Ackermann wins Brussels Cycling Classic

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Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) took victory in the 2018 edition of the Brussels Cycling Classic on Saturday, continuing his fine run of late-summer form. 

The German, who has won RideLondon and two stages of the Tour de Pologne since winning his national championships road race in June, triumphed in a bunch sprint that was marred by a heavy crash. 

2017 champion Arnaud Démare, whose FDJ team had joined Bora as the dominant forces on the run-in, was held up - and lucky himself not to crash - as riders from AG2R La Mondiale and Team Sunweb fell hard. 

Ackermann was already sprinting and had a clear run for the line, with Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) finishing a distant second and Thomas Boudat (Direct Energie) third. 

"It was really hard. It was a hilly circuit, not easy, but my team was amazing today - they worked really hard for me and I'm really happy today," said Ackermann. 

"It's my first victory in Belgium and I hope some more will follow."

The 201km route contained no fewer than 13 climbs but, all being short and the final one coming more than 25km from the line, it was always likely to culminate in a bunch sprint. Oliver Naesen (AG2R La Mondiale) did everything he could to prevent it, sparking an early six-man breakaway with Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal), Jonas Gregaard (Astana), Hamish Schreurs (Israel Cycling Academy), Nike van der Lijke (Roompot), and Tom Wirtgen (WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic). 

The opened up a lead of 3:30 before Schreurs was dropped with just over 70km to go, but at that point FDJ were working hard in the peloton and brought the gap down to a minute by the penultimate climb of Krabbos with just under 50km to go. At that point, four riders - Remi Cavagna (Quick-Step Floors), Kamil Gradek (CCC), Thomas Sprengers (Sport Vlaanderen Baloise), and Jimmy Turgis (Cofidis) - attacked and succeeded in making it across to make a front group of eight. 

Despite several attacks, the gap was too tight to entertain any real hopes of success, and Bak was the last to be caught, with the racing coming back together with 10km remaining. At that point, Bora and FDJ took to the front yet the contest between Ackermann and Démare was denied by the late crash, not that it takes anything away from another win for the young German. 

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