Boeckmans wins Le Samyn

Etixx-QuickStep had the strength in numbers in the finale but there was precious little they could do to prevent Kris Boeckmans (Lotto-Soudal) from sprinting to victory at the end of an entertaining edition of Le Samyn.

Stijn Vandenbergh's show of force on the final stretch of cobblestones at the Rue de Belleville with a little over two kilometres to go reduced the leading group to just eight riders, four of them from his Etixx-QuickStep team, but like at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday, the men in black couldn't make that numerical superiority count.

This time around, at least, there was no tactical second guessing. Etixx-QuickStep's approach was planned around delivering Gianni Meersman to a sprint finish after burning off as many of the other established fast men as possible. Vandenbergh and company duly rid themselves of the likes of Bryan Coquard (Europcar), Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Factory Racing) and Adrien Petit (Cofidis) on the final laps of the finishing circuit.

In the finishing straight, however, Boeckmans was a class apart. As Etixx-QuickStep's Yves Lampaert led out the sprint, Boeckmans locked himself onto Meersman's wheel, before shooting to the front with 200 metres remaining and instantly opening a winning gap.

Meersman was caught on the back foot and though he battled gamely after coming off Lampaerts' wheel, he simply had too much ground to make up and had to settle for second place. Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) claimed third place ahead of Boeckmans' Lotto teammate Tiesj Benoot.

Boeckmans had placed second at Le Samyn in 2012 and 2013, and was delighted to finally take the win on the redesigned parcours.

"I was just as good in the other years but now I have luck on my side and I'm winning," said Boeckmans, who also won a stage at Étoile des Bessèges last month. "I started my sprint with 200 metres to go and I went before Gianni. His teammate kept leading him out and it was almost another 100 metres before he swung over. That was an advantage."

Meersman won the Cadel Evans Ocean Race and a stage of the Volta ao Algarve in February, and he must have felt he was set for another victory when he had Vandenbergh, Lampaert and Niki Terpstra for company at the head of the race as they rattled over the final stretch of cobbles. He felt he had erred by delaying his sprint.

"If you have good legs, you have to win," he said. "I am very disappointed with my second place finish. Kris was the first to go. I could have come back but the finish came up too fast. I was close but the finish came ten metres too soon."

De Gendt to the fore

Much of the interest before this year's edition of Le Samyn focused on the redesigned finishing circuit and its extra spread of cobbles, though the day's early break went clear long before the peloton reached those final five laps around Dour.

Boeckmans' teammate Thomas De Gendt was part of that move with Latvian strongman Gatis Smukulis (Katusha) and Ludwig De Winter (Wallonie-Bruxelles), and together they established a lead in excess of six minutes over a peloton led by Etixx-QuickStep and Trek Factory Racing.

With 60 kilometres remaining, and now on that local lap in Dour, De Gendt decided to clip off the front alone, dropping his breakaway companions on the cobbled climb of the Côte de la Roquette and bracing himself for a lone Odyssey at the head of the race.

As soon as De Gendt struck out alone, his gap over the main peloton began to dwindle accordingly, dropping to four minutes with 50 kilometres remaining and then to 1:15 with 30 kilometres left. He lasted out front for another ten kilometres, however, and his efforts allowed Boeckmans and his Lotto-Soudal team to shelter in the main body of the peloton.

"We had a whole day at ease because Thomas was in the break," Boeckmans said. "Then in the finale, I was at my limit for a whole six kilometres."

After De Gendt was pegged back, Adrien Petit (Cofidis) was the danger man in the next group that ghosted up the road. The Frenchman had Tosh Van Der Sande (Lotto-Soudal) and Sergei Lagutin (Katusha) for company in the eight-man group, but they never managed to strike a decent working alliance, and Petit took off alone with 10 kilometres remaining.

By that point, however, Etixx-QuickStep and Trek Factory Racing were ratcheting up the pace in the main peloton and he was swept back up shortly afterwards. Once onto the final blast over the Rue de Belleville, Vandenbergh – inevitably – came to the front, and his searing pace strung out the peloton and helped the decisive group of eight to break clear.

As well as the four QuickStep men, there were two from Lotto (Boeckmans and Benoot) and two from Cofidis (Laport and Steve Chainel), but there was little question of collaboration in those frantic final two kilometres. Vandenbergh kept turning his monster gear over on the front, before swinging over and allowing Lampaert through.

The script said that Meersman was due to bring it home from there, only for Boeckmans' quick ad lib to give the final word to Lotto-Soudal.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto Soudal4:47:01
2Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 1 - Cell 2
3Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 2 - Cell 2
4Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:00:03
5Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step0:00:13
6Steve Chainel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 5 - Cell 2
7Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 6 - Cell 2
8Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 7 - Cell 2
9Baptiste Plackaert (Bel) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 8 - Cell 2
10Oliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 9 - Cell 2
11Tyler Farrar (USA) MTN - QhubekaRow 10 - Cell 2
12Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 11 - Cell 2
13Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 12 - Cell 2
14Huub Duyn (Ned) Team RoompotRow 13 - Cell 2
15Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La MondialeRow 14 - Cell 2
16Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 15 - Cell 2
17Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 16 - Cell 2
18Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ.frRow 17 - Cell 2
19Luis Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:00:19
20Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:00:22
21Federico Zurlo (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:00:24
22Joeri Calleeuw (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Kevin Ista (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 22 - Cell 2
24Anton Vorobyev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 23 - Cell 2
25Gerry Druyts (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Alexander Kolobnev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 25 - Cell 2
27Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek Factory RacingRow 26 - Cell 2
28Timothy Dupont (Bel) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 27 - Cell 2
29Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 28 - Cell 2
30Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 29 - Cell 2
31Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM CyclingRow 30 - Cell 2
32Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 31 - Cell 2
33Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 32 - Cell 2
34Justin Jules (Fra) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 33 - Cell 2
35Omar Fraile Matarranza (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 34 - Cell 2
36Jan Barta (Cze) Bora-Argon 18Row 35 - Cell 2
37Sander Cordeel (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental TeamRow 36 - Cell 2
38Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Raymond Kreder (Ned) Team RoompotRow 38 - Cell 2
40Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 39 - Cell 2
41Jaco Venter (RSA) MTN - QhubekaRow 40 - Cell 2
42Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Team Roompot0:00:35
43Dmitrii Kozonchuk (Rus) Team Katusha0:00:49
44Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 43 - Cell 2
45Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 44 - Cell 2
46Gaetan Bille (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
47Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 46 - Cell 2
48Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (Fra) FDJ.frRow 47 - Cell 2
49Dennis Coenen (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental TeamRow 48 - Cell 2
50Patrick Gretsch (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale0:01:04
51Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek Factory Racing0:01:09
52Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek Factory RacingRow 51 - Cell 2
53Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:01:20
54Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 53 - Cell 2
55Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:01:23
56Louis Verhelst (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 55 - Cell 2
57Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 56 - Cell 2
58Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 57 - Cell 2
59Boris Dron (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 58 - Cell 2
60Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar0:01:51
61Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 60 - Cell 2
62Michel Kreder (Ned) Team RoompotRow 61 - Cell 2
63Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory RacingRow 62 - Cell 2
64Marc Sarreau (Fra) FDJ.fr0:02:47
65Mike Terpstra (Ned) Team Roompot0:02:57
66Sam Lennertz (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental Team0:03:08
67Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 66 - Cell 2
68Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 67 - Cell 2
69Julien Morice (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 68 - Cell 2
70Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 69 - Cell 2
71Melvin Rulliere (Fra) Veranclassic - Ekoi0:03:25
72Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:04:21
73Olivier Chevalier (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 72 - Cell 2
74Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 73 - Cell 2
75Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 74 - Cell 2
76Daniel Mclay (GBr) Bretagne-Séché Environnement0:04:30
77Julien Kaise (Bel) Color Code - Aquality Protect0:06:13
78Boris Vallee (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 77 - Cell 2
79Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 78 - Cell 2
80Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory RacingRow 79 - Cell 2
81Reinier Honig (Ned) Team Roompot0:06:41
82Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:08:09
83Kenny De Haes (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 82 - Cell 2
84Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 83 - Cell 2
85Romain Guillemois (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 84 - Cell 2
86Fabricio Ferrari Barcelo (Uru) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 85 - Cell 2
87Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN - QhubekaRow 86 - Cell 2
88Robin Stenuit (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 87 - Cell 2
89Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek Factory RacingRow 88 - Cell 2
90John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 89 - Cell 2
91Maxim Belkov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 90 - Cell 2
92Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team RoompotRow 91 - Cell 2
93Christophe Premont (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 92 - Cell 2
DNSEgidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Colba - Superano HamRow 93 - Cell 2
DNSJérôme Gilbert (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 94 - Cell 2
DNFRudy Barbier (Fra) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 95 - Cell 2
DNFDieter Bouvry (Bel) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 96 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Damuseau (Fra) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFRudy Kowalski (Fra) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFJeremy Leveau (Fra) Roubaix Lille MetropoleRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Berard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFAxel Domont (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 102 - Cell 2
DNFHugo Houle (Can) AG2R La MondialeRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 104 - Cell 2
DNFMartin Velits (Svk) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFVegard Breen (Nor) Lotto SoudalRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Boucher (Fra) FDJ.frRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFOlivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ.frRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFLorenzo Manzin (Fra) FDJ.frRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFJussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ.frRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFStef Clement (Ned) IAM CyclingRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Fumeaux (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Pellaud (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM CyclingRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFPatrick Schelling (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFSven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Team KatushaRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFGatis Smukulis (Lat) Team KatushaRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFGert Steegmans (Bel) Trek Factory RacingRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFKristof Vandewalle (Bel) Trek Factory RacingRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFChristophe Laborie (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFArnaud Gerard (Fra) Bretagne-Séché EnvironnementRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFShane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18Row 122 - Cell 2
DNFPhil Bauhaus (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 123 - Cell 2
DNFRalf Matzka (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 124 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Schorn (Aut) Bora-Argon 18Row 125 - Cell 2
DNFScott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18Row 126 - Cell 2
DNFCarlos Barbero Cuesta (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 127 - Cell 2
DNFMiguel Angel Benito Diez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 128 - Cell 2
DNFFernando Grijalba (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 129 - Cell 2
DNFJosé Gonçalves (Por) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 130 - Cell 2
DNFAngel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 131 - Cell 2
DNFAdrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFJaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFNikolay Mihaylov (Bul) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFMarek Rutkiewicz (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFGrzegorz Stepniak (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFMateusz Taciak (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFAnthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFGert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFEtienne Van Empel (Ned) Team RoompotRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFAlessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFJérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFDanilo Napolitano (Ita) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFTom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Boudat (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFDan Craven (Nam) Team EuropcarRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFMorgan Lamoisson (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFStijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFPieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFJonas Rickaert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFJef Van Meirhaeghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFEliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFPreben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFArthur Van Overberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFTheo Bos (Ned) MTN - QhubekaRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFJay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - QhubekaRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFKristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN - QhubekaRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFSerge Pauwels (Bel) MTN - QhubekaRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFAdrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN - QhubekaRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFAntoine Loy (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFMaximilien Picoux (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFAnthony Vandrepotte (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFFranklin Six (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFCharlie Arimont (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFRemy Mertz (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFJimmy Duquennoy (Bel) Color Code - Aquality ProtectRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFAntoine Demoitie (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFLudwig De Winter (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFGregory Habeaux (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFTom Dernies (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 173 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Stassen (Bel) Wallonie - BruxellesRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Cools (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental TeamRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFKurt Geysen (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental TeamRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFRob Ruijgh (Ned) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental TeamRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFAlphonse Vermote (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental TeamRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFGorik Gardeyn (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFEdwig Cammaerts (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFSerge De Wortelaer (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Desmecht (Bel) Veranclassic - EkoiRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFQuincy Vens (Bel) Colba - Superano HamRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFGlenn Vandemaele (Bel) Colba - Superano HamRow 185 - Cell 2
DNFNick Van Der Meer (Ned) Colba - Superano HamRow 186 - Cell 2
DNFJelle Donders (Bel) Colba - Superano HamRow 187 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Suarez Martinez (Bel) Colba - Superano HamRow 188 - Cell 2
DNFRick Ottema (Ned) Colba - Superano HamRow 189 - Cell 2
DNFOlivier Pardini (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 190 - Cell 2
DNFJerome Kerf (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 191 - Cell 2
DNFEmiel Wastyn (Bel) Verandas Willems Cycling TeamRow 192 - Cell 2

 

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