Jungels wins Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne

Bob Jungels completed an Opening Weekend double for Deceuninck-QuickStep as he soloed to victory at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, 24 hours after his teammate Zdenek Stybar annexed Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

The Luxembourg champion powered away from the decisive break with 16 kilometres remaining and he employed his qualities as a rouleur to hold off the chasing peloton and land victory. Owain Doull (Team Sky) clipped away to take second place ahead of Niki Terpstra (Direct Energie), seven seconds down.

Winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège a year ago, Jungels was seconded to Deceuninck-QuickStep’s cobbled Classics unit this season and he produced a remarkably accomplished display in what was only the second Flemish Classic of his career after his 16th place at Omloop on Saturday.

Jungels does, of course, have some pedigree on the pavé, having won the under-23 Paris-Roubaix in 2012, and he showcased those skills to force the winning move on the flat stretch of cobbles at Varent with 66km remaining when he was part of a reduced peloton that formed after the ascent of the Kwaremont.

Oliver Naesen (AG2R La Mondiale), Davide Ballerini, Magnus Cort (Astana) and Sebastian Langeveld (EF Education First) were the only men who could follow Jungels, and that quintet soon established a lead of a minute over a peloton that was still piecing itself together the fragmenting in the hills that dotted the middle section of the race.

"I was a bit too far away on the Kwaremont, but due to the headwind there was a regrouping," Jungels said. "On the cobblestones of the Varent I wanted to thin the group and the five of us got away."

The quintet had 40 seconds in hand when they crossed the finish line for the first time with 30km to race, but while they collaborated smoothly, Jungels opted to attack alone with 16km remaining. He quickly distanced his erstwhile companions, carrying a lead of 34 seconds in the final 10km.

"I saw that I was the strongest and a15km time trial is something I can do," Jungels said of his solo effort.

Jumbo-Visma and Bora-Hansgrohe performed the pace-setting duties on behalf of Dylan Groenewegen and Pascal Ackermann, respectively, but Jungels' teammates – most notably Yves Lampaert – performed a fine job of disrupting the pursuit.

The chase lost further momentum when Mitchelton-Scott stopped pulling after Matteo Trentin was distanced in the finale, and by the time Jungels reached the flamme rouge, it was already apparent that he had a winning gap.

Doull clipped off the front of the bunch in the final kilometre with Terpstra, Lampaert and Jens Keukeleire (Lotto Soudal), and was rewarded for his endeavour across both days of Opening Weekend with second place. But, as was the case so often last spring, the top step of the podium belonged to Deceuninck-QuickStep.

"To win the second race I've done on the cobbles is quite extraordinary," said Jungels. "We've won twice this weekend and the boss will be happy too."

How it unfolded

Under wind and showers, the peloton rolled out from Kuurne, with the majority of those involved still feeling the effects of Saturday's Omloop in their legs.

The first major break of the day formed after two groups merged with Magnus Cort (Astana), Pim Ligthart (Direct Energie), Jimmy Turgis (Vital Concept-B&B Hotels), Lawrence Naesen (Lotto Soudal), Ludwig De Winter (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Alex Kirsch (Trek-Segafredo) and Benoit Jarrier (Arkéa-Samsic) linking up the early climbs. By the feed, the seven-man move had established a lead of over four minutes, while Alexey Lutsensko (Astana) was among the early retirements in the race

On the day's sixth climb, the Kruisberg, the break still had over three minutes on the bunch but their advantage almost doubled to seven minutes at the half-way point as the main field took their foot off the gas before a concentration of key climbs.

Ahead of the Oude Kwaremont Deceuninck-QuickStep lifted the pace, stringing out the field with Yves Lampaert and Omloop winner Zdenek Stybar starting the selection. But it was Team Sky's Ian Stannard who did most of the damage, splitting the bunch on the lower slopes of the climb with a turn reminiscent of his Classics form of several years ago.

Only Lampaert, Stybar, Oliver Naesen, Stannard, Owain Doull, Kasper Asgreen, Davide Ballerini and Stefan Küng could match the former British national champion and as they crested the climb and approached the Kluisberg the day's early break had just a 16-second advantage. Over the climb, the lead groups merged with a further batch of riders, including Bob Jungels, Andre Greipel and Matteo Trentin making contact.

Dylan Groenewegen and Pascal Ackermann both missed the split with Deceuninck-QuickStep once again driving the lead group with a number of riders in contention.

It was Jungels who forced the next split, moving clear on the Varent with only Magnus Cort, Ballerini, OIiver Naesen and Langeveld willing or able to follow. By the time the quintet reached the penultimate climb of the Holstrat, they had 23 seconds over the second group, and over a minute on the defending champion and Ackermann.

With just under 50km to go the peloton, led by Jumbo-Visma and Bora-Hansgrohe, caught the Stybar group, but the five leaders still had over a minute's advantage as they crested the final climb of the race and made the long run-in back to Kuurne.

Jasper Philipsen, making his debut in the race, changed bikes with 33km to go, while the five leaders still held 55 seconds. By this point, however, Jumbo Visma and Bora had upped the tempo, and with a headwind, and then assistance from Mitchelton-Scott, the gap began to slowly drop.

A lull in action was brought to a halt with 25km to go when Trentin was brought down in a crash. The European champion took an age to regain contact with the break's lead dangling at just over 30 seconds.

Jungels attacked the break with 16km to go and then tucked himself into something approaching a time trial position as he took the bell and settled down to the task at hand.

 

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Bob Jungels (Lux) Deceuninck-QuickStep4:42:54
2Owain Doull (GBr) Team Sky0:00:12
3Niki Terpstra (Ned) Direct EnergieRow 2 - Cell 2
4Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team Jumbo-VismaRow 3 - Cell 2
5Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStepRow 4 - Cell 2
6Florian Senechal (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStepRow 5 - Cell 2
7Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 6 - Cell 2
8André Greipel (Ger) Arkéa SamsicRow 7 - Cell 2
9Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 8 - Cell 2
10Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 10 - Cell 2
12Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 11 - Cell 2
13Ivan Garcia (Spa) Bahrain-MeridaRow 12 - Cell 2
14Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-SegafredoRow 13 - Cell 2
15Jens Debusschere (Bel) Katusha-AlpecinRow 14 - Cell 2
16Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty-GobertRow 15 - Cell 2
17Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 16 - Cell 2
18Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 17 - Cell 2
19Milan Menten (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 18 - Cell 2
20Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Stefan Küng (Swi) Groupama-FDJRow 20 - Cell 2
22Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty-GobertRow 21 - Cell 2
23Boy van Poppel (Ned) Roompot-CharlesRow 22 - Cell 2
24Piet Allegaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 23 - Cell 2
25Mitchell Docker (Aus) EF Education FirstRow 24 - Cell 2
26Silvan Dillier (Swi) AG2R La MondialeRow 25 - Cell 2
27Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Movistar TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) CCC TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Antoine Duchesne (Can) Groupama-FDJRow 28 - Cell 2
30Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStepRow 29 - Cell 2
31Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education First0:00:18
32Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Katusha-AlpecinRow 31 - Cell 2
33Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStepRow 32 - Cell 2
34Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Bora-Hansgrohe0:01:01
35Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 34 - Cell 2
36Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Arkéa Samsic0:01:24
37Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B HotelRow 36 - Cell 2
38Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Arkéa SamsicRow 37 - Cell 2
39Davide Ballerini (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
40Jorge Arcas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 39 - Cell 2
41Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 40 - Cell 2
42Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale0:01:34
43Nikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 42 - Cell 2
44Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-AlpecinRow 43 - Cell 2
45Ian Stannard (GBr) Team SkyRow 44 - Cell 2
46Danny van Poppel (Ned) Team Jumbo-VismaRow 45 - Cell 2
47Clement Venturini (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:02:08
48Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:02:22
49Alexander Edmondson (Aus) Mitchelton-ScottRow 48 - Cell 2
50Aaron Verwilst (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 49 - Cell 2
51Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot-CharlesRow 50 - Cell 2
52Dion Smith (NZl) Mitchelton-ScottRow 51 - Cell 2
53Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 52 - Cell 2
54Tom Bohli (Swi) UAE Team EmiratesRow 53 - Cell 2
55Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 54 - Cell 2
56Josef Cerny (Cze) CCC TeamRow 55 - Cell 2
57Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:02:25
58Iljo Keisse (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep0:02:31
59Alex Kirsch (Lux) Trek-SegafredoRow 58 - Cell 2
60Robert Stannard (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott0:02:55
61Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) CCC TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
62Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Cycling Academy0:03:15
63Lawrence Naesen (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:03:30
64Francisco Ventoso (Spa) CCC TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
65Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 64 - Cell 2
66Christopher Lawless (GBr) Team SkyRow 65 - Cell 2
67Tom Scully (NZl) EF Education FirstRow 66 - Cell 2
68Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-HansgroheRow 67 - Cell 2
69Taco van der Hoorn (Ned) Team Jumbo-VismaRow 68 - Cell 2
DNFAlexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 69 - Cell 2
DNFViacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha-AlpecinRow 70 - Cell 2
DNFZhandos Bizhigitov (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 71 - Cell 2
DNFLaurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro TeamRow 72 - Cell 2
DNFYevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 73 - Cell 2
DNFEdvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension DataRow 74 - Cell 2
DNFLars Bak (Den) Dimension DataRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFJaco Venter (RSA) Dimension DataRow 76 - Cell 2
DNFMagnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Vermote (Bel) Dimension DataRow 78 - Cell 2
DNFBrian van Goethem (Ned) Lotto SoudalRow 79 - Cell 2
DNFGiacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Dimension DataRow 80 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Valgren Andersen (Den) Dimension DataRow 81 - Cell 2
DNFGrega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 82 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-ScottRow 83 - Cell 2
DNFLuke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton-ScottRow 84 - Cell 2
DNFMads Pedersen (Den) Trek-SegafredoRow 85 - Cell 2
DNFRyan Mullen (Irl) Trek-SegafredoRow 86 - Cell 2
DNFRasmus Tiller (Nor) Dimension DataRow 87 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton-ScottRow 88 - Cell 2
DNFAlex Frame (NZl) Trek-SegafredoRow 89 - Cell 2
DNFChristopher Juul Jensen (Den) Mitchelton-ScottRow 90 - Cell 2
DNFRamon Sinkeldam (Ned) Groupama-FDJRow 91 - Cell 2
DNFLeonardo Basso (Ita) Team SkyRow 92 - Cell 2
DNFValerio Agnoli (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 93 - Cell 2
DNFLogan Owen (USA) EF Education FirstRow 94 - Cell 2
DNFSonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 95 - Cell 2
DNFKristijan Koren (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 96 - Cell 2
DNFIgnatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Groupama-FDJRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFLuka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFMatti Breschel (Den) EF Education FirstRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFAlex Howes (USA) EF Education FirstRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFFumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-SegafredoRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Hoelgaard (Nor) Groupama-FDJRow 102 - Cell 2
DNFChristian Knees (Ger) Team SkyRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFHarry Tanfield (GBr) Katusha-AlpecinRow 104 - Cell 2
DNFOlivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFBert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Team Jumbo-VismaRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFSven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) UAE Team EmiratesRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFClément Carisey (Fra) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFLudwig De Winter (Bel) Wanty-GobertRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFAugust Jensen (Nor) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFMihkel Räim (Est) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFZakkari Dempster (Aus) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFKris Boeckmans (Bel) Vital Concept-B&B HotelRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFMarc Fournier (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B HotelRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFJérémy Lecroq (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B HotelRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFLorrenzo Manzin (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B HotelRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFJonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept-B&B HotelRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFCorentin Ermenault (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B HotelRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFClément Russo (Fra) Arkéa SamsicRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFAmund Grøndahl Jansen (Nor) Team Jumbo-VismaRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFFranck Bonnamour (Fra) Arkéa SamsicRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFTimo Roosen (Ned) Team Jumbo-VismaRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFMaarten Wynants (Bel) Team Jumbo-VismaRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFLukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-HansgroheRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFJuraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-HansgroheRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFRüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFPieter Serry (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStepRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFPawel Bernas (Pol) CCC TeamRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFKamil Gradek (Pol) CCC TeamRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFBagdonas Gediminas (Ltu) AG2R La MondialeRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFNico Denz (Ger) AG2R La MondialeRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFDorian Godon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFStijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFAnthony Turgis (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFTimothy Dupont (Bel) Wanty-GobertRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFRoberto Ferrari (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFJasper Philipsen (Bel) UAE Team EmiratesRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFRory Sutherland (Aus) UAE Team EmiratesRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFCarlos Betancur (Col) Movistar TeamRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFAntonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFEduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Movistar TeamRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFChristophe Noppe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFKenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFSasha Weemaes (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFThimo Willems (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFStan Dewulf (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFConor Dunne (Irl) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFTom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty-GobertRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFFlorian Vachon (Fra) Arkéa SamsicRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFElmar Reinders (Ned) Roompot-CharlesRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFBoris Vallee (Bel) Wanty-GobertRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFNacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFEmmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFBram Welten (Ned) Arkéa SamsicRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFLars Boom (Ned) Roompot-CharlesRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFSean De Bie (Bel) Roompot-CharlesRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFMichaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Roompot-CharlesRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFAngelo Tulik (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFWesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty-GobertRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFPim Ligthart (Ned) Direct EnergieRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Cardis (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFSenne Leysen (Bel) Roompot-CharlesRow 163 - Cell 2
DSQNils Politt (Ger) Katusha-AlpecinRow 164 - Cell 2
DNSDylan van Baarle (Ned) Team SkyRow 165 - Cell 2
DNSNathan Van Hooydonck (Bel) CCC TeamRow 166 - Cell 2
DNSMads Schmidt Würtz (Den) Katusha-AlpecinRow 167 - Cell 2
DNSJuan Sebastian Molano (Col) UAE Team EmiratesRow 168 - Cell 2
DNSZico Waeytens (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 169 - Cell 2
DNSJasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-SegafredoRow 170 - Cell 2

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