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Photo Essay: E3/Gent-Wevelgem double-header in Belgium

Belgium's biggest cobblestone races kick off with a weekend double-header of E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem.

March 28, 2017 BrakeThrough Media

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Disc brakes and tire pressure, the spring classics in Flanders continued with the Ronde van Vlaanderen “tester” E3 Harelbeke. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Sep Vanmarcke fans were on hand to support their favorite rider. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Tom Boonen was celebrated onstage in Harelbeke, counting down the race days of his final classics season. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

The peloton rode easily over the first pavé of the course at Holleweg. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Hundreds of fans flanked the roadside on La Houppe where the party got into full swing with beers at the Chalet. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Rowdy fans jumped and danced on the Taaienberg before the race’s arrival. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

In classic Tom Boonen form, he rode the front of the peloton, charging up the narrow gutter along the pavé on the Taaienberg. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Race favorite Greg Van Avermaet was in hot pursuit behind Boonen, Degenkolb, Sagan, and others on the Taaienberg. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

A chase group that included Gilbert and Vanmarcke got a small gap by the time they hit Stationsberg. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Fans huddled in a bar on the Oude Kwaremont to watch the race on TV as a crash split the peloton further and forced Sagan out of the main group with a mechanical. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Oliver Naesen led Van Avermaet and Gilbert through the corridor of fans on the first part of the Kwaremont. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Van Avermaet pulled on the upper Kwaremont. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Kristoff found himself a few groups back by the time he reached the Kwaremont where the gaps grew. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

The final three — Van Avermaet, Gilbert, and Naesen — managed to stay clear for the last 40 km. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

In the final, it came down to a close sprint between Van Avermaet and Gilbert proving that Gilbert was once again in the top form of his career. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Van Avermaet was the fastest man on the day and ensured his status as a top rider to beat next week in Tour of Flanders. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Other race favorites including Degenkolb, Boonen, Benoot, and Terpstra were all in the sprint for fourth, as was rising star Sonny Colbrelli. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

A smiling Gilbert looked out at the crowd from the backstage area of the podium. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

The Belgian trio podium of Gilbert, Van Avermaet, and Naesen was a surefire crowd-pleaser. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Known for its recent years of fierce winds, freezing temperatures, and icy rain this edition of Gent-Wevelgem started under warm spring-like skies. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Oliver — Oliver Naesen found newfound media stardom at the Gent-Wevelgem start in Deinze after coming in third place in E3 Harelbeke 2017. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Cannondale-Drapac riders relaxed and stretched backstage before the start of the race. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Gent Wevelgem always draws large crowds in the Grote Markt for the start in Deinze. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Tom Boonen took the stage for team presentation, one of the few remaining in his career, with retirement planned for after Paris-Roubaix. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

The Wanty-Groupe Gobert squad lined up on the start to honor Antoine Demoitié with a minute of silence. Their teammate died in 2016 as a result of crash injuries sustained in that edition of Gent-Wevelgem. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

The peloton rode through the early part of the course without much wind or drama. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

The peloton traversed the bridge in Diksmuide where the WWI monuments of the Yser Tower and the gate of peace symbolize the demand for Nooit meer Oorlog (No more war). Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

The peloton arrived at De Moeren with much less wind than previous years where early echelons are typical in the race. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Through Flanders fields … en route through Northern France and back. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

The front of the peloton neared the summit of the Mont des Cats (Catsberg) in the Départment du Nord, France, at kilometer 136. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Tom Boonen led the chase up the first pass of the Kemmelberg at kilometer 175 with Moscon, Boasson Hagen, Van Avermaet, Stuyven, and Michaels on his wheel. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Peter Sagan was not far behind on the Kemmelberg at kilometer 175, leaving plenty of time for the race yet to play out. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Between the passes on the Kemmelberg, the race took a 30km loop through green fields and over three sectors of gravel roads called plugstraats. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Quite familiar with the white gravel roads of the Strade Bianche in Italy, Stybar was on the gas on the plugstraat. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Fans atop the Kemmelberg lined up on the backside of the climb to wait for the race under the Monument aux Soldats Français depicting the Roman victory goddess Victoria. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Greg Van Avermaet was the first to crest the Kemmelberg at kilometer 215. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Sagan chased hard as daylight opened up between Van Avermaet and his opponents. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Stybar and Boasson Hagen were no match for Van Avermaet’s power but continued to work to bridge the gap. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Tony Martin fell off the back of the remaining peloton after a crash ruined his chances for a top result. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Degenkolb and the small group of escapees passed through the historic center of Ieper. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Sagan took the front of the five-man group that included Terpstra, Keukeleire, and Van Avermaet. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Van Avermaet continued his classics reign with the win in Wevelgem. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

The bunch came in close behind the top three with many of the Flanders favorites in the mix. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Sagan looked over his shoulder as the bunch sprint came in behind him. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Van Avermaet beamed in the center of his media scrum after the finish line. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Van Avermaet peeked out from behind the podium as Keukeleire was awarded second place. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

Peter Sagan congratulated winner Van Avermaet on the podium — eyeing his main contender for the coveted Flanders trophy in next week’s De Ronde. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

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