Langeveld wins Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Sebastian Langeveld (Rabobank) edged out last year's winner Juan Antonio Flecha (Team Sky) in a close sprint to win Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

Langeveld threw his bike at the line and won a few centimetres to take the biggest win of his career. He collected the kisses and the praise on the podium, with Matt Hayman joining his teammate Flecha on the podium after taking third place ahead of Yoann Offredo (FDJ).

“I worked very hard for the victory and I'm going to take my time to enjoy it,” Langeveld said.

The Dutchman rode aggressively in the rain-soaked race, launching a solo attack in the middle of the key hilly section of the race with more than 50km left to race.

He quickly gained a gap of half a minute on a chase group while all the big-name favourites were riding in the remains of the peloton just under a minute down. On the Leberg climb, Flecha launched a counter-attack together with Niki Terpstra (Quick-Step) out of the peloton.

“On the Leberg it was time to gamble and I had the legs to go there,” Flecha said.

The Spaniard first caught up with the group of chasers and then he left them on the cobbles of the Paddestraat when there were less than 30km to race. At that moment the gap between Flecha and Langeveld was more than a minute. Langeveld and Flecha fought out an intense pursuit but the Spaniard closed the gap second by second on his former Rabobank teammate.

With 15km to go, Flecha joined up with Langeveld and the two were set for a two-man sprint.

“I didn't wait for Flecha but when he came back I saw that he didn't have much left in his tank. I knew that he would try to attack. If I could neutralize that attack I would be mentally at an advantage,” Langeveld said.

The final kilometres unfolded as Langeveld predicted but in the sprint Flecha surprisingly turned out to be much faster than expected. “Normally Langeveld is faster but after such a race it's different. I wasn't as sure as he was that he’d won but in the end he was ten centimetres faster today,” Flecha conceded.

In the first chase group there were several attacks in the final kilometres and a minute after the close sprint, it was Hayman who showed up first at the St-Peter's square in Ghent, just ahead of the surprising young French rider Yoann Offredo (FDJ). The other chasers were just behind, with the main peloton at five minutes and another cold and wet group at almost ten minutes.

All the action

The first half of the race was marked by a breakaway by Sébastien Delfosse (Landbouwkrediet-KDL), Steven Van Vooren (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator), Bram Schmitz and Steven Caethoven (Veranda's Willems-Accent), Aleksejs Saramotins (Cofidis), Mathieu Ladagnous (FDJ), Ronan van Zandbeek (Skil-Shimano) and Sébastien Chavanel (Europcar). The group build up a lead of almost eight minutes. However the foul weather made it a hard race and by the time the race started in earnest front many riders were already at their limit.

On the cobbles of Donderij, with 65km to go, the race started in the peloton when the riders from Sky and then Tom Boonen (Quick-Step) upping the speed. When arriving at the Taaienberg – also known as Boonenberg – the peloton was stretched out. Boonen led the peloton over the cobbled climb in the asphalted gutter, with world champion Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervélo) just behind him. In between the Taaienberg and the Eikenberg climbs, the pace remained high thanks to the efforts of Offredo and Hushovd.

The early breakaway was quickly caught and Langeveld used the Eikenberg to go clear. Behind him the favourites were playing a waiting game. A group including John Degenkolb (HTC-Highroad), Hayman, Manuel Quinziato (BMC), Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Cervélo) went away after him. Little later another group left the main peloton featuring Fréderic Amorison (Landbouwkrediet-KDL), Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Lars Boom (Rabobank) and Luca Paolini (Katusha).

When Niki Terpstra (Quick-Step) set a high pace on the Leberg he ended up riding away with Flecha. The chase groups came together behind sole leader Langeveld, who still had a lead of more than a minute. Flecha put the hammer down on the cobbles of the Paddestraat and set off in pursuit, and from there the great finale with Langeveld unfolded.

Flecha seemed the favourite to win Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for a second year but the young Dutchman had no plans to give up as he showed with his perfect sprint.

 

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Full Results
1Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team5:18:03
2Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky ProcyclingRow 1 - Cell 2
3Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky Procycling0:01:01
4Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ0:01:04
5Luca Paolini (Ita) Katusha Team0:01:21
6Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quickstep Cycling Team0:01:24
7Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Cervelo0:01:30
8Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 7 - Cell 2
9Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-LottoRow 8 - Cell 2
10Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Landbouwkrediet0:01:34
12John Degenkolb (Ger) HTC-Highroad0:01:39
13Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Leopard Trek0:05:05
14Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 13 - Cell 2
15Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 14 - Cell 2
16Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJRow 15 - Cell 2
17Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18Russell Downing (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 17 - Cell 2
19Koen Barbe (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 18 - Cell 2
20Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Katusha TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 22 - Cell 2
24Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Leopard TrekRow 25 - Cell 2
27Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 26 - Cell 2
28Leif Hoste (Bel) Katusha TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
31Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 30 - Cell 2
32Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33Thor Hushovd (Nor) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 32 - Cell 2
34Andreas Klier (Ger) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 33 - Cell 2
35Tom Boonen (Bel) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37Hayden Roulston (NZl) HTC-HighroadRow 36 - Cell 2
38Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) HTC-HighroadRow 37 - Cell 2
39Gianni Meersman (Bel) FDJRow 38 - Cell 2
40Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 39 - Cell 2
41Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky ProcyclingRow 40 - Cell 2
42Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
43Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-LottoRow 42 - Cell 2
44Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent0:09:22
46Lars Ytting Bak (Den) HTC-Highroad0:10:41
47Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 46 - Cell 2
48Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 47 - Cell 2
49Bert De Backer (Bel) Skil - ShimanoRow 48 - Cell 2
50Alex Rasmussen (Den) HTC-HighroadRow 49 - Cell 2
51Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 50 - Cell 2
52Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 51 - Cell 2
53Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 52 - Cell 2
54Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Omega Pharma-LottoRow 53 - Cell 2
55Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 54 - Cell 2
56Bram Schmitz (Ned) Veranda's Willems - AccentRow 55 - Cell 2
57Roy Curvers (Ned) Skil - ShimanoRow 56 - Cell 2
58Koen De Kort (Ned) Skil - ShimanoRow 57 - Cell 2
59Wim De Vocht (Bel) Veranda's Willems - AccentRow 58 - Cell 2
60Michael Barry (Can) Sky ProcyclingRow 59 - Cell 2
61Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
62Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJRow 61 - Cell 2
63Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJRow 62 - Cell 2
64Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 63 - Cell 2
65Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing TeamRow 64 - Cell 2
66Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 65 - Cell 2
67Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
68Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Dominic Klemme (Ger) Leopard TrekRow 68 - Cell 2
70Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 69 - Cell 2
71Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 70 - Cell 2
72Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 71 - Cell 2
73Rick Flens (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 72 - Cell 2
74Roger Hammond (GBr) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 73 - Cell 2
75Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 74 - Cell 2
76Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 75 - Cell 2
77Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator0:14:29
78Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Dieter Cappelle (Bel) Veranda's Willems - AccentRow 78 - Cell 2
80Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Omega Pharma-LottoRow 79 - Cell 2
81William Clarke (Aus) Leopard TrekRow 80 - Cell 2
82Vladimir Isaichev (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 81 - Cell 2
83Dominique Cornu (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 82 - Cell 2
84Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & SaponeRow 83 - Cell 2
85David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 84 - Cell 2
86Bobbie Traksel (Ned) LandbouwkredietRow 85 - Cell 2
87Geert Verheyen (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 86 - Cell 2
88Johan Le Bon (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 87 - Cell 2
89Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Team NetappRow 88 - Cell 2
90Timon Seubert (Ger) Team NetappRow 89 - Cell 2
91Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 90 - Cell 2
92James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Veranda's Willems - AccentRow 91 - Cell 2
93Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Veranda's Willems - AccentRow 92 - Cell 2
94Damien Gaudin (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 93 - Cell 2
95Bernhard Eisel (Aut) HTC-HighroadRow 94 - Cell 2
96Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 95 - Cell 2
97Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 96 - Cell 2

 

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