Cavendish wins in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
Sky controls finale perfectly
Mark Cavendish claimed a straightforward victory in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, delivered to the line perfectly by his Sky teammates.
Resplendent in his world champion's jersey, the Manxman took victory by a decisive margin over FDJ-BigMat rider Yauheni Hutarovich. Vacansoleil-DCM's Kenny Van Hummel was two lengths back in third, while world under 23 champion Arnaud Démare (FDJ-BigMat) was a fine fourth.
Cavendish had suffered with illness earlier in the race, but his Sky team set about bringing the race back together for a bunch finish on the flat run-in to the finish in Kuurne. In the finishing straight, CJ Sutton piloted Cavendish to victory.
“After the cobbles I told CJ that I didn’t feel so good,” Cavendish said afterwards. “Once we took control it got better although I was still vomiting. It’s incredible. I don’t know if I can take any credit for this win. The whole day they looked after me. I was never in the win and always in the front of the peloton. It’s a great win.”
Coming into the final kilometre, the stage appeared set for a duel between Cavendish and his great rival André Greipel (Lotto Belisol) but the German found himself boxed in and faded in the final meters, finishing tenth.
“At 300m from the finish line I was confident that I could not lose the sprint. Then Van Hummel swerved from right to left and there was no more space for me. I should’ve gone earlier,” a clearly disappointed Greipel said.
A fast start
In a quick and nervous first hour at 50km/h no attacks proved successful. After a collective stop at a railway crossing a group powered away.
Seven riders made the day's early breakaway: Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Niko Eeckhout (An Post-Sean Kelly), Jérôme Baugnies (Team Netapp), Koen Barbé (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony), Gilles Devillers (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony), Justin Van Hoecke (Wallonie Bruxelles-Credit Agricole) and Julien Fouchard (Cofidis, le credit en ligne).
At the fourth climb of the day the seven had a gap of four minutes on a peloton led by the Sky team. By the time they reached the Oude Kwaremont, the gap was down to three minutes. Van Avermaet set the pace up front, dropping all his companions except for 41 year-old Eeckhout. At the top of the long cobbled helling another half a minute was whittled off the gap thanks to the efforts from Maarten Wynants (Rabobank) at the front of the peloton.
The selective climb caused some damage and the peloton split in several groups. A first group of about twenty-five riders including fast men Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep), Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda) and John Degenkolb (Project 1t4i) quickly picked up half a minute on a sprinter-studded peloton where Lotto-Belisol did the work.
With seventy kilometers to go Eeckhout and Van Avermaet were re-joined by Barbé, Fouchard and Baugnies. They had 1:30 on the Boonen group, with the peloton trailing by fifty more seconds, but efforts from the Vancansoleil-DCM team, Lotto-Belisol and Europcar closed first the gap to the Boonen group, and then the fate of the seven up front was sealed.
Eeckhout’s effort
As his group was being brought back, Eeckhout attacked and was followed by Wouter Mol (Vacancoleil-DCM), and was later joined by Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Katusha), Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quickstep), Jimmy Engoulvent (Saur-Sojasun), Jan Ghyselinck (Cofidis) and Sébastien Delfosse (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony).
With Sky content to let a group dangle just within their reach, the new escape quickly picked up half a minute at 40km from the finish line. When approaching the finish line a first time, having two more local circuits of 16km ahead of them, the gap ran up to a minute.
The Sky train was in full control, however, and one lap later half a minute was gone from that gap. At 10km from the finish line there were only 10 seconds left and a bunch sprint seemed unavoidable.
Once more it was Eeckhout who was the last man standing, having attacked his companions as the peloton was nipping on their heels, and had a brief foray with a Engoulvent before the high pace of the Sky-led group sped past.
With four men ahead of Cavendish, Sky hurtled into the finishing chute at such a pace that no rider stood a chance at coming around the world champion. Only Hutarovich could get close to his wheel, while Van Hummel looked glued to the tarmac as he struggled over the final meters to claim third.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling | 4:27:30 |
2 | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Alexander Serebryakov (Rus) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Tom Veelers (Ned) Project 1t4i | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Guillaume Boivin (Can) Spidertech p/b C10 | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) GreenEdge Cycling Team | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Manuel Belletti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Adam Blythe (GBr) BMC Racing Team | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Guillaume Blot (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Cervelo | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Luca Paolini (Ita) Katusha Team | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Leif Hoste (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Steven Caethoven (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha Team | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Martin Gilbert (Can) Spidertech p/b C10 | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Timon Seubert (Ger) Team NetApp | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Robin Stenuit (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) GreenEdge Cycling Team | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Procycling | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Kevin Lacombe (Can) Spidertech p/b C10 | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Fabio Polazzi (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Edwig Cammaerts (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Sven Vandousselaere (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Grischa Janorschke (Ger) Team NetApp | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Katusha Team | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Jean-Lou Paiani (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin-Cervelo | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Christophe Laborie (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Niels Wytinck (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Renaud Dion (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Alexey Tsatevitch (Rus) Katusha Team | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Roy Curvers (Ned) Project 1t4i | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | David Boucher (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Johan Le Bon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Florent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Markus Eichler (Ger) Team NetApp | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Matti Helminen (Fin) Landbouwkrediet | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Philippe Legrand (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Hugo Houle (Can) Spidertech p/b C10 | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Stijn Ennekens (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin-Cervelo | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Travis Meyer (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling Team | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Martin Mortensen (Den) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Romain Lemarchand (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Laszlo Bodrogi (Fra) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky Procycling | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin-Cervelo | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Ole Gabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Mark Mcnally (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Laurent Evrard (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Steve Houanard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha Team | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:20 |
112 | Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 0:00:29 |
114 | Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:35 |
115 | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 0:00:40 |
119 | Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky Procycling | 0:01:30 |
123 | Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:01:46 |
124 | John Degenkolb (Ger) Project 1t4i | 0:01:54 |
125 | Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | 0:02:08 |
127 | Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
128 | Aliaksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Katusha Team | 0:02:12 |
129 | Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:02:19 |
130 | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
131 | Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
132 | Alex Dowsett (GBr) Sky Procycling | 0:03:05 |
133 | Bernard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
134 | Jimmy Casper (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:03:31 |
135 | Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
136 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Team NetApp | 0:04:52 |
137 | Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Project 1t4i | 0:05:25 |
138 | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
139 | Matthew Wilson (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling Team | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
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