Stannard wins Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
By Brecht Decaluwé published
Sky rider outsprints Van Avermaet
Ian Stannard (Team Sky) claimed a thrilling edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in a two-up sprint against BMC's Greg Van Avermaet. The pair slipped clear of the main field inside the closing kilometres of the race and despite a late chase from Omega Pharma-Quickstep and Belkin, the pair held on to decide the race in a sprint finish.
Heading into the final few hundred meters, van Avermaet moved to the front but Stannard, with a strong pedigree from his track racing days, kicked out and had enough to hold off a late challenge from the Belgian rider.
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) finished third, giving Sky two riders on the podium, after the Norwegian beat Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Sep Vanmarcke (Team Belkin to the line).
Boasson Hagen and Terpstra had joined forces moments before the winning move when a dangerous group had slipped clear, but after Lars Boom punctured and Yoann Offredo crashed, the group lost its impetus.
With Boasson Hagen and Terpstra caught, Stannard and Van Avermaet seized the initiative forged clear.
Goodbye Kristof
The traditional opener of the Belgian road season in Ghent started at half past 11 with a minute of silence to pay tribute to the late Kristof Goddaert and Ghent's art pope Jan Hoet, who both passed away recently. Goddaert's teammates from the IAM team lined up in front of the peloton on a chilly, foggy and quiet St-Peter's square.
Cyril Lemoine (Cofidis), Frederik Veuchelen (Wanty), Stijn Steels (Topsport), Maciej Paterski (CCC), Christophe Laborie (Bretagne-Séché Environnement), Andreas Schillinger (Netapp), Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Katusha), and Ramon Sinkeldam (Giant Shimano) animated the first half of the race, breaking clear inside the first 30 kilometres.
After nearly 150km, the last four survivors of this group were caught by the peloton. The damage in the peloton caused by the series of slippery roads, pavé and the typical bergs was severe. The biggest victims of the multiple crashes were Thor Hushovd (BMC) and Alexandre Pichot (Europcar), who were both forced to leave the race with injuries.
The ascents of the Taaienberg, Eikenberg and Wolvenberg showed that Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin), Matteo Trentin (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step) and Nikki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step) all had good legs, while the expected attack from Tom Boonen on the Taaienberg never materialized.
Around 40 riders survived all the attacks and hit the Leberg 42km from the finish in Ghent. Greg van Avermaet (BMC) put in an acceleration on the Leberg, but once the pace dropped, a few other riders managed to sneak away. The group included Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky), Lars Boom (Belkin), Yoann Offredo (FDJ.fr), Arnaud Démare (FDJ.fr), Nikki Tepstra, Egoitz Garcia (Cofidis) and Kenneth Van Bilsen (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise).
When the group turned the corner onto the Molenberg at 37km from the finish, Offredo fell while riding in third position. Terpstra and Boom hammered up the cobbled climb and discovered at the top that they were the sole leaders. Boasson Hagen, Van Bilsen and Démare eventually managed to bridge back up to the Dutch duo when hitting the 2.4km-long former Roman road of the Paddestraat, with 30km to go to the finish.
On the Paddestraat, Boom led the leaders over the wet cobbles while Vanmarcke led the peloton at 35 seconds. Halfway over the cobbles, a fierce acceleration from Terpstra was answered only by Boom and Boasson Hagen. The three leaders had a gap of 45 seconds, but the co-operation was lacking.
When Boom flatted and fell back to the bunch Terpstra and Boasson Hagen began to attack each other, a clear sign that any partnership would be fleeting at best.
At the final pavé section called the "Lange Munte", the remains of the peloton were only 20 seconds down on the two leaders. Boasson Hagen and Terpstra exchanged attacks but ended up in the clutches of the bunch.
With 17km to go, about 20 riders were battling for the victory. A peloton with Tom Boonen trailed the leaders by 50 seconds.
Stannard wasted no time and when several groups came together; he blasted away on the wider roads towards Ghent, with only van Avermaet holding his wheel.
It looked as though victory would certainly come down to the two leaders but when Terpstra and Vanmarcke attacked, with Boasson Hagen for company, it looked as though the race was playing into the Norwegian's hands. However, Stannard and Van Avermaet remained consistent in their turns and only inside the final kilometre, with the chase too far back, did they start to watch each other.
Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | 4:49:55 |
2 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
3 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky | 0:00:24 |
4 | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | |
5 | Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
6 | Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:01:34 |
7 | Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
8 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano | |
9 | Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
10 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) Fdj.fr | |
11 | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | |
12 | Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Garmin Sharp | |
13 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
14 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
15 | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
16 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
17 | Johan Le Bon (Fra) Fdj.fr | 0:01:41 |
18 | Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | |
19 | Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:02:47 |
20 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) Fdj.fr | |
21 | Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:03:43 |
22 | Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Team Katusha | |
23 | Christophe Laborie (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | |
24 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
25 | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
26 | Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling | |
27 | Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN - Qhubeka | |
28 | Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | 0:03:46 |
29 | Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
30 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | |
31 | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha | |
32 | Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
33 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
34 | Martin Reimer (Ger) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:09:14 |
35 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol | |
36 | Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN - Qhubeka | |
37 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
38 | Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
39 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Belisol | |
40 | Clément Koretzky (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | |
41 | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
42 | Jos Van Emden (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | |
43 | Kiryll Pozdnyakov (Rus) Rusvelo | |
44 | Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) MTN - Qhubeka | |
45 | Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
46 | Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
47 | Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin Sharp | |
48 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano | |
49 | Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
50 | Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol | |
51 | Scott Thwaites (GBr) Team Netapp - Endura | |
52 | Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
53 | Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | |
54 | Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
55 | David Boucher (Fra) Fdj.fr | |
56 | Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Team Netapp - Endura | |
57 | Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
58 | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
59 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team Netapp - Endura | |
60 | Tony Hurel (Fra) Team Europcar | |
61 | Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar | |
62 | Nick Nuyens (Bel) Garmin Sharp | |
63 | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | |
64 | Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar | |
65 | Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | |
66 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team Europcar | |
67 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) Fdj.fr | |
68 | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
69 | Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
70 | Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin Sharp | |
71 | Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | |
72 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
73 | Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
74 | Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
75 | Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
76 | Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Giant-Shimano | |
77 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha | |
78 | Jaco Venter (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
79 | Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling | |
80 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
81 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky | |
82 | Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin Sharp | |
83 | Timofey Kritskiy (Rus) Rusvelo | 0:14:02 |
84 | Vladimir Isaichev (Rus) Team Katusha | |
85 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
86 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | |
87 | Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
88 | Alexey Tsatevitch (Rus) Team Katusha | |
89 | Marco Bandiera (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
90 | Nicola Testi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
91 | Sébastien Hinault (Fra) IAM Cycling | |
92 | Robert Wagner (Ger) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | |
93 | Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
94 | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | |
95 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
96 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
97 | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
98 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Sky | |
99 | David Millar (GBr) Garmin Sharp | |
100 | Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (Fra) Fdj.fr | |
101 | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar | |
102 | Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | |
103 | Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | |
104 | Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | |
105 | Benjamin Le Montagner (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | |
DNF | Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Rudiger Selig (Ger) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Kenny De Haes (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
DNF | Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
DNF | Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
DNF | Steve Chainel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Thomas Leezer (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | William Bonnet (Fra) Fdj.fr | |
DNF | Mickael Delage (Fra) Fdj.fr | |
DNF | Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin Sharp | |
DNF | Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin Sharp | |
DNF | Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar | |
DNF | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar | |
DNF | Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team Europcar | |
DNF | Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | |
DNF | Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | |
DNF | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky | |
DNF | Christopher Sutton (Aus) Team Sky | |
DNF | Manuel Belletti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Antonio Parrinello (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Andrea Zordan (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | |
DNF | Erwann Corbel (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | |
DNF | Pierre-Luc Perrichon (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement | |
DNF | Pawel Charucki (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
DNF | Piotr Gawronski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
DNF | Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
DNF | Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
DNF | Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
DNF | Nikolay Mihaylov (Bul) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
DNF | Jacek Morajko (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice | |
DNF | Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Kevin Ista (Bel) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Dominic Klemme (Ger) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Pirmin Lang (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN - Qhubeka | |
DNF | Igor Boev (Rus) Rusvelo | |
DNF | Leonid Krasnov (Rus) Rusvelo | |
DNF | Roman Maikin (Rus) Rusvelo | |
DNF | Andrei Solomennikov (Rus) Rusvelo | |
DNF | Gennadiy Tatarinov (Rus) Rusvelo | |
DNF | Blaz Jarc (Slo) Team Netapp - Endura | |
DNF | Ralf Matzka (Ger) Team Netapp - Endura | |
DNF | Jonathan Mcevoy (GBr) Team Netapp - Endura | |
DNF | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team Netapp - Endura | |
DNF | Paul Voss (Ger) Team Netapp - Endura | |
DNF | Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
DNF | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert |

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