Viviani wins Driedaagse De Panne

Quick-Step Floors continued their winning streak with Elia Viviani taking victory at the new-look Driedaagse De Panne. Viviani had a clear margin as he claimed the team’s sixth win this month and his fifth of the season.

Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) was the only rider to get close to the Italian, finishing second as he thumped his handlebars in frustration. Jasper Philipsen of Hagens Berman Axeon took the final place on the podium.

Despite having two teammates to guide him, the win was not straightforward for Viviani. He had to thread his way through several riders after starting his sprint from around five places back, slotting himself through a few gaps that looked like they were quickly disappearing.

Veranda's Willems Crelan might contest that one of those gaps was not there as one of their riders had to sit up briefly as Viviani charged through. However, he Italian did get through and as they rounded the final, slight curve, he had just Ackerman in front of him. With just a few metres remaining, Viviani moved out into the wind for the first time, charging to the line with more than a bike’s length advantage over the chasing German.

“Personally, it’s the first in Europe this year. I’ve won in Australia and in the Emirates and I’ve had some placings in Paris-Nice, but the condition is really good,” Viviani said after his victory. “I really want to end the first part of my season really well and after that I will think about the Giro. Winning in Belgium with a Belgian team is always beautiful, and it’s a good start to the next few important weeks in Belgium for this team, and we will try to continue in this way.”

How it unfolded

Despite the name, the Driedaagse De Panne was just one day after losing its pre-Tour of Flanders slot to Dwars door Vlaanderen. With E3 Harelbeke this Friday, it has turned into a one-day affair with a new, sprinter-friendly route to go with it. The 202.4km route set off from Bruges’ Grote Markt on Wednesday morning, taking a meandering route around Flanders, along the French border and into De Panne with three circuits around the seaside town.

It took more than 20 kilometres for the day’s breakaway to form, with six riders swiftly gaining two minutes on the bunch behind. Conor Dunne (Aqua Blue Sport), an ever-present feature of breakaways this season, went clear alongside David Boucher and Ylber Saer (both Terteletto-Isorex-SH), Sean Bennett (Hagens Berman Axeon), Tanner Putt (UnitedHealthcare) and Brian van Goethem (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij).

The gap had gone out to six minutes by the time the riders hit the series of five climbs after 80 kilometres of racing. A brief attack from Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott) and Nikolas Maes (Lotto Soudal) on the Kemmelberg didn’t stick but helped cut the advantage to the leaders, and it would continue to go down quickly over the coming kilometres. The large part of the chase was taken on by Quick-Step Floors with Remi Cavanga doing a big shift on the front.

With just over 70 kilometres to go, echelons began to form as crosswinds hit the peloton on a long, exposed stretch of road. A surge from Quick-Step and Lotto Soudal saw the bunch split in two but a lack of cooperation meant that it wouldn’t last long and the group eventually came back together 30 kilometres later. Quick-Step and Lotto Soudal, joined by Bora-Hansgrohe, turned up the pressure dial once again, however, and broke the bunch permanently this time.

A reduced peloton of 60 riders took back the six escapees with 15-kilometres to go. From there, it would be a battle between the sprinters’ teams as the riders negotiated the tram tracks around De Panne. Veranda's Willems Crelan sought to set the pace inside the final kilometre, but Quick-Step Floors were still there in numbers and nothing could stop Viviani when he launched his sprint. It is the Belgian team’s 17th victory of the 2018 season.

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Elia Viviani (Ita) Quick - Step Floors4:41:08
2Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora - HansgroheRow 1 - Cell 2
3Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Hagens Berman AxeonRow 2 - Cell 2
4Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 3 - Cell 2
5Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 4 - Cell 2
6Amaury Capiot (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 5 - Cell 2
7Roy Jans (Bel) Cibel - CebonRow 6 - Cell 2
8Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 7 - Cell 2
9Adam Blythe (GBr) Aqua Blue SportRow 8 - Cell 2
10Eduard Michael Grosu (Rom) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 9 - Cell 2
11Timothy Dupont (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 10 - Cell 2
12Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 11 - Cell 2
13Jelle Mannaerts (Bel) Tarteletto - IsorexRow 12 - Cell 2
14Luka Mezgec (Slo) Mitchelton - ScottRow 13 - Cell 2
15Zico Waeytens (Bel) Veranda's Willems - CrelanRow 14 - Cell 2
16Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Arg) Quick - Step FloorsRow 15 - Cell 2
17Pawel Franczak (Pol) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 16 - Cell 2
18Bryan Coquard (Fra) Vital Concept Cycling ClubRow 17 - Cell 2
19Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 18 - Cell 2
20Michael Goolaerts (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Crelan0:00:07
21Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 20 - Cell 2
22Andrew Fenn (GBr) Aqua Blue SportRow 21 - Cell 2
23August Jensen (Nor) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 22 - Cell 2
24Travis Mccabe (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Wb Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 24 - Cell 2
26Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 25 - Cell 2
27Benjamin Perry (Can) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 26 - Cell 2
28Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 27 - Cell 2
29Michal Kolár (Svk) Bora - HansgroheRow 28 - Cell 2
30Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 29 - Cell 2
31Jordi Warlop (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 30 - Cell 2
32Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 31 - Cell 2
33Nikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 32 - Cell 2
34Mark Mcnally (GBr) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 33 - Cell 2
35Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora - Hansgrohe0:00:18
36Wout Van Aert (Bel) Veranda's Willems - CrelanRow 35 - Cell 2
37Florian Senechal (Fra) Quick - Step FloorsRow 36 - Cell 2
38Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora - Hansgrohe0:00:20
39Shane Archbold (NZl) Aqua Blue Sport0:00:23
40Wouter Wippert (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij0:00:26
41Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:00:27
42Frantisek Sisr (Cze) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 41 - Cell 2
43Kenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:00:34
44Milan Menten (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 43 - Cell 2
45Rui Oliveira (Por) Hagens Berman AxeonRow 44 - Cell 2
46Christophe Noppe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 45 - Cell 2
47David Boucher (Bel) Tarteletto - IsorexRow 46 - Cell 2
48Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 47 - Cell 2
49Robbert De Greef (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij0:00:37
50Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 49 - Cell 2
51Moreno Hofland (Ned) Lotto SoudalRow 50 - Cell 2
52Davide Martinelli (Ita) Quick - Step FloorsRow 51 - Cell 2
53Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Wb Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 52 - Cell 2
54Lukas Spengler (Swi) Wb Aqua Protect Veranclassic0:00:44
55Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Bora - Hansgrohe0:00:49
56Conor Dunne (Irl) Aqua Blue SportRow 55 - Cell 2
57Sean Bennett (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon0:00:52
58Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:00:54
59Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:01:22
60Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora - Hansgrohe0:01:32
61Erik Baska (Svk) Bora - Hansgrohe0:01:37
62Ylber Sefa (Alb) Tarteletto - Isorex0:01:44
63Gianni Marchand (Bel) Cibel - Cebon0:01:46
64Michael Rice (Aus) Hagens Berman AxeonRow 63 - Cell 2
65Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick - Step FloorsRow 64 - Cell 2
66Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 65 - Cell 2
67Dennis Coenen (Bel) Cibel - CebonRow 66 - Cell 2
68Timothy Stevens (Bel) Cibel - CebonRow 67 - Cell 2
69Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 68 - Cell 2
70Ian Garrison (USA) Hagens Berman AxeonRow 69 - Cell 2
71Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 70 - Cell 2
72Damiano Cima (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 71 - Cell 2
73Frederik Frison (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 72 - Cell 2
74Julien Stassen (Bel) Wb Aqua Protect Veranclassic0:01:50
75Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept Cycling ClubRow 74 - Cell 2
76Luke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton - ScottRow 75 - Cell 2
77Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 76 - Cell 2
78Bert De Backer (Bel) Vital Concept Cycling ClubRow 77 - Cell 2
79Jan Willem Van Schip (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 78 - Cell 2
80Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Quick - Step Floors0:01:53
81Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vital Concept Cycling Club0:02:18
82Lorrenzo Manzin (Fra) Vital Concept Cycling Club0:02:21
83Mathew Hayman (Aus) Mitchelton - Scott0:02:29
84Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 83 - Cell 2
85Edward Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 84 - Cell 2
86Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:03:46
87Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 86 - Cell 2
88Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 87 - Cell 2
89Sergio Torres Jorro (Spa) Tarteletto - Isorex0:03:48
90Sergei Shilov (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 89 - Cell 2
91Boris Vallee (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 90 - Cell 2
92Niels De Rooze (Bel) Tarteletto - IsorexRow 91 - Cell 2
93Stijn De Bock (Bel) Cibel - CebonRow 92 - Cell 2
94Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 93 - Cell 2
95Peter Koning (Ned) Aqua Blue SportRow 94 - Cell 2
96Imerio Cima (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 95 - Cell 2
97Guy Sagiv (Isr) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 96 - Cell 2
98Jimmy Duquennoy (Bel) Wb Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 97 - Cell 2
99Tim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 98 - Cell 2
100Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Tarteletto - IsorexRow 99 - Cell 2
101Christophe Masson (Fra) Wb Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 100 - Cell 2
102Kamil Malecki (Pol) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 101 - Cell 2
103Michael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton - ScottRow 102 - Cell 2
104Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team0:03:52
105Alexander Edmondson (Aus) Mitchelton - Scott0:03:53
106Daniel Eaton (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team0:03:56
107Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 106 - Cell 2
108Senne Leysen (Bel) Veranda's Willems - CrelanRow 107 - Cell 2
109Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 108 - Cell 2
110Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 109 - Cell 2
111Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 110 - Cell 2
112Michiel Dieleman (Bel) Cibel - CebonRow 111 - Cell 2
113Dmitriy Kozontchuk (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 112 - Cell 2
114Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 113 - Cell 2
115Simon Sellier (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 114 - Cell 2
116Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 115 - Cell 2
117Marco Mathis (Ger) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 116 - Cell 2
118Alexander Cataford (Can) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 117 - Cell 2
119João Almeida (Por) Hagens Berman AxeonRow 118 - Cell 2
120Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 119 - Cell 2
121Stijn Steels (Bel) Veranda's Willems - CrelanRow 120 - Cell 2
122Ivo Oliveira (Por) Hagens Berman AxeonRow 121 - Cell 2
123Elias Van Breussegem (Bel) Veranda's Willems - CrelanRow 122 - Cell 2
124Aaron Gate (NZl) Aqua Blue Sport0:04:48
125Hamish Schreurs (NZl) Israel Cycling Academy0:06:14
126Kevin De Jonghe (Bel) Tarteletto - Isorex0:10:34
127Sho Hatsuyama (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 126 - Cell 2
128Leszek Plucinski (Pol) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 127 - Cell 2
129Lennert Teugels (Bel) Cibel - CebonRow 128 - Cell 2
130Roman Maikin (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 129 - Cell 2
131Aviv Yechezkel (Isr) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 130 - Cell 2
132Tanner Putt (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFAngelo Tulik (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFPawel Bernas (Pol) Ccc Sprandi PolkowiceRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Morice (Fra) Vital Concept Cycling ClubRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFAdrien Garel (Fra) Vital Concept Cycling ClubRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFEric Marcotte (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFAdrian Hegyvary (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFKohei Uchima (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFHiroki Nishimura (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa OviniRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFDamien Gaudin (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Brammeier (Irl) Aqua Blue SportRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFReto Hollenstein (Swi) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFAlex Dowsett (GBr) Team Katusha AlpecinRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFFabio Sabatini (Ita) Quick - Step FloorsRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFDimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFIvan Rovny (Rus) Gazprom - RusveloRow 146 - Cell 2

Latest on Cyclingnews