Greipel triumphs at Brussels Cycling Classic
By Cycling News
Degenkolb, Bouhanni round out podium
German national champion André Greipel (Lotto Belisol) sprinted to victory today in the inaugural edition of the Brussels Cycling Classic, the new iteration of the former Paris-Brussels semi-classic.
Greipel's compatriot John Degenkolb followed in second while the top three was rounded out by Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ).
"Every one of us was committed to prepare for a bunch sprint, his was good teamwork," said Greipel. "It turned out well and I'm really happy. Every victory is special, but certainly here in Brussels as we are a Belgian team. The sponsors and riders are happy with the victory."
Lars Boom (Belkin) nearly stole the show with a solo move late in the race. Boom was part of an escape which formed in the closing kilometres and after dropping his breakaway companions he rode alone to the finish only to be caught with 300 meters remaining.
"When I did my turn at the front, the guys behind me slowed down," Boom said. "I took the first turn at maximum speed and was all by myself with a pretty large gap.
"At one point I thought, 'I’m going to make it'. However, the final kilometer was slightly uphill and it was then I saw the peloton approaching quickly. All in all, it was a good day of racing for me."
Previously a point-to-point race starting in France and ending in Belgium, the new 197km parcours now takes place entirely within Belgium with its start and finish now in Brussels. The route is a counterclockwise loop extending to its Eastern-most point in Tienen and on the return, after 120km of racing, the peloton faced two laps of a hilly, 23km circuit before heading back to the finish in Brussels.
The break of the day was initially comprised of three riders, Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Movistar), Julien Vermote (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Bjorn Thurau (Team Europcar), but the trio were joined by three more, Koen Barbe (Crelan-Euphony), Florent Barle (Cofidis) and Laurens De Vreese (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), to form a six-strong escape after 51 kilometers of racing.
Upon hitting the 23km circuit the break's lead stood at 3:25, but on the second ascent of the Smeysberg climb the escape's numbers dropped to four as Barbe and Barle lost contact.
The remaining quartet fought hard to make it to the finish ahead of the peloton, but their escape effort fell seven kilometers short, however. A counter-attack was launched after the break was neutralised containing Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil-DCM), Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) and Lars Boom (Belkin). Boom would soon head out alone and his solo effort nearly came to fruition, but the Dutchman was swept up by a hard-charging peloton inside the final kilometer.
The Brussels Cycling Classic would now be decided by the sprinters with Greipel proving too fast for his rivals.
"At the end Lars Boom jumped away, he is one of the guys who always tries a stunt like this," said Greipel. "We had to gamble for the bunch sprint and hope he couldn't hold the gap.
"In the last corner I was a bit far back, but Marcel Sieberg brought me to about tenth position. Then I had to go really early for the sprint, I already started with 350 meters to go. I think that's why I could surprise everyone.
"When the last lead-out guy for Bouhanni finished his job I had to move to the left, but luckily I could pass. Without that I think I would have even gotten a bigger gap."
1 | André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol | 4:55:58 |
2 | John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano | |
3 | Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
4 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha | |
5 | Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
6 | Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka | |
7 | Danny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
8 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step | |
9 | Kévin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar | |
10 | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
11 | Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
12 | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
13 | Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar Team | |
14 | Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
15 | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) AG2R La Mondiale | |
16 | Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | |
17 | Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling | |
18 | Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha | |
19 | Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
20 | Renaud Dion (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | |
21 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
22 | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
23 | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
24 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
25 | Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
26 | Marko Kump (Slo) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
27 | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
28 | Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale Pro Cycling | |
29 | Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
30 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
31 | Dominic Klemme (Ger) IAM Cycling | |
32 | Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar | |
33 | Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
34 | Antoine Demoitie (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | |
35 | Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha | |
36 | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar | |
37 | Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Ventilair-Steria Cycling Team | |
38 | Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
39 | Dion Smith (NZl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
40 | Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
41 | Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | |
42 | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
43 | Laurent Evrard (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | |
44 | Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM Cycling | |
45 | Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol | |
46 | Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Crelan-Euphony | 0:00:13 |
47 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step | |
48 | Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling | 0:00:17 |
49 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick Step | |
50 | Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
51 | Manuel Belletti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | |
52 | Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN-Qhubeka | |
53 | Elia Favilli (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
54 | Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
55 | Gregor Gazvoda (Slo) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
56 | Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:00:22 |
57 | Enea Cambianica (Swi) Lampre-Merida | |
58 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | |
59 | Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling | |
60 | Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
61 | James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
62 | Kenny Robert van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
63 | Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
64 | Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
65 | Davide Appollonio (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | |
66 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step | 0:00:36 |
67 | Dylan Teuns (Bel) Ventilair-Steria Cycling Team | |
68 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
69 | Tim Van Speybroeck (Bel) Ventilair-Steria Cycling Team | |
70 | Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano | |
71 | Timothy Dupont (Bel) Ventilair-Steria Cycling Team | 0:00:43 |
72 | Ricardo Mestre (Por) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:00:45 |
73 | Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
74 | Jonathan Dufrasne (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | |
75 | Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
76 | Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
77 | Jos Van Emden (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
78 | Davide Villwlla (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling | |
79 | Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling | |
80 | Matthias Krizek (Aut) Cannondale Pro Cycling | |
81 | Federico Canuti (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling | |
82 | Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
83 | Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida | |
84 | Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
85 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
86 | Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
87 | Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
88 | Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
89 | Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar | |
90 | Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | |
91 | Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick Step | |
92 | Andrea Palini (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
93 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
94 | Jesus Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team | |
95 | Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha | |
96 | Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
97 | Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-Merida | |
98 | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
99 | Kristof Goddaert (Bel) IAM Cycling | 0:00:59 |
100 | Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
101 | Laurent Pichon (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:01:01 |
102 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:01:05 |
103 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 0:01:09 |
104 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Argos-Shimano | |
105 | Quentin Bertholet (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | |
106 | Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
107 | Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Movistar Team | |
108 | Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
109 | Paul Martens (Ger) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
110 | Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka | |
111 | Thomas Leezer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
112 | Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
113 | Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
114 | Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:01:29 |
115 | Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
116 | Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale Pro Cycling | |
117 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
118 | Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
119 | Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha | |
120 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team | |
121 | Timofey Kritskiy (Rus) Katusha | |
122 | Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step | |
123 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
124 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol | |
125 | Sander Cordeel (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
126 | Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:01:50 |
127 | Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
128 | Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team Europcar | |
129 | Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team | 0:02:19 |
130 | Tony Hurel (Fra) Team Europcar | |
131 | Francois Parisien (Can) Team Argos-Shimano | |
132 | Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:02:29 |
133 | Rudiger Selig (Ger) Katusha | |
134 | Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar | |
135 | Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Accent Jobs-Wanty | 0:02:35 |
136 | Olivier Chevalier (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | |
137 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step | |
138 | Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
139 | Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | 0:03:15 |
140 | Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano | 0:03:33 |
141 | Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano | |
142 | Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar Team | |
143 | David Boucher (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:04:07 |
144 | Florent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
145 | Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha | |
146 | Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | 0:06:13 |
147 | Robert Vrecer (Slo) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
148 | Julien Stassen (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | |
149 | Florian Guillou (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | |
150 | Boris Dron (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | |
151 | Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Bretagne-Seche Environnement | |
152 | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
153 | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
154 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
155 | Rick Flens (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
156 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
157 | Steffen Radochla (Ger) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
158 | Fabio Polazzi (Bel) Wallonie-Bruxelles | |
159 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
160 | Marco Bandiera (Ita) IAM Cycling | |
161 | Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:09:58 |
162 | Nikodemus Holler (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team | |
163 | Edwig Cammaerts (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:11:09 |
164 | Kevyn Ista (Bel) IAM Cycling | 0:11:52 |
165 | Matt Brammeier (Irl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | 0:15:44 |
166 | Bobbie Traksel (Ned) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
167 | Jonathan Breyne (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
168 | Martin Wesemann (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
169 | Kurt Hovelijnck (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
170 | Ioannis Tamouridis (Gre) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
171 | Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
172 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | |
173 | Jeroem Lepla (Bel) Ventilair-Steria Cycling Team | |
174 | Benjamin Verraes (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
175 | Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
176 | Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
177 | Koen Barbe (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
178 | Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
179 | Rutger Roelants (Bel) Ventilair-Steria Cycling Team | |
180 | Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | |
181 | Frederik Vandewiele (Bel) Ventilair-Steria Cycling Team | |
182 | Francesco Van Coppernolle (Bel) Ventilair-Steria Cycling Team | |
DNS | Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick Step | |
DNS | Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar Team | |
DNS | Muhamad Adiq Husainie Othman (Mas) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol | |
DNF | Yann Huguet (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano | |
DNF | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Jure Kocjan (Slo) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
DNF | Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff | |
DNF | Thomas Degand (Bel) Accent Jobs-Wanty | |
DNF | Stijn Steels (Bel) Crelan-Euphony | |
DNF | Jang Chan Jae (Kor) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Fabian Schnaidt (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) MTN-Qhubeka | |
DNF | Martin Reimer (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka |
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