Boonen wins Brussels Cycling Classic
Belgian beats Demare and Bouhanni in final sprint
Tom Boonen (Etixx-QuickStep) took his second victory at the Brussels Cycling Classic in a bunch sprint. The Belgian beat Arnaud Demare (FDJ) and Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) in what was a technical finale followed by a slight uphill drag to the finish line.
In a team meeting the night before the race, Boonen asked to be the day's protected sprinter, despite Etixx-QuickStep's star sprinter Marcel Kittel being on the roster, and the team put their trust in Boonen to deliver the victory.
"I am very happy for getting this win, the team did a perfect job throughout the day and provided an excellent lead-out in the final kilometer. The race was a fast and frantic one, with many attacks and narrow roads, but I am really satisfied of how things went," Boonen said.
The one-day 199km event saw a series of breakaways but all were reeled in and the full peloton barrelled through the final 15km. Teams FDJ, Astana and Etixx-QuickStep patrolled the front of the field before they shifted to lead-out speeds for their respective sprinters.
Narrow roads, sections of pavé and tight corners in the closing kilometres, combined with high speeds set at the front of the field, forced the riders in to a long stretched out line making it almost impossible for riders caught behind to make it back up to the front.
Wallonne-Bruxelles led the field under the 10km-to-go banner using their local knowledge of the technical roads to their advantage. AG2R's Alexis Gougeard attacked and opened an eight-second lead, and although he displayed a great amount of power, it was no match for the Etixx-QuickStep team's lead-out train.
As the field closed in on the Frenchman, Riu Costa (Lampre-Merida) was the next to make a move out of the field and as he tried to connect with Gougeard, both were reabsorbed into the field with five kilometres to go.
Filippo Pozzato (Wilier Trestina-Southeast) was the next to jump with under four kilometres remaining, and as the peloton made a slight hesitation, he cleared the field by 10 seconds. But it was a big ask to hold off the field with still two kilometres to go.
FDJ was responsible for the fast pace through the flamme rouge as they closed the gap to Pozzzato, while Etixx-QuickStep's train also moved forward on the opposite side of the wide finale Boulevard.
Demare started the sprint but Boonen, led out by Kittel and Matteo Trentin, swung around the Frenchman and powered his way to the finish line with the stage victory.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 4:35:10 |
2 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ | |
3 | Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
4 | Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
5 | Timothy Dupont (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
6 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
7 | Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
8 | Kenny De Haes (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
9 | Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
10 | Kevin Ista (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
11 | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
12 | Joeri Stallaert (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
13 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
14 | Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
15 | Manuel Belletti (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
16 | Roman Maikin (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
17 | Steven Tronet (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
18 | Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
19 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 | |
20 | Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Stölting Service Group | |
21 | Amaury Capiot (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
22 | Dries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
23 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
24 | Matej Mohoric (Slo) Lampre - Merida | |
25 | Lawrence Naesen (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
26 | Grega Bole (Slo) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
27 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal | |
28 | Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
29 | Lennard Kämna (Ger) Stölting Service Group | |
30 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
31 | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie | |
32 | Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
33 | Andrea Fedi (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
34 | Julien El Fares (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
35 | Liam Bertazzo (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
36 | Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | |
37 | Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie | |
38 | Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
39 | Ludwig De Winter (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
40 | Marc Sarreau (Fra) FDJ | |
41 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
42 | Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
43 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ | |
44 | Bartlomiej Matysiak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
45 | Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
46 | Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
47 | Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
48 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
49 | Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) | |
50 | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
51 | Jakub Kaczmarek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
52 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
53 | Antoine Warnier (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
54 | Michiel Dieleman (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
55 | Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ | |
56 | Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
57 | Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
58 | Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
59 | Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
60 | Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
61 | Jan Barta (Cze) Bora-Argon 18 | |
62 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
63 | Andrei Solomennikov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
64 | Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
65 | Tom Dernies (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
66 | Raymond Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
67 | Francis Mourey (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
68 | Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida | |
69 | Olivier Pardini (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
70 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:00:18 |
71 | Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
72 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
73 | Jimmy Duquennoy (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
74 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
75 | Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
76 | Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJ | |
77 | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
78 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | 0:00:42 |
79 | Davide Martinelli (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
80 | Rafael Andriato (Bra) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
81 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team | |
82 | Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:01:05 |
83 | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
84 | Colin Stüssi (Swi) Team Roth | |
85 | Simon Sellier (Fra) Direct Energie | |
86 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team | |
87 | Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | 0:01:42 |
88 | Leonardo Fabio Duque (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | 0:01:59 |
89 | Alexander Kolobnev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | 0:02:34 |
90 | Wesley Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
91 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
92 | Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
93 | Michal Paluta (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
94 | Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:03:05 |
95 | Kevin De Jonghe (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | 0:03:25 |
96 | Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
97 | Romain Guillemois (Fra) Direct Energie | |
98 | Jonas Tenbrock (Ger) Stölting Service Group | |
99 | Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
100 | Rayane Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
101 | Thomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) | 0:04:12 |
102 | Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | 0:04:46 |
103 | Olivier Chevalier (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
104 | Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
105 | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
106 | Gianni Marchand (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
107 | Sven Reutter (Ger) Stölting Service Group | |
108 | Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale | |
109 | Thomas Koep (Ger) Stölting Service Group | |
110 | Artur Ershov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
111 | Sergey Nikolaev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
112 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
113 | Michael Goolaerts (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
114 | Thierry Hupond (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
115 | Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) FDJ | |
116 | Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
117 | Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
118 | Kevin Deltombe (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
119 | Gianfranco Zilioli (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
120 | Nicolas Marini (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
121 | Mateusz Taciak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
122 | Yonder Godoy (Ven) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
123 | Dominik Nerz (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
124 | Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | |
125 | Nicolas Baldo (Fra) Team Roth | |
126 | Brecht Dhaene (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
127 | Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team | |
128 | Berden De Vries (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
129 | Elie Gesbert (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
130 | Fabien Grellier (Fra) Direct Energie | |
131 | William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ | |
132 | Matteo Busato (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
133 | Andrea Vaccher (Ita) Team Roth | |
134 | Sander Cordeel (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
135 | Marlon Gaillard (Fra) Direct Energie | 0:06:36 |
DNF | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Etienne Fabre (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
DNF | Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Lampre - Merida | |
DNF | Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
DNF | Marko Kump (Slo) Lampre - Merida | |
DNF | Oliviero Troia (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
DNF | Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Patryk Stosz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Mikel Aristi Gardoki (Spa) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
DNF | Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
DNF | Martin Laas (Est) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
DNF | Jeremy Cornu (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Guillaume Thévenot (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Maxime Cam (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
DNF | Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
DNF | Boris Vallee (Bel) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
DNF | Alexander Serov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | |
DNF | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Eduard Michael Grosu (Rom) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Antonio Nibali (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Genki Yamamoto (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
DNF | Barry Markus (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
DNF | André Looij (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
DNF | Ivar Slik (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
DNF | Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Stölting Service Group | |
DNF | Rasmus Christian Quaade (Den) Stölting Service Group | |
DNF | Alberto Cecchin (Ita) Team Roth | |
DNF | Marco D'urbano (Ita) Team Roth | |
DNF | Andrea Zordan (Ita) Team Roth | |
DNF | Martin Kohler (Swi) Team Roth | |
DNF | Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
DNF | Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast | |
DNF | Joeri Calleeuw (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Elias Van Breussegem (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Stef Van Zummeren (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Kenny Goossens (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
DNF | Wim Reynaerts (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
DNF | Benjamin Verraes (Bel) Cibel-Cebon |
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