Paolini wins Gent-Wevelgem
By Brecht Decaluwé published
Chasers Terpstra second and Thomas third
Luca Paolini (Katusha) took a solo win at Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday after rain and strong winds turned the race into a battle of survival, and a battle of the strongest Classic riders in the peloton.
The Italian veteran escaped from a breakaway just five kilometres from the finish and took the win 11 seconds ahead of chasers Niki Terpstra (Etixx-QuickStep) and Geraint Thomas (Team Sky). They were part of the move of the day that gradually emerged as the wind took its toll on the race. Stijn Vandenbergh was also there for Etixx-Quickstep, along with Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo), Daniel Oss (BMC) and Jens Debusschere (Lotto Soudal). Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal) made a brave solo stack for much of the final third of the race but was eventually caught with 17km to go.
“This is a surprise but I’m so happy to have won,” Paolini said. “I don’t think I was the strongest but I played my cards. I knew they’d be waiting for the sprint and so I tried to get away with five kilometres to go.
“It was a very difficult day out there. I crashed twice and changed my bike. But I knew the route and know were to stay up front. After my bad luck I was lucky. It was so bad that we weren’t sure if we could carry on. But we're up in the north and this is real cycling. The strongest survived today.”
Paolini's teammate Alexander Kristoff took the bunch sprint for ninth place ahead of Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) in 10th.
How it happened
The 200 riders at the start line knew they were facing a long, tough and for some, a heroic battle in such terrible conditions.
After leaving start town Deinze in the rain, few riders were keen on getting in the early breakaway move while facing a headwind towards the coast in Adinkerke. Eventually seven brave riders went away, with Tim Kerkhof (Roompoot Oranje), Alexis Gougeard (AG2R), Albert Timmer (Giant-Alpecin), Alex Dowsett (Movistar), Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff-Saxo), Jesse Sergent (Trek Factory Racing) and Mirko Tedeschi (Southeast) looking for some early glory and a tactical move for their team leaders.
Despite the strong headwind the leaders covered 39 kilometres in the first hour that resulted in a lead of nearly nine minutes over the peloton. The peloton split even before turning back and riding through the famous Moeren flatlands, while the grey clouds turned the atmosphere into a grim scene. Filippo Pozzato (Lampre) was among the riders who quickly pulled out of the race. The Italian had been ill last week.
Once in the Moeren area, the wind started taking victims. Riders were blown off their bikes into the roadside grass or, like Gert Steegmans (Trek Factory Racing), into the ditch. One massive wind gust caused a big crash that forced several riders to pull out, including Martin Velits (Etixx-QuickStep) and Lars Bak (Lotto-Soudal). Mark Cavendish (Etixx-QuickStep) crashed and lost contact with the first part of the peloton. Many riders climbed off, leaving team vehicles and the broom wagon full.
Due to the gusts of wind, riders tried to stay safe while also trying to maintain some sort of speed. Echelons were formed although these could not be compared with the usual echelons. Riders were constantly balancing on their bike, leaning into the wind, trying not to be blown off the road. Many riders were using wheels with deep section rims and they were paying a high price for that. About 50 riders survived the chaos across the Moeren plain.
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More attacks and more crashes
The peloton then headed into France and the breakaway was soon caught by the first peloton. A second peloton bridged up and later also Cavendish reached the front of the race.
However on another long straight road, the Route de Denkerque, the peloton blew apart again. This time about 25 riders remained up front. Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) was among the riders who pulled out of the race. The ascents of the Casselberg were peanuts compared to the constant battle with the wind gusts. Between the two climbs Edvald Boasson-Hagen landed into the barriers on the market square of Cassel.
Heading to the third climb of the day, the Catsberg, there were still about 25 riders in front, including Sep Vanmarcke, Geraint Thomas, Alexander Kristoff and Peter Sagan. A second group with Arnaud Démare, André Greipel, Matti Breschel and Greg Van Avermaet bridged up just before the Catsberg. While the peloton took a break, Maarten Tjallingii (LottoNL-Jumbo) launched a solo move and opened a one-minute lead on the peloton at the Catsberg.
A cease-fire followed, with Sep Vanmarcke changing bikes. Attempts to anticipate the attacks from Jens Keukeleire, Edward Theuns, Stijn Vandenbergh, Daniel Oss and Jurgen Roelandts were neutralized before the famous Kemmelberg. Then Roelandts attacked in the aftermath of the Kemmelberg – at nearly 80 kilometres from the finish - and quickly bridged up and overtook Tjallingii.
While riding into the crosswinds again, a group of 13 riders rode away from the peloton. While Stybar punctured, attacks were fired in front. Stijn Vandenbergh rode away and he was eventually joined by Oss, Thomas and later also Vanmarcke and Jens Debusschere. Somehow the five chasers were unable to close the gap on Roelandts. The pace in the peloton dropped back as there were no more teams keen to work.
Paolini launched a late counter-attack. Against the wind the experienced Italian rider managed to join the chase group before it was too late. A little later Thomas was spectacularly blown off the road, tumbling in the grass, barely avoiding falling into the ditch. The winner of the E3 Harelbeke was quickly back on his bike and re-joined the chase group but looked shaken. When the gap between the chase group and the peloton was fifty seconds, Nikki Terpstra (Etixx-QuickStep) also made a successful solo attempt, creating a chase group of seven riders. From there the peloton threw in the towel and quickly lost several minutes. Roelandts kept the chase group at two minutes when reaching the Kemmelberg for the second time, at 38 kilometres from the finish.
The final climb of the Kemmelberg
On the Kemmelberg for the final time, Vandenbergh set the pace in the chase group, with only Thomas holding his wheel. Vanmarcke and Terpstra quickly bridged up on the top of the steep cobbled climb with Oss, Debusschere and Paolini in trouble. Debusschere quickly returned solo, while Paolini needed much more time and Oss cracked. The fast pace set by Vandenbergh and the two final climbs of the day took its toll on leader Roelandts. After the final climb of the day, the Monteberg, the gap was back down to one minute with still thirty kilometres to cover towards the finish in Waregem.
As the road turned flat and the wind blew, Roelandts faded and the chasers upped their speed and began to hunt him down. His lead quickly fell and he was swept up with 17km to go and then cruelly spat out of the move as the attacks began.
Etixx-QuickStep had Terpstra and Vandenbergh and the latter seemed especially strong. However Terpstra surprised his rivals when he attacked immediately after a quick bike change and a chase through the cars. Paolini joined him, indicating he was a threat. However, Thomas also had something left and led the chase up to them, revealing that Vanmarcke and Debusschere were tired.
Thomas, Paolini, Terpstra and Vandenbergh came together with 10 kilometres to go and even Vanmarcke and Debusschere got back on too.
The race seemed set for a sprint but then Paolini tried with six kilometres to go. He was pulled back but noticed his rivals were tired and so went again, this time giving it everything. It was a make or break moment and Paolini broke his rivals. They eased up and moved across the road, looking for someone else to chase. That allowed Paolini to open a gap and take flight.
He opened a 10-second gap in the final kilometres as the other began to race for the podium places. By the time he reached the finish he had time to raise his arms in celebration and savour a great win after a great race. It really was a Gent-Wevelgem for the strongest and the 38 year-old Italian proved he was just that.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha | 6:20:55 |
2 | Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:00:11 |
3 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky | |
4 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:00:18 |
5 | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:26 |
6 | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | 0:00:40 |
7 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:01:51 |
8 | Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:04:15 |
9 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha | 0:06:54 |
10 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
11 | Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
12 | Aleksei Tcatevich (Rus) Team Katusha | |
13 | Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Movistar Team | |
14 | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
15 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
16 | Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team | |
17 | Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18 | |
18 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | |
19 | Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
20 | Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling | |
21 | Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
22 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team | |
23 | Eugert Zhupa (Alb) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
24 | Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek Factory Racing | |
25 | Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN - Qhubeka | |
26 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
27 | Marco Marcato (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
28 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
29 | Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | |
30 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team | |
31 | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
32 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
33 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
34 | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge | 0:07:00 |
35 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | 0:07:03 |
36 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
37 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:07:06 |
38 | Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
39 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
DNF | John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Johan Van Summeren (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
DNF | David Boucher (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
DNF | Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
DNF | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
DNF | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
DNF | Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
DNF | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
DNF | Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
DNF | Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
DNF | Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
DNF | Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
DNF | Luka Pibernik (Slo) Lampre-Merida | |
DNF | Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Arg) Lampre-Merida | |
DNF | Nelson Filipe Santos Simoes Oliveira (Por) Lampre-Merida | |
DNF | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
DNF | Dayer Uberney Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team | |
DNF | John Gadret (Fra) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Enrique Sanz (Spa) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica GreenEdge | |
DNF | Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | |
DNF | Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | |
DNF | Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | |
DNF | Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica GreenEdge | |
DNF | Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica GreenEdge | |
DNF | Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Jack Bauer (NZl) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Edward King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Kristoffer Skjerping (Nor) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Alexander Porsev (Rus) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Rudiger Selig (Ger) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Rick Flens (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
DNF | Thomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
DNF | Barry Markus (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
DNF | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | |
DNF | Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | |
DNF | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky | |
DNF | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky | |
DNF | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | |
DNF | Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky | |
DNF | Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky | |
DNF | Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
DNF | Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
DNF | Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
DNF | Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
DNF | Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
DNF | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
DNF | Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
DNF | Jesse Sergent (NZl) Trek Factory Racing | |
DNF | Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek Factory Racing | |
DNF | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek Factory Racing | |
DNF | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | |
DNF | Hayden Roulston (NZl) Trek Factory Racing | |
DNF | Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing | |
DNF | Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing | |
DNF | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
DNF | Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
DNF | Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
DNF | Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
DNF | Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
DNF | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Ralf Matzka (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Dominique Rollin (Can) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Louis Verhelst (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN - Qhubeka | |
DNF | Theo Bos (Ned) MTN - Qhubeka | |
DNF | Matt Brammeier (Irl) MTN - Qhubeka | |
DNF | Tyler Farrar (USA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
DNF | Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN - Qhubeka | |
DNF | Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
DNF | Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
DNF | Berden De Vries (Ned) Team Roompot | |
DNF | Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Team Roompot | |
DNF | Raymond Kreder (Ned) Team Roompot | |
DNF | Wesley Kreder (Ned) Team Roompot | |
DNF | Ivar Slik (Ned) Team Roompot | |
DNF | Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Team Roompot | |
DNF | Tim Kerkhof (Ned) Team Roompot | |
DNF | Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Rafael Andriato (Bra) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Andrea Dal Col (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Mauro Finetto (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Giuseppe Fonzi (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Mirko Tedeschi (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Southeast Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team EuTeam Roompotcar | |
DNF | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team EuTeam Roompotcar | |
DNF | Yohann Gene (Fra) Team EuTeam Roompotcar | |
DNF | Tony Hurel (Fra) Team EuTeam Roompotcar | |
DNF | Morgan Lamoisson (Fra) Team EuTeam Roompotcar | |
DNF | Yannick Martinez (Fra) Team EuTeam Roompotcar | |
DNF | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team EuTeam Roompotcar | |
DNF | Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team EuTeam Roompotcar | |
DNF | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Boris Dron (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DSQ | Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team Roompot |

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