Terpstra solos to victory in Le Samyn
By Cycling News
Thwaites guts out strong second place over Senechal
Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quickstep) parlayed a 14km solo attack into victory in a miserable edition of Le Samyn. The Dutch champion quickly dispatched Scott Thwaites (Bora-Argon 18), but the British rider held onto second ahead of a chasing group led home by Florian Senechal (Cofidis).
"It was a really tough race, as we rode full gas from the beginning," Terpstra said. "The last 10 kilometers were the hardest of the entire race. I knew I had about 15 seconds on Thwaites and I had to continue pulling. To make things even more difficult, the last 3 kilometers had a headwind and an uphill part. The weather conditions made the race beautiful in a strange way. I am happy with this victory, as it gives me confidence and comes as a confirmation that my condition is good for the upcoming Classics."
Cold rain, wind, and numerous rough cobbled sectors made this edition of Le Samyn particularly treacherous, and there were many crashes that disrupted the 203km race from Quaregnon to Dour in Wallonia. Philippe Gilbert (BMC) called it quits after the race hit the four 25km local circuits.
Gediminas Bagdonas (AG2R La Mondiale) led the peloton into the circuits, and was joined by an elite group that had separated itself from the rest of the race on the second of four laps.
With four cobbled secteurs on the circuit, the last coming with just under 3km to go, the race situation was constantly changing. Sean De Bie (Lotto Soudal) led for a time before being caught and dropping out. Then Katusha's Nils Pollit had a go.
Behind him only Terpstra, Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto Soudal), Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo), Thwaites, Sven Erik Bystrøm (Katusha), Loïc Vliegen (BMC), Sénéchal, Tony Hurel (Direct Energie), Daniel McLay (Fortuneo-Vital Concept), and Tim Declercq (Topsport Vlaanderen) remained.
Politt led into the bell lap, but Senechal was almost single-handedly shutting down his gap, which hovered in the single digits with 25km to go.
Once the Katusha rider was caught, Terpstra launched a few probing attacks, but it wasn't until 14km to go that his efforts finally paid off, and only Thwaites could follow.
The Bora-Argon 18 rider had gone deep into the red to follow Terpstra, and though he tried to take a pull the Dutch rider was too strong and quickly left Thwaites in his dust.
Thwaites remained calm and continued to lay down power behind Terpstra. Though he was continually losing time to the leader, he managed to maintain a healthy gap over the pursuit, finishing eight seconds ahead of Senechal.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx - Quick-Step | 4:52:52 |
2 | Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18 | 0:00:19 |
3 | Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:00:37 |
4 | Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
5 | Nils Politt (Ger) Team Katusha | |
6 | Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:00:44 |
7 | Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Team Katusha | |
8 | Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:00:46 |
9 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:00:48 |
10 | Tony Hurel (Fra) Direct Energie | 0:01:00 |
11 | Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:03:39 |
12 | Daniel McLay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | 0:04:21 |
13 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:05:58 |
14 | Floris De Tier (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:05:59 |
15 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:06:06 |
16 | Olivier Pardini (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | 0:06:15 |
17 | Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
18 | Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
19 | Ralf Matzka (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
20 | Davide Martinelli (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
21 | Marco Marcato (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:06:37 |
22 | Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:10:36 |
23 | Martin Mortensen (Den) ONE Pro Cycling | 0:10:51 |
24 | Baptiste Plackaert (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
25 | Yanto Barker (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | |
26 | Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (Fra) FDJ | 0:11:09 |
27 | Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:11:33 |
28 | Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:11:52 |
DNF | Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Frederik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Patrick Gretsch (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Biel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Tom Bohli (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Floris Gerfs (Ned) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Rodrigo Contreras (Col) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) FDJ | |
DNF | Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Lorenzo Manzin (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Dmitrii Kozonchuk (Rus) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Alexander Porsev (Rus) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Aleksei Tsatevich (Rus) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Anton Vorobyev (Rus) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
DNF | Martijn Keizer (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
DNF | Moreno Hofland (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
DNF | Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
DNF | Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Josef Cerny (Cze) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Eryk Laton (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Grzegorz Stepniak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Bartlomiej Matysiak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
DNF | Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Rayane Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Loïc Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Romain Combaud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
DNF | Fredrik Strand Galta (Nor) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
DNF | Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
DNF | Martin Laas (Est) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
DNF | Christophe Laborie (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM | |
DNF | Ryan Anderson (Can) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Jeremy Cornu (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Julien Morice (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Guillaume Thévenot (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
DNF | Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
DNF | Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
DNF | Maxime Cam (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
DNF | Brice Feillu (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
DNF | Boris Vallee (Bel) Fortuneo - Vital Concept | |
DNF | Peter Williams (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Kristian House (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Joshua Hunt (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Thomas Baylis (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Samuel Williams (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Chris Opie (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | |
DNF | Huub Duyn (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
DNF | Etienne Van Empel (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
DNF | Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
DNF | Tim Kerkhof (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
DNF | Michel Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
DNF | Ivar Slik (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton | |
DNF | Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
DNF | Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
DNF | Jef Van Meirhaeghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
DNF | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Antoine Demoitie (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Kenny De Haes (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Mark McNally (GBr) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Gaëtan Pons (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
DNF | Olivier Chevalier (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
DNF | Kevin Ista (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
DNF | Julien Stassen (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
DNF | Ludwig De Winter (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
DNF | Jimmy Duquennoy (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect | |
DNF | Julien Mortier (Bel) Color Code - Arden'beef | |
DNF | Johan Hemroulle (Bel) Color Code - Arden'beef | |
DNF | Antoine Loy (Bel) Color Code - Arden'beef | |
DNF | Remy Mertz (Bel) Color Code - Arden'beef | |
DNF | Martin Palm (Bel) Color Code - Arden'beef | |
DNF | Maximilien Picoux (Bel) Color Code - Arden'beef | |
DNF | Franklin Six (Bel) Color Code - Arden'beef | |
DNF | Lionel Taminiaux (Bel) Color Code - Arden'beef | |
DNF | David Boucher (Fra) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | |
DNF | Gerry Druyts (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | |
DNF | Yannick Eijssen (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | |
DNF | Alexander Geuens (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | |
DNF | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | |
DNF | Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | |
DNF | Frederique Robert (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | |
DNF | Timothy Stevens (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental Team | |
DNF | Jonathan Breyne (Bel) Veranclassic - AGO | |
DNF | Julien Van Den Brande (Bel) Veranclassic - AGO | |
DNF | Kenny Bouvry (Bel) Veranclassic - AGO | |
DNF | Justin Jules (Fra) Veranclassic - AGO | |
DNF | Sam Lennertz (Bel) Veranclassic - AGO | |
DNF | Antoine Leleu (Bel) Veranclassic - AGO | |
DNF | Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) Veranclassic - AGO | |
DNF | Yannick Mayer (Ger) Veranclassic - AGO | |
DNF | Brecht Dhaene (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Joeri Calleeuw (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Jari Verstraeten (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Dries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Tim De Troyer (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Christophe Premont (Bel) Veranda's Willems Cycling Team | |
DNF | Jelle Mannaerts (Bel) Superano Ham - Isorex | |
DNF | Jelle Donders (Bel) Superano Ham - Isorex | |
DNF | Kevin Suarez Martinez (Bel) Superano Ham - Isorex | |
DNF | Andrew Leigh (GBr) Superano Ham - Isorex | |
DNF | Dillon Byrne (GBr) Superano Ham - Isorex | |
DNF | Kevin Verwaest (Bel) Superano Ham - Isorex | |
DNF | Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Superano Ham - Isorex | |
DNF | Joren Touquet (Bel) Superano Ham - Isorex | |
DNF | Edwig Cammaerts (Bel) Team 3M | |
DNF | Gertjan De Vos (Bel) Team 3M | |
DNF | Laurent Evrard (Bel) Team 3M | |
DNF | Piotr Havik (Ned) Team 3M | |
DNF | Christophe Sleurs (Bel) Team 3M | |
DNF | Ricardo Van Dongen (Ned) Team 3M | |
DNF | Michael Vingerling (Ned) Team 3M | |
DNF | Kenny Willems (Bel) Team 3M | |
DNF | Calvin Watson (Aus) An Post-Chainreaction | |
DNF | Nicolas Vereecken (Bel) An Post-Chainreaction | |
DNF | Emiel Wastyn (Bel) An Post-Chainreaction | |
DNF | Jasper Bovenhuis (Ned) An Post-Chainreaction | |
DNF | Jack Wilson (Irl) An Post-Chainreaction | |
DNF | Connor McConvey (Irl) An Post-Chainreaction | |
DNF | Jordan Stannus (Aus) An Post-Chainreaction | |
DNF | Jacob Scott (GBr) An Post-Chainreaction |
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