Stuyven wins Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
Kristoff takes bunch sprint for second, Bouhanni third
Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) put in a performance straight out of the Fabian Cancellara playbook, with a commanding win in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on Sunday.
The 23-year-old Belgian rider, who crashed during Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, marked several key moves, including an attack on the Kwaremont from Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), before launching his own bid for glory inside the final 30 kilometres.
Despite a frantic chase from the peloton, Stuyven never looked in trouble, holding a 30- to 40-second lead throughout the closing stages. Even a testing headwind could not slow the Trek-Segafredo rider.
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) won the bunch sprint for third ahead of Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) but the day belonged to Stuyven and his Trek-Segafredo team, with Niccolo Bonifazio and Edward Theuns also finishing inside the top ten. Boy van Poppel also played his part. As well as helping to form the early break the Dutch rider kept the move alive once Stuyven and several others bridged across.
On a day that saw both Katusha and Etixx-QuickStep search for revenge after disappointing outings in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, it was Trek’s precise and clinical game-plan that paid off, much to the delight of the management and Fabian Cancellara, who will lead the team during the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix later this spring.
Stuyven was present in each major split inside the final 70 kilometres and when a move that contained Tom Boonen, Greg Van Avermaet, Luke Rowe and the Trek rider appeared to be losing steam, Stuyven attacked with force and gusto.
How it unfolded
The riders at the start of Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne were trying to protect themselves against the cold wind at the start next to the hippodrome in sunny Kuurne. David Boucher (Crelan-Vastgoedservice) didn’t hide from the wind and attacked straight from the start. Ten riders joined the former French – now Belgian – rider. They were his teammate Gerry Druyts (Crelan-Vastgoedservice), the duo Berden de Vries and Sjoerd van Ginneken (Roompot-Oranje),Kevin Van Melsen (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Yanto Barker (ONE), Sebastien Turgot (AG2R), Mirko Trosino (Southeast), Boy van Poppel (Trek-Segafredo), Jaap de Man (Team3M) and Romain Cardis (Direct Energie). The group collected a maximum lead of nine minutes in the headwind section, long before the hilly zone.
After the turning point near Ninove, the pace picked up thanks to a tailwind and at the feed zone fast men Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff) and Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) abandoned the race.
A crash from Michael Delage (FDJ) caused a split in the peloton, putting 50 riders at a distance. For most of them it was game over as the pace remained high. Despite the high speed the only notable action happened on the Oude Kwaremont climb as World Champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) accelerated, with Stuyven marking his move.
The rest of the peloton didn’t allow the duo to gain much distance but no more than 30 riders survived the cut in the peloton. The pace dropped a little towards the Kluisberg and some fast men were able to come back. There were still 78 windy kilometres and three more climbs left to cover. Few riders in this peloton fancied to work on a ten-kilometre-long, straightforward section towards the cobbles of the Varent. As a result a second peloton managed to bridge back up.
The Lotto-Soudal team took the initiative when hitting the last three climbs of the day, between kilometres 62 and 50 in a crosswinds section. They received support from IAM Cycling and created echelons. Caleb Ewan and Kristoff were caught behind but managed to bounce back solo.
On Nokereberg, the last climb of the day, Julien Vermote (Etixx-QuickStep) tried hard to get away. He received the company of Stuyven, Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Sagan, Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto-Soudal), Dries Devenyns (IAM) and Salvatore Puccio (Sky).
The group quickly caught up with most riders from the lead group, except Trosino, but didn’t get much of a bonus. When riding through Waregem there was only one leader left, riding a handful of seconds ahead of an uncontrolled peloton.
A few new accelerations followed with Stuyven tearing the peloton apart. Trosino was caught at 39 kilometres from the finish. At that point the peloton was split into several groups, all battling the crosswinds. Ewan, Bouhanni and Debusschere were among the riders at the back of the race. Still, there was no organization in front with new attacks as a result.
The winning move is made
Eventually a large group rode away, building a 40-second lead on the peloton. The group featured former leaders Trosino and De Vries, Saturday’s winner Van Avermaet, Boonen and Vermote for Etixx-QuickStep, Stuyven, Boy van Poppel (Trek-Segafredo), Pim Ligthart (Lotto-Soudal), Magnus Cort Nielsen (Orica-GreenEdge), Pierre-Luc Périchon (Fortuneo-Vital Concept), Olivier Naesen (IAM), Luke Rowe (Sky), Tom Stamsnijder (Giant-Alpecin), Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energie) and Twan Castelijns (LottoNL-Jumbo).
In the peloton, Stig Broeckx (Lotto-Soudal) suddenly found himself on the ground after being hit by a medical motorbike. The rider was immediately taken to hospital for scans.
Back in the race, Lotto-Soudal were still working hard in the peloton to bring the leaders back. They received support from the Katusha team, while the co-operation in front wasn’t great with Boonen often neutralizing the attacks. Just before hitting the final lap Stuyven blasted away.
The Belgian rider quickly established a lead of 16 seconds on the first group, while the peloton was 34 seconds back on Stuyven.
When blasting through the streets of Kortrijk with 10 kilometres to go Stuyven had a lead of half a minute on a small first group with Boonen, Vermote, Rowe, Ligthart, Naesen and Van Avermaet. The peloton was 43 seconds down on Stuyven and despite a late rally, and Stuyven almost crashing on a left hand corner, the Belgian had enough to take the win.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | 4:53:50 |
2 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha | 0:00:17 |
3 | Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Raymond Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Gerry Druyts (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:00:21 |
25 | Eugert Zhupa (Alb) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Trek-Segafredo | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Laurent Evrard (Bel) Team 3M | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Matteo Busato (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Piotr Havik (Ned) Team 3M | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Ralf Matzka (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Ryan Anderson (Can) Direct Energie | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Yanto Barker (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky | 0:00:30 |
50 | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Jaap De Man (Ned) Team 3M | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:00:33 |
57 | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie | 0:00:35 |
59 | Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-GreenEdge | 0:00:37 |
62 | Berden De Vries (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Floris De Tier (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:00:39 |
64 | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | 0:00:42 |
67 | Leigh Howard (Aus) IAM Cycling | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:00:44 |
70 | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:47 |
71 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Tom Bohli (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Mirko Trosino (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) IAM Cycling | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Thomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling | 0:00:58 |
81 | Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:01:00 |
82 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:01:08 |
83 | Nils Politt (Ger) Team Katusha | 0:01:40 |
84 | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | 0:01:58 |
85 | Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha | 0:02:54 |
88 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:03:15 |
89 | Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge | 0:03:55 |
90 | Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Frederik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Aleksei Tcatevich (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | 0:06:47 |
95 | Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica-GreenEdge | 0:07:30 |
96 | Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Alexander Edmonson (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff Team | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff Team | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff Team | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Adam Blythe (GBr) Tinkoff Team | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Team | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jay Mccarthy (Aus) Tinkoff Team | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alex Peters (GBr) Team Sky | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Soudal | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Morkov (Den) Team Katusha | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Team Katusha | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM Cycling | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marc Sarreau (Fra) FDJ | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) FDJ | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJ | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-GreenEdge | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Floris Gerfs (Ned) BMC Racing Team | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jesse Sergent (NZl) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Manuel Belletti (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Andrea Fedi (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mirko Tedeschi (Ita) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Enrique Sanz (Spa) Southeast - Venezuela | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rudiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 143 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 144 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kenny De Haes (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 145 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 146 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mark Mcnally (GBr) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 147 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Robin Stenuit (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 148 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 149 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 150 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 151 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Daniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 152 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Boris Vallee (Bel) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 153 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Steven Tronet (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 154 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 155 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Vegard Breen (Nor) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | Row 156 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 157 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Amaury Capiot (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 158 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maxime Farazijn (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 159 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 160 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Borut Bozic (Slo) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 161 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 162 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 163 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 164 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 165 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tony Hurel (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 166 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Julien Morice (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 167 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | Row 168 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Eduard Michael Grosu (Rom) Nippo - Vini Fantini | Row 169 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yuma Koishi (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini | Row 170 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nicolas Marini (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fanti |