOZONCHUK, TEAM KATUSHA, at :38
• 89. Jonas RICKAERT, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at :38
• 90. Marco HALLER, TEAM KATUSHA, at :38
• 91. Niccolo BONIFAZIO, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :38
• 92. Francisco José VENTOSO ALBERDI, MOVISTAR TEAM, at :38
• 93. Kevin VAN MELSEN, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :50
• 94. Twan CASTELIJNS, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :50
• 95. Wesley KREDER, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at :50
• 96. Tony MARTIN, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :50
• 97. Yauheni HUTAROVICH, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT, at :50
• 98. Stijn DEVOLDER, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :50
• 99. Sjoerd VAN GINNEKEN, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at :50
• 100. Jasper DE BUYST, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :50
• 101. Sean DE BIE, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :50
• 102. Tom BOHLI, BMC RACING TEAM, at :50
• 103. Benoit JARRIER, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT, at :50
• 104. Viacheslav KUZNETSOV, TEAM KATUSHA, at :50
• 105. Moreno HOFLAND, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :50
• 106. Maarten WYNANTS, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :50
• 107. Berden DE VRIES, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at :50
• 108. Shane ARCHBOLD, BORA-ARGON 18, at :50
• 109. Michel KREDER, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at :50
• 110. Damien GAUDIN, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :50
• 111. Nils POLITT, TEAM KATUSHA, at 1:46
• 112. Stijn STEELS, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at 3:20
• DNF Michael SCHÄR, BMC RACING TEAM
• DNF Yves LAMPAERT, ETIXX – QUICK STEP
• DNF Iljo KEISSE, ETIXX – QUICK STEP
• DNF Fumiyuki BEPPU, TREK – SEGAFREDO
• DNF Erik BASKA, TINKOFF
• DNF Michael GOGL, TINKOFF
• DNF Michal KOLÁR, TINKOFF
• DNF Jay MCCARTHY, TINKOFF
• DNF Sam BEWLEY, ORICA – GreenEDGE
• DNF Mitchell DOCKER, ORICA – GreenEDGE
• DNF Svein TUFT, ORICA – GreenEDGE
• DNF Oliver NAESEN, IAM CYCLING
• DNF Vicente REYNES MIMO, IAM CYCLING
• DNF Sergey LAGUTIN, TEAM KATUSHA
• DNF Maxime DANIEL, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Alexis GOUGEARD, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Quentin JAUREGUI, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Timo ROOSEN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO
• DNF Romain CARDIS, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Julien MORICE, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Hugo Hofstetter, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Jonas AHLSTRAND, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Michael VAN STAEYEN, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Franck BONNAMOUR, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Jean-Marc BIDEAU, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Boris VALLEE, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Liam BERTAZZO, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Andrea DAL COL, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Matteo DRAPERI, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Giuseppe FONZI, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Mirko TEDESCHI, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Mirko TROSINO, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Eugert ZHUPA, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Kai REUS, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON
• DNF Adrian KUREK, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE
• DNF Bartlomiej MATYSIAK, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE
• DNF Josef CERNY, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE
• DNF Eryk LATON, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE
• DNF Michael SCHWARZMANN, BORA-ARGON 18
• DNF Gerald CIOLEK, SSG
• DNF Rasmus Christian QUAADE, SSG
• DNF Michael REIHS, SSG
• DNF Michael Carbel SVENDGAARD, SSG
• DNF Jonas TENBROCK, SSG
• DNF Igor BOEV, GAZ
• DNF Viktor MANAKOV, GAZ
• DNF Roman MAIKIN, GAZ
• DNF Sergey NIKOLAEV, GAZ
• DNF Evgeny SHALUNOV, GAZ
• DNF Mamyr STASH, GAZ