Kwiatkowski wins E3 Harelbeke over Sagan

Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) denied Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) his first win in the rainbow jersey at the E3 Harelbeke on Friday by out-sprinting the world champion after the duo escaped a select lead group of favourites with 30km remaining.

With Tom Boonen (Etixx-QuickStep) and Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo) chasing furiously behind, Kwiatkowski powered away from Sagan in the final 200 metres to take the victory. Ian Stannard rounded out the podium with third place for Team Sky.

Cancellara was slowed by a mechanical but made his way back to the lead group of about 13 riders with just over 30km to go after a lengthy chase. Moments after he regained contact, the winning move came with Kwiatkowski first to accelerate on the Karnemelkbeekstraat. Sagan made it up to the Team Sky rider with Matteo Trentin furiously chasing in order to make sure Etixx-Quickstep were represented. However the Italian wilted, allowing the last two world champions to establish a lead that peaked at just under 40 seconds.

Etixx-QuickStep, who had numbers throughout the race, set upon chasing the leaders but their efforts proved in vain. A late charge from Tom Boonen almost saw the leading pair caught in the closing kilometre but as Sagan led the duo toward the line, Kwiatkowski launched his attack and quickly opened an insurmountable gap.

Sagan, weary from his earlier efforts in the break, simply had no answer and barely lifted himself out of the saddle as the Pole made sure of his escape.

“I did my best, I was perfectly protected by my teammates," Kwiatkowski said at the finish. "Ian Stannard was in the front and we could play very well. Actually, we worked well with Peter - as we did three years ago in Strade Bianche. Honestly, I knew I had really good legs today. I had to go for the win - there was no other option.

“I know how Peter feels, to have the world champion's jersey, it's very difficult. But we both did a very good race.”

For Sagan the wait for his first win in the rainbow jersey continues with half a dozen second places already amassed this season. Up until the sprint the Slovak had ridden the perfect race, and even when he became isolated from his team, he remained calm, picking his moment to attack with the same precision that had seem him win the World title. However, when it came to the sprint the Tinkoff leader had nothing left.

“We were working together, but in the finish I was - yeah - I had no more energy. He was better," Sagan said of Kwiatkowski. When asked if it was that simple, he replied, "Cycling is simple, I think. At the end of a race like this it's all different. I did the attack and then I worked a lot. The last two kilometres in the radio they said 'you have to pull, you have to pull, everybody is coming'. I pulled a lot, and for the final I was without legs."

How it unfolded

The morning news surrounded Greg Van Avermaet’s decision not to start the race after the Belgian came down with a stomach bug. The rest of the peloton, however, headed out from Harelbeke with the breakaway forming around Antoine Demoitie (Wanty - Groupe Gobert), Wouter Wippert (Cannondale Pro Cycling), Bert De Backer (Team Giant-Alpecin), Nico Denz (AG2R La Mondiale), Sjoerd van Ginneken (Roompot - Oranje Peloton), Tony Hurel (Direct Energie) and Reto Hollenstein (IAM Cycling).

Jay Robert Thomson (Dimension Data) bridged up solo much later and the eight leaders collected a maximum lead of 6 minutes but Trek-Segafredo team took the initiative for their leader Fabian Cancellara. When approaching the first bergs the gap quickly dropped, especially in the sprint towards the seventh climb of the day, the always-important Taaienberg at 74 kilometres from the finish in Harelbeke.

Cancellara’s resurrection

On the Taaienberg Roelandts’ acceleration created an elite group of 10 riders with Tiesj Benoot (Lotto-Soudal), Boonen, Zdenek Stybar, Matteo Trentin and Nikki Terpstra for Etixx-QuickStep, Cancellara, Daniel Oss (BMC), Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Lars Boom (Astana). At the foot of the following Boigneberg a cranky rear derailleur halted Cancellara.

The Swiss rider tossed his bike to the side of the road and waited more than a minute with folded arms for a new machine. It looked as though his race was over.

As the race continued towards climb 12, the steep cobbled Paterberg, the situation kept changing. Stybar punctured from the front as about twenty riders came together. Half a minute further back Trek-Segafredo and Katusha (for Kristoff) combined forces in the peloton to try and get back to the lead group where Tony Martin worked hard for Etixx-QuickStep.

Cancellara and Stybar surged away from the peloton on the tough combination of the Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont. In front Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky), Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), Ian Stannard (Sky), Boonen, Trentin, Terpstra, Boom, Oss, Vanmarcke and Benoot pushed on. Five kilometres after cresting the long Oude Kwaremont climb Cancellara and Stybar bridged up to the leaders with Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Jean-Pierre Drucker (BMC) and Dries Devenyns (IAM).

Winning move on the Karnemelkbeekstraat

At 30 kilometres from the finish Kwiatkowski and Sagan accelerated away on the penultimate climb of the day, the Karnemelkbeekstraat. The duo built up a lead of nearly forty seconds on the 13 chasers at 15 kilometres from the finish, with no obstacles left to cover.

Etixx, despite their numerical advantage, were unable to bring the pair back and despite a last-ditch effort from Boonen and Cancellara, the team Sky – Tinkoff tandem had just enough room to manoeuvre as they raced under the 1000m to go banner. Sagan brought them to the barriers in an attempt to force Kwiatkowski’s hand but even the predictability of a telegraphed attack could not save the world champion, who was powerless to respond.

“After 30, 40km, going both together, I knew I had to go for a long sprint, because Peter seems to have this kick, this punch, bigger than me,” the winner said.

“I tried to go more than 300m before the finish and that worked out. I didn't look back, I just went full gas to the finish.”

“I've done a few times Tour of Flanders and never did very well. I feel really good in Team Sky, being one of the leaders for the cobbled Classics is an amazing feeling, to be so protected, and to finish like that even after not doing any Classics before. It's more than I dreamed about.”

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Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky4:49:34
2Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team0:00:04
3Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky0:00:11
4Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek-SegafredoRow 3 - Cell 2
5Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-SegafredoRow 4 - Cell 2
6Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 6 - Cell 2
8Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 7 - Cell 2
9Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM CyclingRow 10 - Cell 2
12Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 11 - Cell 2
13Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx - Quick-Step0:00:15
14Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 13 - Cell 2
15Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step0:02:32
16Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling0:04:48
17Marco Marcato (Ita) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 16 - Cell 2
18Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 18 - Cell 2
20Ralf Matzka (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 19 - Cell 2
21Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 21 - Cell 2
23Luke Rowe (GBr) Team SkyRow 22 - Cell 2
24Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 23 - Cell 2
25Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct EnergieRow 24 - Cell 2
26Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 25 - Cell 2
27Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 28 - Cell 2
30Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 29 - Cell 2
31Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 30 - Cell 2
32Stefan Kueng (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 32 - Cell 2
34Michal Golas (Pol) Team SkyRow 33 - Cell 2
35Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18Row 34 - Cell 2
36Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 36 - Cell 2
38Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team SkyRow 38 - Cell 2
40Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Southeast - VenezuelaRow 39 - Cell 2
41Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team0:04:52
42Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:06:18
43Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:06:54
44Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 43 - Cell 2
45Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar TeamRow 44 - Cell 2
46Vegard Breen (Nor) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 45 - Cell 2
47Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 46 - Cell 2
48Nils Politt (Ger) Team KatushaRow 47 - Cell 2
49Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto SoudalRow 48 - Cell 2
50Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek-SegafredoRow 49 - Cell 2
51Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
52Michael Morkov (Den) Team KatushaRow 51 - Cell 2
53Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team KatushaRow 52 - Cell 2
54Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto SoudalRow 53 - Cell 2
55Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 54 - Cell 2
56Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 55 - Cell 2
57Marko Kump (Slo) Lampre - MeridaRow 56 - Cell 2
58Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek-SegafredoRow 57 - Cell 2
59Michel Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 58 - Cell 2
60Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 59 - Cell 2
61Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJRow 60 - Cell 2
62Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 61 - Cell 2
63Jay McCarthy (Aus) Tinkoff TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
64Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
65Floris Gerts (Ned) BMC Racing Team0:08:59
66Wesley Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 65 - Cell 2
67Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
68Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 67 - Cell 2
69Antoine Demoitie (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 68 - Cell 2
70Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro TeamRow 69 - Cell 2
71Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff TeamRow 70 - Cell 2
72Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 71 - Cell 2
73Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin0:11:35
74Rudiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 73 - Cell 2
75Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 74 - Cell 2
76Ryan Anderson (Can) Direct EnergieRow 75 - Cell 2
77Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff TeamRow 76 - Cell 2
78Adam Blythe (GBr) Tinkoff TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 78 - Cell 2
80Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 79 - Cell 2
81Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 80 - Cell 2
82Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJRow 81 - Cell 2
83Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension DataRow 82 - Cell 2
84Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 83 - Cell 2
85Maxime Farazijn (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 84 - Cell 2
86Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 85 - Cell 2
87Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 86 - Cell 2
88Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 87 - Cell 2
89Florian Vachon (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 88 - Cell 2
90Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 89 - Cell 2
91Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) IAM CyclingRow 90 - Cell 2
92Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Team KatushaRow 91 - Cell 2
93Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 92 - Cell 2
94Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension DataRow 93 - Cell 2
95Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 94 - Cell 2
96Alexander Porsev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 95 - Cell 2
97Thomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 96 - Cell 2
98Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 97 - Cell 2
99Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 98 - Cell 2
100Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM CyclingRow 99 - Cell 2
101Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJRow 100 - Cell 2
102Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJRow 101 - Cell 2
103Iljo Keisse (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 102 - Cell 2
104Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 103 - Cell 2
105Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Dimension DataRow 104 - Cell 2
106Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek-SegafredoRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFMekseb Debesay (Eri) Dimension DataRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFMagnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFMitchell Docker (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFSam Bewley (NZl) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFRoberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre - MeridaRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFJasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar TeamRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFJohan Le Bon (Fra) FDJRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFGediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La MondialeRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFAntonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFMark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension DataRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFVladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFSergey Lagutin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFCarlos Betancur (Col) Movistar TeamRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFViacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFXu Gang (Tpe) Lampre - MeridaRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFFederico Zurlo (Ita) Lampre - MeridaRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFLuka Pibernik (Slo) Lampre - MeridaRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFJorge Arcas Pena (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFIvar Slik (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFFrederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFBoris Vallee (Bel) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFOlivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFYauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFFranck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFJesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFKai Reus (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFTim Kerkhof (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFAngelo Tulik (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFHugo Houle (Can) AG2R La MondialeRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFArman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFAlexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFBrian Van Goethem (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFNico Denz (Ger) AG2R La MondialeRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFAndrea Dal Col (Ita) Southeast - VenezuelaRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Draperi (Ita) Southeast - VenezuelaRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFGiuseppe Fonzi (Ita) Southeast - VenezuelaRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFLiam Bertazzo (Ita) Southeast - VenezuelaRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFMirko Tedeschi (Ita) Southeast - VenezuelaRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFMirko Trosino (Ita) Southeast - VenezuelaRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFEugert Zhupa (Alb) Southeast - VenezuelaRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFQuentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFAlan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFShane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18Row 150 - Cell 2
DNFZakkari Dempster (Aus) Bora-Argon 18Row 151 - Cell 2
DNFSebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 153 - Cell 2
DNFMark Mcnally (GBr) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFGatis Smukulis (Lat) Astana Pro TeamRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFRyan Mullen (Irl) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFAlexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFKristoffer Skjerping (Nor) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFManuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFAlberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFWouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFLukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18Row 162 - Cell 2
DNFRobin Stenuit (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFDimitri Claeys (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFYaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek-SegafredoRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFPieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFChun Kai Feng (Tpe) Lampre - MeridaRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFTony Martin (Ger) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFMattia Cattaneo (Ita) Lampre - MeridaRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFFrederik Frison (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFChristian Knees (Ger) Team SkyRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFVicente Reynes (Spa) IAM CyclingRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFSondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM CyclingRow 173 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Fenn (GBr) Team SkyRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFTwan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFLeigh Howard (Aus) IAM CyclingRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFSacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre - MeridaRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFMarc Sarreau (Fra) FDJRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFMarkel Irizar (Spa) Trek-SegafredoRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Coledan (Ita) Trek-SegafredoRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFPreben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFMoreno De Pauw (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFLuka Mezgec (Slo) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFNikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff TeamRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFRoy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 185 - Cell 2
DNFJef Van Meirhaeghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 186 - Cell 2
DNFMurilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJRow 187 - Cell 2
DNFElia Viviani (Ita) Team SkyRow 188 - Cell 2
DNFAlbert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 189 - Cell 2
DNFMatt Brammeier (Irl) Dimension DataRow 190 - Cell 2
DNFNick Dougall (RSA) Dimension DataRow 191 - Cell 2
DNFSean De Bie (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 192 - Cell 2
DNFSvein Tuft (Can) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 193 - Cell 2
DNFJurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 194 - Cell 2
DNFYohann Gene (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 195 - Cell 2
DNFTony Hurel (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 196 - Cell 2
DNSGreg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 197 - Cell 2

 

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