Tsatevich wins Le Samyn
Russian beats Boeckmans and Petit
Alexey Tsatevich (Katusha) claimed victory at Le Samyn after holding off the peloton in Dour on Wednesday, while Kris Boeckmans (Vacansoleil-DCM) beat Adrien Petit (Cofidis) to second place.
Tsatevich showed considerable strength on the deceptively difficult rise to the finish line at Dour. When Sébastien Chavanel (Europcar) tried to spring a surprise by opening his effort early inside the final 500 metres, the Russian was swiftly onto his wheel. When Chavanel began to flag, Tsatevich came around him and had more than enough in the tank to hold off the peloton closing behind.
"The team gave me a chance to try today, the whole race was done around me and I am thankful for that,” Tsatevich said afterwards. “In the final part of the race I said to the team that I am ok and can try, so, my teammates did everything possible to help me and to provide an ideal position in the finish. I was waiting for the mass sprint, but a rider from Europcar attacked before it. I took his wheel and was able to save the energy. In the last meters I started my sprint to win.”
The day’s racing was animated by an early break featuring Elias Van Breussegem (Doltcini-Flanders), Luke Rowe (Sky) and Thomas Sprengers (Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise). The trio opened a lead of 5 minutes at one point, before the peloton reacted in earnest. Rowe was the final survivor of the move, but he was swept up with 12km to race.
At that point, a bunch finish seemed inevitable, but Rowe’s teammate Geraint Thomas was keen to try his luck, first attacking as part of a four-man move with Ian Stannard, and later forcing his way clear alone. The in-form Welshman threatened to upset the odds, but the work of a number of teams, including FDJ, saw him pegged back before the finish.
Unfortunately for FDJ, their sprint hopeful Arnaud Démare had his hopes thwarted by a late puncture and the scene was set for an extremely open bunch finish, where Tsatevich seized the initiative and reaped the rewards.
“I am happy that I was able to realize the wish of the team and win today,” he said. “I came to Belgium a little bit earlier than the other members of Katusha, so I had some more days to train. That was one of key moments for today’s success.”
1 | Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha | 5:05:19 |
2 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Lotto Belisol | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN-Qhubeka | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Scott Thwaites (GBr) Team NetApp-Endura | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Procycling | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Accent Jobs-Wanty | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) To Win-Josan Cycling Team | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Niels Vandyck (Bel) Verandas Willems | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Maxime Le Montagner (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Maxime Daniel (Fra) Sojasun | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Julien Duval (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Blaz Jarc (Slo) Team NetApp-Endura | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post-Chainreaction | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Thomas Vernaeckt (Bel) Doltcini-Flanders | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Markus Eichler (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Julien Stassen (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Tim De Troyer (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Marc De Maar (AHo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Doltcini-Flanders | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Clément Koretzky (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Laurent Evrard (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Sky Procycling | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Renaud Dion (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Martin Reimer (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Jérémie Galland (Fra) Sojasun | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Jonathan Dufrasne (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Timofey Kritskiy (Rus) Katusha | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Clément Lhotellerie (Fra) Colba-Superano Ham | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Crelan-Euphony | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky Procycling | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Benjamin Le Montagner (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Anthony Ravard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Alphonse Vermote (Bel) An Post-Chainreaction | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Christophe Laborie (Fra) Sojasun | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Roger Kluge (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Antoine Demoitie (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Gael Malacarne (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Jack Wilson (Irl) An Post-Chainreaction | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:00:45 |
64 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Kenny Robert van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Steven Caethoven (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) MTN-Qhubeka | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Julian Kern (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Sam Bennett (Irl) An Post-Chainreaction | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Morgan Lamoisson (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky Procycling | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Jonathan McEvoy (GBr) Team NetApp-Endura | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Lotto Belisol | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | David Boucher (Fra) FDJ | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Jonathan Breyne (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Yu Takenouchi (Jpn) Colba-Superano Ham | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Florent Delfosse (Bel) Color Code-Biowanze | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Anton Vorobyev (Rus) Katusha | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Rony Martias (Fra) Sojasun | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Jean-Albert Carnevali (Bel) Verandas Willems | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Justin Van Hoecke (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Sojasun | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Jean-Lou Paiani (Fra) Sojasun | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Florent Mottet (Bel) Color Code-Biowanze | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Florent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Loïc Desriac (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Cyrille Patoux (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
100 | Erick Rowsell (GBr) Team NetApp-Endura | 0:03:11 |
101 | Pierre-Luc Perrichon (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
102 | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
103 | Damien Gaudin (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
104 | Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:03:40 |
105 | Olivier Pardini (Bel) Verandas Willems | 0:03:52 |
106 | Boy van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:05:40 |
107 | Loic Pestiaux (Bel) Color Code-Biowanze | 0:06:06 |
108 | Andrew Ydens (Bel) T.Palm-Pôle Continental Wallon | 0:06:15 |
109 | Rudy Kowalski (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
110 | Ronan McLaughlin (Irl) An Post-Chainreaction | 0:06:46 |
111 | Quentin Hoper (Bel) Color Code-Biowanze | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
112 | Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
113 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
114 | Thomas Wertz (Bel) Color Code-Biowanze | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
115 | Olivier Poppe (Bel) Verandas Willems | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
116 | Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
117 | Laurent Pichon (Fra) FDJ | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
118 | Giovanni De Merlier (Bel) To Win-Josan Cycling Team | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
119 | Steven Doms (Bel) To Win-Josan Cycling Team | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
120 | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
121 | Sergio Ferrari (Bel) Verandas Willems | 0:08:51 |
122 | Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
123 | Kevin De Jonghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
124 | Jérôme Gilbert (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
125 | Darijus Dzervus (Ltu) Doltcini-Flanders | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
126 | Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
127 | Will Routley (Can) Accent Jobs-Wanty | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
128 | Victor Fobert (Fra) Colba-Superano Ham | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
129 | Maarten Neyens (Bel) Lotto Belisol | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
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