Wiggins dominates De Panne time trial as Kristoff wins overall title

Bradley Wiggins won his last ever time trial in Team Sky colours, with an aggressive, powerful ride during the 14.2km final stage at the Three Days of De Panne. 

Triple stage winner Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) won overall, after favourite Stijn Devolder (Trek Factory Racing) failed to snatch victory from the Norwegian. Kristoff was 18 seconds slower than Wiggins but one second faster than the Belgian and so Devolder finished 23 seconds down in the final overall classification. Wiggins storming up the classification to take third place at 42 seconds.

Kristoff struggled to understand he had won overall immediately after finishing his time trial but was all smiles on the podium, knowing his form is excellent as Sunday’s Tour of Flanders approaches.

“I couldn’t win the time trial (to win all four stages) but I did a good time trial. I pushed all the way and got good feedback from the sports directeur. I’m happy, it was maybe my best time trial ever,” Kristoff said.

“I was one sec down on Devolder at half way but I think I did well in the corners and took time back. I was scared before the start but I rode well. I haven’t ridden a lot of time trials, you can perhaps see that but I’m happy with how it went.”

Wiggins was determined to win

Wiggins had played a domestiques role during the road stages at Driedaagse de Panne but was clearly determined to win the final time trial stage, while wearing the world champion’s rainbow stripes.

He charged down the ramp and quickly got up to speed. He then dived through the corners and stayed in his aerodynamic position on the bike during most of the 14.2km course around De Panne. Wiggins was fastest at the intermediate time split after 5.4km and held his speed for the rest of the course, stopping the clock in a time of 17:49. Wiggins blew  away the earlier fast times set by Jesse Sergent (Trek Factory Racing) 18:17, Guillaume van Keirsbulck (Etixx-QuickStep) 18:07, and Stefan Kung (BMC) 17:59.

Wiggins seemed especially pleased to collect a huge bottle of Belgian beer on the podium, happy that he will have something to celebrate his time at Team Sky after Paris-Roubaix, his last race with the British WorldTour team.

"I think it was one of my first time trials as a professional back in 2002 and it's probably my last one on this level. So it's nice to win and it was certainly in my mind today and this week. I really wanted to win this one,” Wiggins said.

“I think I was eleventh the first time I came here and I've won here before in 2009. I've always liked this time trial, especially when the weather picks up. It felt horrible but I think it was the same for everyone. We raced this morning really early and it never feels like it's flowing and fresh. Everyone's trying really hard. I knew there was an opportunity to jump up onto the podium as well."

Wiggins, Kristoff, Deolvder and everyone else in Belgium will now turn their attention to Sunday's Tour of Flanders.

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