Vangenechten wins Grand Prix Pino Cerami

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Jonas Vangenechten (Lotto Belisol) claimed victory in the Grand Prix Pino Cerami by overhauling Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil-DCM) in a keenly-contested sprint finish in Frameries.

Late escapee Florian Vachon (Bretagne-Seché) entered the final kilometre with a small buffer over the peloton and he managed to maintain his advantage into the finishing straight. Eager not to allow his chance slip him by, Feillu opened his sprint from distance, but while he managed to overtake Vachon, he also provided an armchair ride to the finish to Vangenechten.

Vangenechten duly came past inside the final 150 metres to take the win, while Feillu could only bang on his handlebars in frustration as he crossed the line. Andris Smirnovs (Doltcini-Flanders) came home in third place, just ahead of Jérémie Galland (Sojasun) and Egidijus Juodvalkis (Crelan-Euphony).

The early part of the race had been animated by a four-man break featuring Dominique Cornu (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), but they were reeled in with 50km still to race. Vachon and Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) enjoyed a brief rally off the front on the run-in, but they were swept up by Lotto Belisol and MTN-Qhubeka’s pressing. Vachon made one final break for glory in the finale, but Feillu’s early sprint ended his hopes of victory.