Colbrelli wins Brabantse Pijl

Bahrain-Merida’s Sonny Colbrelli surged to victory at Wednesday’s Brabantse Pijl, getting clear of the peloton with a select group in the final 40 kilometres and taking a convincing win at the line in Overijse.

Defending champion Petr Vakoc (Quick-Step Floors) bridged up to the move in the closing kilometres to claim runner-up honours on the day, while Lotto Soudal’s Tiesj Benoot rounded out the podium in third.

"That was a tough race today, and we had to work really hard to stay out of reach of the peloton," Colbrelli said before the podium ceremony. "I’m very happy to have won this race, all the more so as the Quick-Step team tried all it could in the finale. This was the best possible preparation for the Amstel Gold Race, both for me and the entire team."

Colbrelli was instrumental in springing the decisive move, jumping clear just as the bunch was closing down on the day’s main breakaway. With teammate Grega Bole in the escape, along with the likes of Benoot, Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing) and Christopher Juul-Jensen (Orica-Scott), the move quickly opened up a gap as the peloton reabsorbed riders form the early breakaway.

Although their advantage never stretched out too much more than 30 seconds, and with several teams in the peloton hoping to close things down before the finish, the escape stubbornly hung on out front, with Colbrelli exhorting his fellow escapees to push on at every opportunity.

Vakoc and Lotto Soudal’s Tim Wellens came across in the run-in to the uphill finish, but Colbrelli was not to be denied, easily winning the sprint to the line.

"We had two guys in the front group, so we just kept an eye on them and controlled the others in case they would try an attack in order to close the gap," Vakoc said. "When Tim went, I followed immediately and we joined the leaders inside the final kilometers. I tried to surprise the group with an attack but couldn't drop them. Then Dries [Devenyns] did a perfect job leading me out and I was confident in my sprint, but unfortunately there was a stronger rider than me today.

"I won't hide that I'm a bit disappointed, because Brabantse Pijl is my favourite race of the year and I really wanted the victory," Vakoc said. "But at the same time, this give me even more motivation for Amstel Gold Race."

How it unfolded

The breakaway wasted little time animating the 197km Belgian 1.HC race from Leuven to Overijse, with a group of six going clear in the early kilometres to face the many Ardennes climbs dotted along the course.

The six were Jacques Van Rensburg (Dimension Data), Adam Blythe (Aqua Blue Sport), Lorenzo Rota (Bardiani CSF), Zak Dempster (Israel Cycling Academy), Christophe Prémont (Vérandas Willems-Crelan) and Christophe Masson (WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect).

The group lost Prémont on the first hills of the day, but after just 27km of racing, the five remaining escapees extended their lead to 6:45 over a peloton recovering from a fast opening salvo. Quick-Step Floors and Team Sunweb took up the chasing duties and brought the gap down to 5:50 as the leaders’ advantage continued to slowly come back down.

With 90km remaining, the breakaway’s advantage was down to just 2:42, and the leaders’ effort suffered another blow when Dempster dropped his chain on a cobbled climb and was unable to regain contact.

Van Rensburg, Blythe, Rota and Masson continued on, but their gap was down to less than a minute with 65km to go as they started the first of three 23km finishing circuits that featured five climbs – Hagaard, Hertstraat, Holstheide, IJskelderlaan and Schavei – on each lap.

With the quartet up front leading by just a handful of seconds, the Colbrelli-led counter-attack of about a dozen riders formed a chase, closing in on the breakaway as they approached the start of the penultimate lap.

The chase group quickly caught and dispatched the early breakaway riders, with the new lead group including Bole, Benoot, Laurens De Plus (Quick-Step Floors), Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Floors), Toms Skujins (Cannondale-Drapac), Juul Jensen (Orica-Scott), Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing), Bert-Jan Lindeman (LottoNL-Jumbo), Victor Campenaerts (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Stijn Devolder (Vérandas Willems-Crelan), among others.

The punchy cobbled climbs on the closing circuit quickly whittled that group down to eight, and they carried just 18 seconds into the final lap. Direct Energie took up the chasing duties, eventually handing off to Cannondale-Drapac, but the leaders’ advantage jumped to 28 seconds with 8.5km to go.

The leaders carried less than 10 seconds into the final climb at 2km, and whether the winner would come from the escape or the chase remained unclear, although the breakaway got a boost when Vakoc bridged up with Wellens and immediately went to the front to add some horsepower.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida4:44:22
2Petr Vakoc (Cze) Quick-Step FloorsRow 1 - Cell 2
3Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 2 - Cell 2
4Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 3 - Cell 2
5Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 4 - Cell 2
6Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-ScottRow 5 - Cell 2
7Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 6 - Cell 2
8Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 7 - Cell 2
9Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:00:06
10Laurens De Plus (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 9 - Cell 2
11Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb0:00:12
12Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 11 - Cell 2
13Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 12 - Cell 2
14Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 13 - Cell 2
15Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 14 - Cell 2
16Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac0:00:16
17Maxime Vantomme (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 16 - Cell 2
18Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 17 - Cell 2
19Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 18 - Cell 2
20Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 19 - Cell 2
21Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Aqua Blue SportRow 20 - Cell 2
22Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 21 - Cell 2
23Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 22 - Cell 2
24Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 23 - Cell 2
25Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 24 - Cell 2
26Nick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 25 - Cell 2
27Jack Haig (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 26 - Cell 2
28Dion Smith (NZl) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 27 - Cell 2
29Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension DataRow 28 - Cell 2
30Huub Duijn (Ned) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 29 - Cell 2
31Jeroen Meijers (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 30 - Cell 2
32Pim Ligthart (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 31 - Cell 2
33Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 33 - Cell 2
35Jan Tratnik (Slo) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 34 - Cell 2
36Martijn Budding (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 35 - Cell 2
37Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 36 - Cell 2
38Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 38 - Cell 2
40Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 39 - Cell 2
41Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 40 - Cell 2
42Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 41 - Cell 2
43Bernardo Suaza (Col) Manzana PostobonRow 42 - Cell 2
44Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:00:24
45Floris Gerts (Ned) BMC Racing Team0:00:27
46Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 45 - Cell 2
47Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 46 - Cell 2
48Artem Nych (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 47 - Cell 2
49Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-Scott0:00:31
50Aleksei Tcatevich (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo0:00:41
51Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 50 - Cell 2
52Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 51 - Cell 2
53Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect0:00:46
54Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 53 - Cell 2
55Maxime Bouet (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 54 - Cell 2
56Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto SoudalRow 55 - Cell 2
57Gregory Habeaux (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 56 - Cell 2
58Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 57 - Cell 2
59Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 58 - Cell 2
60Mark Christian (GBr) Aqua Blue SportRow 59 - Cell 2
61Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-ScottRow 60 - Cell 2
62Michel Kreder (Ned) Aqua Blue SportRow 61 - Cell 2
63Simon Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-Drapac0:01:04
64Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice0:01:07
65Jerome Cousin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:01:35
66Loïc Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:01:46
67Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data0:01:52
68Brendan Canty (Aus) Cannondale-Drapac0:02:18
69Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice0:02:29
70Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC Srandi PolkowiceRow 69 - Cell 2
71Gaetan Bille (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan0:02:56
72Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-Merida0:02:59
73Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Drapac0:03:23
74Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac0:04:45
75Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo NordiskRow 74 - Cell 2
76Jakub Kaczmarek (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 75 - Cell 2
77Stijn Devolder (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 76 - Cell 2
78Kilian Frankiny (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Tim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 78 - Cell 2
80Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 79 - Cell 2
81Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF0:05:19
82Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Direct Energie0:06:51
83Benjamin Perry (Can) Israel Cycling Academy0:07:08
84Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 83 - Cell 2
85José Manuel Díaz (Spa) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 84 - Cell 2
86Ivan Garcia (Spa) Bahrain-MeridaRow 85 - Cell 2
87Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 86 - Cell 2
88Kenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 87 - Cell 2
89Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 88 - Cell 2
90Kevin Deltombe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 89 - Cell 2
91Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step FloorsRow 90 - Cell 2
92David Lozano (Spa) Team Novo NordiskRow 91 - Cell 2
93Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team SunwebRow 92 - Cell 2
94Michal Paluta (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 93 - Cell 2
95Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 94 - Cell 2
96Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 95 - Cell 2
97Lennard Kämna (Ger) Team SunwebRow 96 - Cell 2
98Meiyin Wang (Chn) Bahrain-MeridaRow 97 - Cell 2
99Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 98 - Cell 2
100Antoine Warnier (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 99 - Cell 2
101Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension DataRow 100 - Cell 2
102Frantisek Sisr (Cze) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 101 - Cell 2
103Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 102 - Cell 2
104Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team SunwebRow 103 - Cell 2
105Sergey Nikolaev (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 104 - Cell 2
106Florian Vachon (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 105 - Cell 2
107Elie Gesbert (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 106 - Cell 2
108Fernando Orjuela (Col) Manzana PostobonRow 107 - Cell 2
109Juan Pablo Villegas (Col) Manzana PostobonRow 108 - Cell 2
110Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension DataRow 109 - Cell 2
111Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 110 - Cell 2
112Rob Power (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 111 - Cell 2
113Steven Lammertink (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 112 - Cell 2
114Javier Megias (Spa) Team Novo NordiskRow 113 - Cell 2
115Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension DataRow 114 - Cell 2
116Jhojan Garcia (Col) Manzana Postobon0:07:51
117Christophe Masson (Fra) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 116 - Cell 2
118Piet Allegaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 117 - Cell 2
119Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Cycling Academy0:08:11
120Tom Bohli (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 119 - Cell 2
121Enric Mas (Spa) Quick-Step FloorsRow 120 - Cell 2
122Ryan Gibbons (RSA) Dimension DataRow 121 - Cell 2
123Roman Maikin (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 122 - Cell 2
124Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 123 - Cell 2
125Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale-Drapac0:08:15
126Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie0:09:45
127Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan0:12:29
DNFPieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFJustin Jules (Fra) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFLukas Spengler (Swi) WB Veranclassic Aqua ProtectRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFYecid Arturo Sierra (Col) Manzana PostobonRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFMartijn Tusveld (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFDimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFMichaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFJuan Jose Amador (Col) Manzana PostobonRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Guillemois (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFTyler Williams (USA) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFAngelo Tulik (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFArnold Jeannesson (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFPierre Luc Perichon (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFAndrei Solomennikov (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFNikolay Trusov (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFZakkari Dempster (Aus) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFRoy Goldstein (Isr) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFMihkel Räim (Est) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFDries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFFabien Grellier (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFAlbert Timmer (Ned) Team SunwebRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFYoucef Reguigui (Alg) Dimension DataRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFBen O'Connor (Aus) Dimension DataRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFRoy Curvers (Ned) Team SunwebRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Geschke (Ger) Team SunwebRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFChris Hamilton (Aus) Team SunwebRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFSvein Tuft (Can) Orica-ScottRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Blythe (GBr) Aqua Blue SportRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Brammeier (Irl) Aqua Blue SportRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Fenn (GBr) Aqua Blue SportRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFMartyne Irvine (Irl) Aqua Blue SportRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFLars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Aqua Blue SportRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Maronese (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFVincenzo Albanese (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFMirco Maestri (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFNicola Boem (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFLorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFPaolo Simion (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFJetse Bol (Ned) Manzana PostobonRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFJuan Sebastian Molano (Col) Manzana PostobonRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFEtienne Van Empel (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFAime De Gendt (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFMartijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo NordiskRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFFabio Calabria (Aus) Team Novo NordiskRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFGerd De Keijzer (Ned) Team Novo NordiskRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFHendrikus Van Ijzendoorn (Ned) Team Novo NordiskRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 173 - Cell 2
DNFChristophe Prémont (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFHamish Schreurs (NZl) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFElias Van Breussegem (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFStef Van Zummeren (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFMark Mcnally (GBr) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFTim Declercq (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFMartin Velits (Svk) Quick-Step FloorsRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Per (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFManuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFWilliam Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-DrapacRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFBrian Kamstra (Ned) Team Novo NordiskRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Sicard (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 185 - Cell 2
DNSWesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 186 - Cell 2

 

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