Lampaert wins Dwars door Vlaanderen

Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Floors) retained his Dwars door Vlaanderen crown with a performance that continued his team's domination of the Belgian cobbled classics.

In pouring rain, Lampaert matched a number of key attacks in the final 25 kilometres before sailing away from a five-man break inside the final kilometre. Mike Teunissen (Team Sunweb) and Sep Vanmarcke (EF-Education First) completed the podium.

The five-man group slipped clear on one of the final major sector of cobbles with 25 kilometres to go with Vanmarcke lifting the pace after a dangerous move involving Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) and Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) was nullified.

Vanmarcke powered clear on the cobbles and only Lampaert was able to follow at first before Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Teunissen and finally Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) made contact.

With Quick-Step monitoring the chase group, the quintet quickly built up a lead of over 40 seconds, as Van Avermaet tried in vain to mount a counter attack.

With five kilometres to go, it was clear that the break would decide the win, and Vanmarcke was the first to begin hostilities with a stinging attack from the front of group. Once again, it was Lampaert who matched him, and the Quick-Step rider responded with the same tactic as he quashed moves from Teunissen, Boasson Hagen and then Pedersen.

Lampaert appeared the freshest, his rivals knew it, but even their collective might wasn't enough to change an inevitable outcome.

Pedersen's surge off the front was swept up with just over 1,000m to go and as the pace slowed and the group began to look at each other, Lampaert sensed the moment to attack. He jumped clear with 850m to go and only looked back as he crossed the line to see the battle for the minor places unfold.

With the win, Lampaert joined an elite club of two-time winners of the race, Johan Museeuw and teammate Niki Terpstra. "It's fantastic to win. I know I'm not a champion like them but today I felt really great. It's again a WorldTour race I've won, so I'm very happy," he said.

The 26-year-old's victory continues Quick-Step's incredible spring campaign. The Belgian team have already tasted victory on 20 occasions this year, but it has been their home form that has stood out with wins in Le Samyn, the Johan Museeuw Classic, Nokere Koerse, Handzame Classics, De Panne, E3 Harelbeke, and now Dwars door Vlaanderen.

Those wins have been obtained by seven different riders – of whom Lampaert is just the latest – and with the Tour of Flanders just days away – the indications are that their run may continue a little while yet.

How it unfolded

After the relatively calm weather conditions at Gent-Wevelgem came the rain. And boy, did it rain. Wrapped head-to-toe in Gore-tex, the peloton shuffled out from Roselare with 180km ahead of them. Peter Sagan and Philippe Gilbert –both of whom stayed at home – probably had the wryest smiles of all as a number of their Ronde rivals huddled together in the opening kilometres and twitched nervously through every wet corner.

The racing itself took several hours to come to life. Perhaps the riders needed time to acclimatise to the race's new date in the calendar, or maybe it was the relentless rainfall, but it took until the second half of the race before an energised Luke Rowe attacked with 90km to go.

While much has been written surrounding Alejandro Valverde's recovery from injury, people forget that Rowe broke 20 bones in a non-cycling related accident last August. Still not back to his complete best, this was still a timely reminder of the ground he has made up. The Welshman established a 40-second lead before taking on the Kluisberg. He was eventually reeled in less than 30km later.

With 65km remaining BMC Racing, and then Quick-Step sprung to life, with both teams surging to the front. Despite the atrocious conditions, Van Avermaet's neat Olympic gold bands were just about distinguishable as he sat patiently in a line of teammates on the first ascent of the Knokteberg.

Once Rowe was brought back, Tony Martin accelerated clear, with Valverde and Heinrich Haussler determined to leave their marks too. Martin would eventually fall on a corner, but the German was still in contention and marked several moves before Quick-Step upped the pace - as they did in 2017 – with an attack on the Tainenberg.

Zdenek Stybar's turn of speed was too much for the rest of the sodden pack, with even Van Avermaet fading away. With 53km to go, the Czech rider sat up, but the strongest riders were beginning to impose themselves. Van Avermaet moved clear soon after with Benoot, Valverde and Martin for company but the Olympic champion never looked like creating a definitive selection. Lampaert, Gianni Moscon (Team Sky), Boasson Hagen, Pedersen, Vanmarcke and John Degenkolb completed the lead group.

Despite so many team leaders out front, Astana and LottoNL-Jumbo were about to bring the group back, but on the second and final ascent of the Knokteberg, the race split again, with Benoot and a desperate Van Avermaet going clear. Their lead never moved beyond the 12-second mark, with Lampaert, Niki Terpstra, Stybar, Valverde, Vanmarcke, Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Teunissen, Boasson Hagen, Moscon, and Timo Roosen (LottoNL-Jumbo) all making the juncture.

With BMC looking spent, and Quick-Step deliberating over who would attack next, Vanmarcke accelerated on the cobbled sector through Varent. Van Avermaet's head went down, but Lampaert was astute enough to see the danger, and along with Teunissen, Boasson Hagen, and Pedersen, they scampered away. Benoot, Van Avermaet and finally Stybar mounted late chases, but just over 20km later it was Lampaert who seized the moment with the most telling attack.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Yves Lampaert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors4:09:40
2Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb0:00:02
3Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 2 - Cell 2
4Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension DataRow 3 - Cell 2
5Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-SegafredoRow 4 - Cell 2
6Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quick-Step Floors0:00:29
7Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:00:30
8Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:00:59
9Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step FloorsRow 8 - Cell 2
10Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-SegafredoRow 9 - Cell 2
11Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 10 - Cell 2
12Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team SkyRow 11 - Cell 2
13Timo Roosen (Ned) LottoNL-JumboRow 12 - Cell 2
14Magnus Cort (Den) Astana Pro Team0:02:42
15John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-SegafredoRow 14 - Cell 2
16Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 15 - Cell 2
17Danny van Poppel (Ned) LottoNL-JumboRow 16 - Cell 2
18Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 17 - Cell 2
19Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Christophe Noppe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 19 - Cell 2
21Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 20 - Cell 2
22Luke Rowe (GBr) Team SkyRow 21 - Cell 2
23Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Bahrain-MeridaRow 22 - Cell 2
24Edward Theuns (Bel) Team SunwebRow 23 - Cell 2
25Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Piet Allegaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 25 - Cell 2
27Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 27 - Cell 2
29Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Amund Grøndahl Jansen (Nor) LottoNL-JumboRow 29 - Cell 2
31Luke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton-ScottRow 30 - Cell 2
32Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) UAE Team EmiratesRow 31 - Cell 2
33Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 32 - Cell 2
34Sacha Modolo (Ita) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 33 - Cell 2
35Tony Martin (Ger) Katusha-AlpecinRow 34 - Cell 2
36Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Quick-Step FloorsRow 35 - Cell 2
37Tom Scully (NZl) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 36 - Cell 2
38Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb0:04:01
39Justin Jules (Fra) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic0:06:47
40Roy Curvers (Ned) Team SunwebRow 39 - Cell 2
41Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar TeamRow 40 - Cell 2
42Ryan Mullen (Irl) Trek-SegafredoRow 41 - Cell 2
43Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 42 - Cell 2
44Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 44 - Cell 2
46Maxime Farazijn (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 45 - Cell 2
47Julien Vermote (Bel) Dimension DataRow 46 - Cell 2
48Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La MondialeRow 47 - Cell 2
49Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-AlpecinRow 48 - Cell 2
50August Jensen (Nor) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 49 - Cell 2
51Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 50 - Cell 2
52Lukas Spengler (Swi) WB Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 51 - Cell 2
53Maarten Wynants (Bel) LottoNL-JumboRow 52 - Cell 2
54Hector Carretero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 53 - Cell 2
55Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 54 - Cell 2
56Francisco Ventoso (Spa) BMC Racing TeamRow 55 - Cell 2
57Nicolas Dougall (RSA) Dimension DataRow 56 - Cell 2
58Gregory Rast (Swi) Trek-SegafredoRow 57 - Cell 2
59Jonathan Dibben (GBr) Team SkyRow 58 - Cell 2
60Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar TeamRow 59 - Cell 2
61Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Team SkyRow 60 - Cell 2
62Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 61 - Cell 2
63Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha-AlpecinRow 62 - Cell 2
64Jack Bauer (NZl) Mitchelton-ScottRow 63 - Cell 2
65Luka Mezgec (Slo) Mitchelton-ScottRow 64 - Cell 2
66Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 65 - Cell 2
67Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 66 - Cell 2
68Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Maxime Vantomme (Bel) WB Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 68 - Cell 2
70Mitchell Docker (Aus) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 69 - Cell 2
71Dion Smith (NZl) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 70 - Cell 2
72Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 71 - Cell 2
73Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 72 - Cell 2
74Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 73 - Cell 2
75Stefan Küng (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 74 - Cell 2
76Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team EmiratesRow 75 - Cell 2
77Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) LottoNL-JumboRow 76 - Cell 2
78Kristijan Koren (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 77 - Cell 2
79Ian Stannard (GBr) Team SkyRow 78 - Cell 2
80Ben Swift (GBr) UAE Team EmiratesRow 79 - Cell 2
81Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) LottoNL-JumboRow 80 - Cell 2
82Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 81 - Cell 2
83Wout Van Aert (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 82 - Cell 2
84Alex Edmondson (Aus) Mitchelton-ScottRow 83 - Cell 2
85Aime De Gendt (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 84 - Cell 2
86Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 85 - Cell 2
87Lars Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal0:11:49
88Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 87 - Cell 2
89Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 88 - Cell 2
90Milan Menten (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 89 - Cell 2
91Casper Pedersen (Den) Aqua Blue SportRow 90 - Cell 2
92Lawrence Naesen (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:11:51
93Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 92 - Cell 2
94Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 93 - Cell 2
95Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 94 - Cell 2
96Ryan Gibbons (RSA) Dimension DataRow 95 - Cell 2
97Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 96 - Cell 2
98Stijn Steels (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 97 - Cell 2
99Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 98 - Cell 2
100Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-SegafredoRow 99 - Cell 2
101Mathew Hayman (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott0:11:54
102Alvaro Hodeg (Col) Quick-Step FloorsRow 101 - Cell 2
103Loic Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 102 - Cell 2
104Dennis van Winden (Ned) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 103 - Cell 2
105Michael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton-ScottRow 104 - Cell 2
106Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La MondialeRow 105 - Cell 2
107Jorge Arcas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 106 - Cell 2
108Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 107 - Cell 2
109Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 108 - Cell 2
110Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 109 - Cell 2
111Koen de Kort (Ned) Trek-SegafredoRow 110 - Cell 2
112Kristoffer Halvorsen (Nor) Team SkyRow 111 - Cell 2
113Benjamin Perry (Can) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 112 - Cell 2
114Zico Waeytens (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 113 - Cell 2
115Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb0:12:01
116Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team SunwebRow 115 - Cell 2
DNSNikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFElia Viviani (Ita) Quick-Step FloorsRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFAlberto Bettiol (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFOliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFRudy Barbier (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFTony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFJens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFNelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar TeamRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFTaylor Phinney (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFSebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education First-Drapac p/b CannondaleRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFAlexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Valgren (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFTruls Korsaeth (Nor) Astana Pro TeamRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFPhil Bauhaus (Ger) Team SunwebRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFChristopher Lawless (GBr) Team SkyRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFSimone Consonni (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFFilippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFOliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFNiccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Per (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFLuka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFIvan Garcia (Spa) Bahrain-MeridaRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFJosé Gonçalves (Por) Katusha-AlpecinRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Haller (Aut) Katusha-AlpecinRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFRick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-AlpecinRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFBaptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-AlpecinRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFJay Thomson (RSA) Dimension DataRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFTom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Dimension DataRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Leezer (Ned) LottoNL-JumboRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFMichal Kolár (Svk) Bora-HansgroheRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFMaciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-HansgroheRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFJuraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-HansgroheRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFSam Bewley (NZl) Mitchelton-ScottRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFStijn Devolder (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFSean De Bie (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFAidis Kruopis (Ltu) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFHuub Duijn (Ned) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFTom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFPieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFDamien Gaudin (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFYohann Gene (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Sellier (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFMichaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Blythe (GBr) Aqua Blue SportRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFShane Archbold (NZl) Aqua Blue SportRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFConor Dunne (Irl) Aqua Blue SportRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Fenn (GBr) Aqua Blue SportRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFPeter Koning (Ned) Aqua Blue SportRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Brammeier (Irl) Aqua Blue SportRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFAaron Verwilst (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFAlex Kirsch (Lux) WB Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFKenny Dehaes (Bel) WB Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Stassen (Bel) WB Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFJimmy Duquennoy (Bel) WB Aqua Protect VeranclassicRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFAviv Yechezkel (Isr) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFGuy Sagiv (Isr) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFHamish Schreurs (NZl) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 173 - Cell 2

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Daniel Benson

Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.

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