Cancellara wins the 2014 Tour of Flanders

Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) defended his Tour of Flanders title in a pulsating final sprint to beat Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) and Sep Vanmarcke (Team Belkin) to the line.

The Swiss rider attacked with Sep Vanmarcke on the final ascent of the Kwaremont and joined forces with Van Avermaet and Stijn Vandenbergh (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) who had slipped clear earlier in the race.

The foursome held off a chase from Cannondale and Omega Pharma - Quick-Step with Alexander Kristoff leading home the rest of the field in fifth place. For all their dominance earlier in the race Patrick Lefevere’s team were forced to settle for three riders inside the top ten and Stijn Vandenbergh in fourth.

There was no doubting that this was Cancellara’s day with the Trek leader producing arguably his most complete performance to win his third Flanders crown. This may have lacked a long, lone solo attack but his race winning canvas was covered in masterstrokes; all of which were set against an uncertain background as his team lost both Stijn Devolder and Yaroslav Popovych through crashes.

His first real foray came on the Kwaremont, where he sailed clear with and eager Vanmarcke. The pair linked up on the penultimate climb, setting QuickStep’s plans alight in a move that also distanced Peter Sagan (Cannondale).

Even an attack from Vanmarcke on the Paterberg couldn't ruffle Cancellara’s feathers and on the Paterberg the duo reeled in a tiring Vandenbergh before setting their sights on Van Avermaet. The BMC rider was unquestionably the most aggressive rider in the race but when the four linked up inside the final run to the finish in Oudenaarde, Cancellara once again let his experience tell.

Vandenbergh was the first to attack from the leading group, having sat on for most of the day’s ride with Van Avermaet, but when the BMC rider countered Cancellara feigned exhaustion and ushered Vanmarcke to the front to chase down the two leaders.

Inside the finale kilometre, Cancellara appeared to draw away from the rest of the group. It gave him enough room, and enough time, to launch his sprint at the perfect moment.

New course, same magic

Big crowds welcomed the riders in Bruges for the start of the 98th Tour of Flanders. Rain showers also welcomed the riders and during most of the first hour the riders were treated to a spring soaking. Only when approaching Heule, town of the Ronde 2014, did a breakaway manage to distance the peloton. Eleven riders featured in front with Taylor Phinney (BMC) being the biggest name among them.

While the large group quickly collected a lead of four minutes, crashes scared the peloton. Luke Durbridge (Orica-GreenEdge) and Johan Le Bon (FDJ.fr) were the first casualties and a little later Johan Vansummeren (Garmin-Sharp) rode into an elderly woman who stood on a traffic island in Wielsbeke. After the horrible crash both Vansummeren and the woman were brought to the hospital in bad condition.

Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin) also crashed but continued the race. Meanwhile, the lead group kept the pace high and when riding through Oudenaarde for the first time the gap was six minutes.

To the Oude Kwaremont

As the race tackled the first climbs, the gap of the lead group came back down. After the first ascent of the Oude Kwaremont the gap was five minutes. After three climbs, when approaching the 2650m pavé stretch of Kerkgate the bad luck for the Lotto-Belisol continued with their leader Jürgen Roelandts crashing out of the race.

On the descent of the Molenberg, and the peloton approached the Paddestraat there was another major crash. One rider slipped away in a left-hand corner and soon several riders were going down including Luca Paolini and former double winner Stijn Devolder. The peloton was split in two parts. On the Paddestraat, Omega Pharma – QuickStep put seven men on the front.

The crashes kept on coming. Popovych hooked into the clothing of a fan and went down hard, and on the wide roads towards the cobbles of the Haaghoek the second group with Devolder and Pozzato managed to come back to the front. Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Belisol) crashed at a bus stop platform to compound Lotto’s problems.

At the beautiful cobbles of the Haaghoek there were seven leaders left in front with Phinney, Romain Zingle (Cofidis), Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge), Stig Broeckx (Lotto-Belisol), Aliaksander Kuchynski (Katusha), James Vanlandschoot (Wanty-Groupe Robert) and Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) all clear. The peloton hit the cobbles three minutes later, still being led by Boonen’s troops.

The action explodes

When moving on towards the Kanarieberg – the ninth climb of the day - the speed in the peloton increased and the leaders were no more than two minutes clear. On the Kanarieberg Matteo Trentin (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step) and Manuel Quinziato (BMC) attacked with Bernhard Eisel (Sky) managing to latch on.

At the foot of the 2.2km long Oude Kwaremont only Impey, Broeckx and Phinney had survived from the initial break.

Yet another crash occurred in the peloton when BMC-riders switched wheels. Stijn Devolder hit the deck again, along with four riders from Tinkoff-Saxo.

The situation after the Paterberg - just before the Koppenberg - saw Impey, Phinney and Broeckx with just over half a minute on a group of about forty riders. Belkin and QuickStep led this group to the tough cobbled Koppenberg climb. A second group with Bradley Wiggins (Sky), Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) followed; with a third group containing Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) at nearly a minute.

Impey led the race over the Koppenberg with a small gap over Terpstra, Boonen, Cancellara, Sagan, Vanmarcke, Geraint Thomas (Sky), John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano), Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida), Stybar, Vandenbergh and only a few others which formed a lead group of about twenty riders.

On the cobbles of the Mariaborrestraat and Steenbeekdries the second group came back but in the meantime Stijn Vandenbergh, Dries Devenyns (Giant-Shimano) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) snuck away.

On the Taaienberg, Boasson Hagen and Devenyns dropped Vandenbergh. The two leaders had a handful of seconds on a star-studded group featuring Sagan, Cancellara, Boonen, Vandenbergh, Stybar, Terpstra, Degenkolb, Vanmarcke, Van Avermaet, Björn Leukemans (Wanty – Groupe Gobert) and Sébastien Minard (AG2R La Mondiale).

At 33km from the finish the duo were caught back and thirteen riders were leading. Devenyns attacked again, and soon after Van Avermaet tried his luck and broke clear with Vandenbergh on his wheel. Nobody in the lead group wanted to chase the leaders down and the pace dropped.

Sagan led the favourites-group over the cobbles as Degenkolb began to lose contact. Cancellara took over shortly after the cobbles which clearly hurt many riders. In front Van Avermaet received no support from Vandenbergh but still the duo gained half a minute on the favourites group as Vanmarcke attacked without success.

Omega lose their grip

At twenty kilometres from the finish the race turned on its head, first as Paolini and little later a large group with Pozzato, Thomas, Wiggins and others bridged back up with the favourites. When approaching the third ascent of the Oude Kwaremont the two leaders had 25 seconds on Leukemans and 45 seconds on the peloton.

Halfway up the climb, with Omega Pharma scattered and Sagan lacking punch, Cancellara began to stamp his authority on the race. The rest would have to fall in line.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek Factory Racing6:15:18
2Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 1 - Cell 2
3Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 2 - Cell 2
4Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha0:00:08
6Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team0:00:18
7Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team0:00:35
8Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky0:00:37
9Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:00:41
10Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Garmin Sharp0:00:43
11Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar0:01:12
12Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing TeamRow 11 - Cell 2
13Nicki Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo0:01:15
14Dries Devenyns (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano0:01:19
15John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano0:01:25
16Peter Sagan (Svk) CannondaleRow 15 - Cell 2
17Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 16 - Cell 2
18Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM CyclingRow 18 - Cell 2
20Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 19 - Cell 2
21Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ.frRow 20 - Cell 2
22Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team SkyRow 21 - Cell 2
23Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto BelisolRow 22 - Cell 2
24Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:01:35
25Oscar Gatto (Ita) Cannondale0:01:41
26Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team0:01:43
27Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 26 - Cell 2
28Steve Chainel (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 27 - Cell 2
29Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) MTN - QhubekaRow 28 - Cell 2
30Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
31Jan Barta (Cze) Team NetApp - EnduraRow 30 - Cell 2
32Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team SkyRow 31 - Cell 2
33Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 33 - Cell 2
35Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 34 - Cell 2
36Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha0:03:52
37Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenedgeRow 36 - Cell 2
38Maciej Bodnar (Pol) CannondaleRow 37 - Cell 2
39Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 38 - Cell 2
40Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team0:04:12
41Fabio Sabatini (Ita) CannondaleRow 40 - Cell 2
42Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 41 - Cell 2
43Jos Van Emden (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 42 - Cell 2
44Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 44 - Cell 2
46Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
47Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin SharpRow 46 - Cell 2
48Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 47 - Cell 2
49Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro TeamRow 48 - Cell 2
50Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 49 - Cell 2
51Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica GreenedgeRow 50 - Cell 2
52Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica GreenedgeRow 51 - Cell 2
53Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Team NetApp - EnduraRow 52 - Cell 2
54Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-ShimanoRow 53 - Cell 2
55Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 54 - Cell 2
56Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 55 - Cell 2
57Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) CannondaleRow 56 - Cell 2
58Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling TeamRow 57 - Cell 2
59Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team0:07:41
60Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team SkyRow 59 - Cell 2
61Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory RacingRow 60 - Cell 2
62Luke Rowe (GBr) Team SkyRow 61 - Cell 2
63William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.frRow 62 - Cell 2
64Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Giant-ShimanoRow 63 - Cell 2
65Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team SkyRow 64 - Cell 2
66Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol0:08:17
67Thomas Leezer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
68Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 67 - Cell 2
69Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.frRow 68 - Cell 2
70Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 69 - Cell 2
71Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 70 - Cell 2
72Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 71 - Cell 2
73Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 72 - Cell 2
74Kristijan Koren (Slo) CannondaleRow 73 - Cell 2
75Yannick Martinez (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 74 - Cell 2
76Jérôme Pineau (Fra) IAM CyclingRow 75 - Cell 2
77Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 76 - Cell 2
78Scott Thwaites (GBr) Team NetApp - Endura0:09:49
79Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Trek Factory RacingRow 78 - Cell 2
80Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 79 - Cell 2
81Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin SharpRow 80 - Cell 2
82Alexey Tsatevitch (Rus) Team KatushaRow 81 - Cell 2
83Alan Marangoni (Ita) CannondaleRow 82 - Cell 2
84Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 83 - Cell 2
85Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-ShimanoRow 84 - Cell 2
86Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek Factory RacingRow 85 - Cell 2
87Marco Bandiera (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 86 - Cell 2
88Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-ShimanoRow 87 - Cell 2
89Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Garmin SharpRow 88 - Cell 2
90Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing TeamRow 89 - Cell 2
91Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 90 - Cell 2
92Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 91 - Cell 2
93Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 92 - Cell 2
94Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 93 - Cell 2
95Christian Knees (Ger) Team SkyRow 94 - Cell 2
96Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling0:12:25
97Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica Greenedge0:12:38
98Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica GreenedgeRow 97 - Cell 2
99Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - QhubekaRow 98 - Cell 2
100Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Team KatushaRow 99 - Cell 2
101James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 100 - Cell 2
102Karsten Kroon (Ned) Tinkoff-SaxoRow 101 - Cell 2

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