Arnaud Démare (FDJ) won the bunch sprint to take the win at Saturday's Brussels Cycling Classic, finishing ahead of Marko Kump (UAE Team Emirates) and André Greipel (Lotto Soudal).
The riders faced 13 climbs along the way, but the many sprinters in the race gave an indication of the expected finish. A group of five riders quickly formed and got away: Dimitri Peyskens (WB Verandaclassic Aqua Protect), Brian Van Goethem (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij), Patryk Stosz (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Sander Cordeel (Verandas Willems - Crelan) and Stepan Kurianov (Gazprom-Rusvelo). They were held to a gap of not more than five minutes.
The lead was soon at only the minute mark, with big name riders looking to make the move up. A group of 15 formed when nine rider successfully bridged up: Matthias Brändle (Trek-Segafredo), Tiesj Benoot, Sean De Bie (Lotto-Soudal), Pim Ligthart, Jesper Asselman (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij), Geoffrey Soupe (Cofidis), Marcus Burghardt (Bora-Hansgrohe), Nans Peters (AG2R), Olivier Le Gac (FDJ) and Truls Korsaeth (Astana).
Both the group and the gap got smaller as the race continued, and then exploded as the finish line came closer. Brändle attacked solo with eight kilometres to go. The Austrian pulled away, but the sprinters were determined to take the stage and he was caught again with less than 2 km to go.
André Greipel made a late surge but could not quite catch Démare, who claimed his ninth season victory.
Full Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ | 4:39:37 |
| 2 | Marko Kump (Slo) UAE Team Emirates | |
| 3 | André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal | |
| 4 | Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
| 5 | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | |
| 6 | Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
| 7 | Riccardo Minali (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
| 8 | Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
| 9 | Manuel Belletti (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
| 10 | Davide Martinelli (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | |
| 11 | Joeri Stallaert (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
| 12 | Timothy Dupont (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | |
| 13 | Edward Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
| 14 | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Sunweb | |
| 15 | Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb | |
| 16 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Sunweb | |
| 17 | Simone Consonni (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
| 18 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | |
| 19 | Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
| 20 | Berden De Vries (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
| 21 | Maxime Vantomme (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | |
| 22 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 23 | Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
| 24 | Emils Liepins (Lat) Rietumu Banka - Riga | |
| 25 | Mateusz Taciak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
| 26 | Taco Van Der Hoorn (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
| 27 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 28 | Daniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
| 29 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | |
| 30 | Kevyn Ista (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | |
| 31 | Frantisek Sisr (Cze) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
| 32 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
| 33 | Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| 34 | Jakub Kaczmarek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
| 35 | Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
| 36 | Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct Energie | |
| 37 | Elmar Reinders (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
| 38 | Mauro Finetto (Ita) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
| 39 | Mathias De Witte (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
| 40 | Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team Sunweb | |
| 41 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | |
| 42 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | |
| 43 | Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | |
| 44 | Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
| 45 | Jay Mc Carthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
| 46 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 47 | Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
| 48 | Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
| 49 | Pavel Brutt (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
| 50 | Yonder Godoy (Ven) Wilier Triestina | |
| 51 | Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
| 52 | Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
| 53 | Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 54 | Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie | |
| 55 | Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
| 56 | Huub Duijn (Ned) Veranda's Willems Crelan | |
| 57 | Aurélien Doleatto (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 58 | John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo | |
| 59 | Liam Bertazzo (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
| 60 | Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) FDJ | 0:00:15 |
| 61 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
| 62 | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) FDJ | |
| 63 | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Sunweb | 0:00:18 |
| 64 | Alex Kirsch (Lux) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | 0:00:25 |
| 65 | Marc Sarreau (Fra) FDJ | |
| 66 | Valentin Madouas (Fra) FDJ | 0:00:35 |
| 67 | Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Direct Energie | |
| 68 | Quentin Pacher (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
| 69 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
| 70 | Fabien Grellier (Fra) Direct Energie | |
| 71 | Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
| 72 | Jeremy Cornu (Fra) Direct Energie | |
| 73 | Mathias Van Gompel (Bel) | |
| 74 | Gregory Rast (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | |
| 75 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 76 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
| 77 | Brecht Ruyters (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
| 78 | Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo | |
| 79 | Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
| 80 | Eugert Zhupa (Alb) Wilier Triestina | |
| 81 | Piet Allegaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
| 82 | Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
| 83 | Nans Peters (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 84 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
| 85 | Truls Korsaeth (Nor) Astana Pro Team | |
| 86 | Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
| 87 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
| 88 | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
| 89 | Ludwig De Winter (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | 0:00:40 |
| 90 | Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:43 |
| 91 | Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| 92 | Matthias Brändle (Aut) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:52 |
| 93 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:56 |
| 94 | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
| 95 | Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:01:01 |
| 96 | Dorian Godon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:01:07 |
| 97 | Clement Venturini (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| 98 | Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
| 99 | Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | 0:01:11 |
| 100 | Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | |
| 101 | Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| 102 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
| 103 | Roberto Ferrari (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | 0:01:43 |
| 104 | Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:01:56 |
| 105 | Matteo Busato (Ita) Wilier Triestina | 0:02:08 |
| 106 | Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
| 107 | Emiel Planckaert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:02:17 |
| 108 | Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
| 109 | Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJ | |
| 110 | Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ | |
| 111 | Leszek Plucinski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:02:22 |
| 112 | Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | 0:05:13 |
| 113 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | |
| 114 | Piotr Brozyna (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
| 115 | Alessandro Bisolti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
| 116 | Artur Ershov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
| 117 | Michiel Dieleman (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
| 118 | Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Team Sunweb | |
| 119 | Alexander Porsev (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
| 120 | Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
| 121 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
| 122 | Aime De Gendt (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
| 123 | Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
| 124 | Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Direct Energie | |
| 125 | Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| 126 | Francis Mourey (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
| 127 | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:05:29 |
| 128 | Max Kanter (Ger) Team Sunweb | 0:06:17 |
| 129 | Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:06:55 |
| 130 | Filippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | 0:06:58 |
| 131 | Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
| 132 | Stepan Kuriyanov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | 0:11:00 |
| 133 | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
| 134 | Lukas Spengler (Swi) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | |
| 135 | Ludovic Robeet (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | |
| 136 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
| 137 | Seid Lizde (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | |
| 138 | Wim Reynaerts (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
| 139 | Michael Goolaerts (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | |
| 140 | Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Veranda's Willems Crelan | |
| 141 | Max Walscheid (Ger) Team Sunweb | |
| 142 | Stef Van Zummeren (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | |
| 143 | Sander Cordeel (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | |
| 144 | Kamil Malecki (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
| 145 | Dennis Coenen (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
| 146 | Patryk Stosz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
| 147 | Roman Maikin (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
| 148 | Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
| 149 | Yevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
| 150 | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
| 151 | Kenny Molly (Bel) AGO-Aqua Service | |
| 152 | Erwann Corbel (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
| 153 | Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step Floors | |
| 154 | Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
| 155 | Ivan Savitckii (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
| DNF | Gianni Marchand (Bel) Cibel-Cebon | |
| DNF | Joan Bou Company (Spa) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
| DNF | Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team Emirates | |
| DNF | Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
| DNF | Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
| DNF | Mikel Aristi (Spa) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
| DNF | Yannick Martinez (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
| DNF | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
| DNF | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| DNF | Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| DNF | Rudy Barbier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| DNF | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Quick-Step Floors | |
| DNF | Davide Cimolai (Ita) FDJ | |
| DNF | Julien Morice (Fra) Direct Energie | |
| DNF | Riccardo Stacchiotti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
| DNF | Roy Jans (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | |
| DNF | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
| DNF | Eduard Grosu (Rom) Nippo - Vini Fantini | |
| DNF | Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
| DNF | Andre Looij (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
| DNF | Matti Breschel (Den) Astana Pro Team | |
| DNF | Florian Vachon (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
| DNF | Boris Vallee (Bel) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
| DNF | Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo | |
| DNF | Dries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | |
| DNF | Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
| DNF | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier Triestina | |
| DNF | Tony Hurel (Fra) Direct Energie |
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