Cavendish sprints to Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne win
Second Kuurne victory for Manxman
Mark Cavendish claimed his second win in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne after out-sprinting Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha) and Elia Viviani (Team Sky) on Sunday, saving Etixx-QuickStep’s blushes after the team's capitulation Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite.
One of the beautiful aspects – and there are many - to the opening weekend of racing in Belgium’s cauldron of cobbles is that teams can quickly make amends for mistakes they’ve made in the first race. And Etixx-QuickStep, with Cavendish providing an exemplary lesson in sprint tactics – helped the team exorcise their demons with a win that will have done his contractual position at the team the world of good.
Cavendish was everywhere he needed to be during the race – first making contact with a dangerous break that formed on the slopes of the Côte de Trieu and then, more crucially, on Kristoff’s wheel with 200 metres to go. Even when Etixx did falter – eventually running out of gas in the last kilometre – Cavendish swooped to edge out Kristoff.
“The team were incredible the whole day. We talked this morning and Wilfried Peeters didn’t think I could make but the riders all believed in me,” Cavendish rather controversially said after crossing the line before returning to a more expected party line. “We went full gas on the Oude Kwaremont but there was a headwind so the group was always going to come back. Then it was up to me in the sprint.”
With Katusha controlling the front of the peloton for most of the two final circuits through Kuurne, Etixx were forced to burn matches as they tried to position Cavendish where he needed to be. Trentin lost contact with just over five kilometres remaining and when Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing) launched an dangerous attack and quickly gained 11 seconds, the sprinters' teams were forced to respond.
Having controlled the most telling break of the day, cracks in Etixx’s train were beginning to understandably surface but Cavendish used his experience as well as his speed to make sure he was positioned on Kristoff’s wheel.
“We used our guys too early because of the headwind in the last corner. Tom [Boonen] went to go but I already left him to go onto Kristoff’s wheel. I thought that was better. I knew it was going to be hard but I’ve been going well all year. I’m super proud to get this victory for Etixx QuickStep.”
Pride for Cavendish but relief for Patrick Lefevere who had found himself on the back foot last night after Ian Stannard had singlehandedly taken apart his team in Omloop, a feeling that Cavendish will not doubt remind his boss of when the pair sit down for contract negotiations later this year. Next stop, as Cavendish confirmed is Milan-San Remo, and another shoot out with the defending champion, Kristoff. All roads lead to via Roma.
How it unfolded
On a cold, fresh morning the peloton regrouped on Sunday with the majority of yesterday’s players returning for act two of the opening weekend in Belgium.
It took over 30 kilometres for the opening break to forge clear with Mattia Pozzo (Nippo - Vini Fantini) Sjoerd van Ginneken (Team Roompot), Jimmy Engoulvent (Europcar), Xandro Meurisse (AN Post), Fredrik Backaert, Dimitri Peyskens (Team 3M), Thomas Vauborzeix (Veranclassic-Ekoï) Eugert Zhupa (Southeast Pro Cycling) jumping clear.
Over the first climbs the eight-man move maintained a three-minute lead over a peloton that had elected for Katusha and Etixx to position a man each on point.
A relative armistice was maintained until the bunch reached the Côte de Trieu, where Tom Boonen and Sep Vanmarcke both accelerated from the field. They brought riders with them but by the time the race hit the next climb of the Oude Kwaremont weaknesses in the main field were exploited once more with both Etixx and Vanmarcke’s LottoNL-Jumbo team creating a group of 19 riders.
Etixx were well represented with Boonen and Cavenish among their troop, Vanmarcke had one teammate, Gilbert another, Kristoff was on his own, while Ian Stannard had Team Sky’s Elia Viviani for company. On another day it may been enough to settle the race but with such a long run in to the finish – 51km from the crest of the final climb of the Nokereberg to the finish – and with MTN, Cofidis and AG2R in hot pursuit, the group could only manage to establish a lead of just over a minute.
By now the remnants of the break were being picked up in their ones and twos and when the break of Vanmarcke and Boonen was eventually brought to heel the chances of a bunch sprint looked all but certain.
The only rider unwilling to read from that script was Gilbert, who tore off with just under five kilometres of racing remaining.
Katusha, Team Sky, and then Lotto Soudal took turns of slowly pulling the BMC rider back but the effort took its toll with fragmented leadouts emerging from the final corner. Katusha and Kriftoff still looked to be in the best position as Viviani remained in contention but locked onto Kristoff’s wheel was Cavendish and Etixx’s much needed victory.
Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Etixx - Quick-Step | 4:29:00 |
2 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Daniele Colli (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Raymond Kreder (Ned) Team Roompot | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Antoine Demoite (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Kevin Ista (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Nicolas Vereecken (Bel) Team3M | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar | :04 |
23 | Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Soudal | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Sean Downey (Irl) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Aleksei Tsatevich (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Michael Vingerling (Ned) Team 3M | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Mauro Finetto (Ita) Southeast | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Marco Marcato (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Dimitri Peyskens (Ger) Team 3M | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Daniel Schorn (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Olivier Chevalier (Fra) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Team Roompot | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Johan Van Summeren (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Team Roompot | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Dominique Rollin (Can) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Alessandro Malaguti (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Tyler Farrar (USA) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Julien Stassen (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar | :25 |
76 | Tom Goovaerts (Bel) CCT p/b Champion System | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | :30 |
78 | Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky | :42 |
84 | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky | :44 |
85 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal | :47 |
86 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | :51 |
87 | Thomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) Veranclassic - Ekoi | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Etienne Van Empel (Ned) Team Roompot | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Dmitrii Kozonchuk (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar | 1:28 |
95 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Team Katusha | 1:50 |
98 | Xandro Meurisse (Bel) An Post - Chain Reaction | 1:55 |
99 | Iljo Keisse (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Reinier Honig (Ned) Team Roompot | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 2:35 |
104 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky | 2:43 |
105 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 2:59 |
106 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling | 6:07 |
107 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christopher Sutton (Aus) Team Sky | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rick Flens (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marcel Aregger (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Simon Pellaud (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Vicente Reynes (Spa) IAM Cycling | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | David Boucher (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team Roompot | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNF | André Looij (Ned) Team Roompot |