Gilbert wins Belgian national road race title
BMC rider beats Wellens in two-man break
Five years after his first national road race title, Philippe Gilbert (BMC) rode to his second in Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure. Gilbert beat Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) in a sprint, after the two got away in a late break, with Gilbert’s BMC teammate Greg Van Avermaet taking third.
Gilbert and Wellens jumped away with Etixx-QuickStep’s Laurens de Plus inside the final 50 kilometres, shutting down an earlier attack from Thomas de Gendt (Lotto-Soudal). The trio quickly dropped de Gendt, and when Gilbert and Wellens decided to forge on, de Plus was also left behind leaving the two riders to duke it out for the Belgian jersey.
Heading into the final kilometre, Gilbert and Wellens had a comfortable lead of more than a minute over the chasers, which allowed them to ride a very cagey and tactical sprint. Much like a match sprint on the track, they tried to force the other to the front and, at moments, it looked like they might come to a standstill on the drag to the finish line. When Gilbert finally struck out towards the finish line, Wellens had no answer and the elder of the two could throw his arms up in celebration.
There was a delayed start to the day due to a later than expected finish to the women’s race. Around 10 minutes later than planned, the men rolled out under grey skies. There had been some doubts about the participation of Tom Boonen (Etixx-QuickStep) after he fell ill earlier in the race but the former champion was on the start line.
After two laps, a strong group including many of the pre-race favourites began to move clear. The full make-up was the group consisted of: Gilbert, Greg Van Avermaet, Dylan Teuns, Loïc Vliegen, De Plus, Nikolas Maes, Pieter Serry, Sean De Bie, Bart De Clercq, De Gendt, Jelle Wallays, Wellens, Jens Keukeleire, Jan Bakelants, Dries Devenyns, Wout van Aert, Aimé De Gendt, Floris De Tier and Gijs Van Hoecke.
That would prove to be the crucial split in the bunch as riders struggled to chase across. As the rain began to fall, the effort showed for De Bie, and he dropped back and eventually retired citing a broken rib for his departure. It wasn’t only De Bie that suffered and with 100km to go, only 70 riders remained out on course. Several riders did try to bridge the gap, but most were unsuccessful with Jurgen Roelandts one of the few to make it. With five laps remaining, however, the leading group began to diminish.
It was at this point that De Gendt decided to brave the horrible conditions alone. He built little more than a 20-second gap before he was joined by Gilbert, Wellens and De Plus and subsequently dropped. As the trio out front pushed on, De Gendt found more company in Bakelants, Jelle Wallays, Van Avermaet, Pieter Serry, Roelandts and Jens Keukeleire.
With 40km to go, Du Plus already looked to be struggling to stay in touch with Wellens and Gilbert. He held on for a little longer but finally had to wave goodbye to the leading group with 24 kilometres to the line. Behind them, De Gendt and Van Avermaet stopped assisting the chasing group, which allowed their teammates to build their advantage.
Wellens did the lion’s share of the work in the final 10 kilometres and, knowing Gilbert’s finishing speed, tried to shake him off on several occasions. It wasn’t to be for Wellens, and he had no answer to Gilbert in the run to the line.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 5:46:59 |
2 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:28 |
4 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:34 |
5 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Etixx - Quick Step | 0:00:39 |
7 | Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Etixx - Quick Step | 0:00:42 |
9 | Wout Van Aert (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | 0:00:51 |
10 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team | 0:01:44 |
11 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:02:50 |
12 | Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx - Quick Step | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Timothy Dupont (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team Lotto NL - Jumbo | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx - Quick Step | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Floris De Tier (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:02:56 |
23 | Laurent Evrard (Bel) Team 3M | 0:02:57 |
24 | Gijs Van Hoeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data | 0:03:05 |
26 | Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:03:13 |
27 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek - Segafredo | 0:03:17 |
28 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:03:28 |
29 | Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx - Quick Step | 0:03:47 |
30 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) IAM Cycling | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Marlux-Napoleon Games Cycling Team | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kevin De Mesmaeker (Bel) Team Novo Nordisk | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Amaury Capiot (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Aimé Degendt (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Moreno De Pauw (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maxime Farazijn (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ruben Pols (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jef Van Meirhaeghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jens Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick Step | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Iljo Keisse (Bel) Etixx - Quick Step | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx - Quick Step | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx - Quick Step | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick Step | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Frederik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Team Lotto NL - Jumbo | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team Lotto NL - Jumbo | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Team Lotto NL - Jumbo | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek - Segafredo | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek - Segafredo | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant - Alpecin | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAMCycling | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gaetan Bille (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kenny De Haes (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Boris Dron (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lander Seynaeve (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Robin Stenuit (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Olivier Chevalier (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ludwig De Winter (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tom Dernies (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Deruette (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonathan Dufrasne (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jimmy Duquennoy (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kevin Ista (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Olivier Pardini (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gaëtan Pons (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Julien Stassen (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Antoine Warnier (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jens Adams (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tim Merlier (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rob Peeters (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Marlux-Napoleon Games Cycling Team | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Marlux-Napoleon Games Cycling Team | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) Marlux-Napoleon Games Cycling Team | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Marlux-Napoleon Games Cycling Team | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Joeri Calleeuw (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stef Van Zummeren (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jim Aernouts (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nicolas Vereecken (Bel) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Emiel Wastyn (Bel) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Vincent Baestaens (Bel) Beobank - Corendon | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Diether Sweeck (Bel) Era - Murprotec | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Era - Murprotec | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jens Vandekinderen (Bel) Kalas - H Essers - Noff Cycling Team | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Laurent Vanden Bak (Bel) Leopard Pro Cycling | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dieter Bouvry (Bel) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne De Lille | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne De Lille | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Boris Vallee (Bel) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
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