Boonen wins RideLondon Classic

Tom Boonen (Etixx-QuickStep) paid back his teammates for their hard working during RideLondon Classic, winning the sprint on The Mall in central London, after they chased down Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) after he made a 50km solo break away.

Boonen timed his effort perfectly, letting other sprinters go first on the wide finish. He tucked up along the barriers and found the speed to come through and hit the line first.

Mark Renshaw (Dimension Data) beat fellow Australian Michael Matthews (Orica-BikeExchange) to take second, with Jens Debusschere (Lotto Soudal) taking fourth.

Team Sky anticipated their rivals by attacking early in the Surrey hills with 90km to race and that split the race. Thomas and Ian Stannard joined the break of the day and then sparked their own attack on the other hills. Thomas hit alone and looked set to win it but the peloton spoilt his day, giving Boonen a big win.

"We went full on all day," Boonen said. "I was dropped two times and punctured one time and got stuck behind some guys who were dropped, so it took a lot of energy to get back on. At the point I got back on in the group, there were 80 guys in there. We did an incredible job chasing everyone and then got ready for the sprint in the last five kilometres. I felt confident because I did a few sprints last week and so I'm happy with this win. It's the first time in a while that I've beaten these guys. It's looking good for the next few races."

How it unfolded

The RideLondon Classic got underway on The Mall in downtown London on Sunday at Horse Guards Parade. Parts of the lumpy 200km course was used in the 2012 London Olympics making it an iconic route. The race offered the field a series of intermediate challenges with mountain points available at Leith Hill (76.4km), Ranmore Common (93.7km, 112.8km and 132.1km) and Box Hill Summit (150.5km).

There were also intermediate sprints points available at Dorking (86.9km, 106.1km, 125,4km, 144.5km) and in Wimbledon at 187.8km, before heading toward the finish line on The Mall.

A breakaway got underway with Jempy Drucker (BMC), Jens Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen), Matt Holmes (Madison Genesis), Dexter Gardias (Pedal Heaven), Jonas Rickaert (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Jonathan Lastra (Caja Rural).

The six riders quickly picked up a three-minute advantage that continued to push out to nearly four minutes but they were disrupted by an unexpected neutralization at roughly 50km into the race.

Two separate crashes happened up the road during the RideLondon 100 cyclo-sportif event that resulted in two injured, one being taken to hospital. The event officials temporarily closed the circuit near Dorking and the cyclo-sportif event was stopped for about 45 minutes.

The pro men's race was stopped further back for about 20 minutes. Once the road way was cleared, race directors set the six original breakaway riders off to re-start the race, and when they reached their original gap of roughly 3:50, the peloton resumed racing as well. Team Sky riders again positioned themselves at the front to control the chase and set a fast tempo behind.

Drucker and Holmes picked up 20 points each in the KOM competition, tying for the top prize, while Wallays finished in third with 18 points.

Tactics almost pay off for Team Sky over Ranmore Common

Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) jumped away from the field led by his teammates in full-offensive mode over Ranmore Common. Behind him, teammates Chris Froome, Ian Stannard tried to launch themselves forward to bridge across to Thomas. The move effectively put the powerful team Etixx-QuickStep and Orica-BikeExchange, and many other teams out of the race.

While Froome dropped back, Stannard and Thomas along with Pat Bevin (Cannondale-Drapac) joined one another and pushed on to bridge the 40-second gap to the four remaining breakaway riders: Drucker, Wallays, Lastras and Holmes. The two groups connected with 65km to go.

A 30-rider group behind included Froome, four riders from Dimension Data and a couple of riders from Etixx-QuickStep, but they were over three minutes back and there was no concerted effort to chase the leading seven, indicating that the race behind was seemingly over.

The breakaway hit the bottom of Box Hill for the last KOM sprint, located about 50 km from the finish line. Thomas made a big acceleration and held the faster speeds up the beginning of the climb. He opened a gap as splits in the group formed and Lastras fell off pace.

Over the top of Box Hill, Thomas went into time trial mode and picked up 40 seconds, looked under his arm to see what kind of a gap he had, but saw no one behind him.

Bevin and Drucker desperately tried to minimize the damage by pushing the speeds of the chase group but Thomas' lead increased to nearly one minute with 25km to go.

Thomas' tactical move effectively gave Stannard an armchair ride in the chase group during the last quarter of the race back toward The Mall.

Meanwhile, on the flatter sections back to the finish line under 20km to go, the main field that included Froome, pushed on and closed down the gap to the within one minute to the five chasers: Drucker, Wallays, Lastras and Holmes and Stannard.

Just as the gap between the chase group and the main field looked like it might close down, Stannard attacked and cleared his companions, in a solo pursuit of his teammate Thomas.

In the main field all hesitation ended as Lotto Soudal, Orica-BikeExchange and Etixx-QuickStep among other sprint teams organized themselves at the front and reeled in Drucker, Lastras, Wallays and Holmes, but there were still two Team Sky riders still, separately, up the road and headed toward the finish line for the top two places on the podium.

Their strong team efforts would not last, however, as Stannard looked over his shoulder and saw that his time out front had come to an end. The field charged past him in pursuit of Thomas and caught him inside five kilometres to go, setting up for a bunch kick with Boonen taking the win on The Mall.

"When I was here in the Olympics, it was a very hard course to ride on," Boonen explained. "Once you get dropped its very hard to chase on the narrow roads. It takes time to get back the attacks. In the finale, it was just the strongest guys up there. But it took everybody to catch it back. When we came to the last corner, I was waiting for the perfect moment and I was passing some guys who didn't have speed and then I saw the inside line and so decided to ride and see what happens. I had the legs to finish it off." 

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step4:43:55
2Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension DataRow 1 - Cell 2
3Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 2 - Cell 2
4Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 3 - Cell 2
5Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 4 - Cell 2
6Paolo Simion (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 5 - Cell 2
7Floris Gerfs (Ned) BMC Racing TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Tobyn Horton (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 7 - Cell 2
9Steele von Hoff (Aus) ONE Pro CyclingRow 8 - Cell 2
10Mark McNally (GBr) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 9 - Cell 2
11Michel Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 10 - Cell 2
12Wouter Wippert (Ned) Cannondale-DrapacRow 11 - Cell 2
13Christopher Lawless (GBr) JLT CondorRow 12 - Cell 2
14Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-DrapacRow 13 - Cell 2
15Dylan Page (Swi) Team RothRow 14 - Cell 2
16Lander Seynaeve (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 15 - Cell 2
17Jake Kelly (GBr) Team WIGGINSRow 16 - Cell 2
18Pawel Cieslik (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 18 - Cell 2
20Miguel Angel Benito Diez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 19 - Cell 2
21Samuel Lowe (GBr) Team WIGGINSRow 20 - Cell 2
22Tim Kerkhof (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 21 - Cell 2
23Jasper Bovenhuis (Ned) An Post-ChainreactionRow 22 - Cell 2
24Jonathan McEvoy (GBr) NFTORow 23 - Cell 2
25Huub Duyn (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 24 - Cell 2
26Christian Knees (Ger) Team SkyRow 25 - Cell 2
27Russell Downing (GBr) JLT CondorRow 26 - Cell 2
28Alexandre Blain (Fra) Madison GenesisRow 27 - Cell 2
29Jef Van Meirhaeghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 28 - Cell 2
30Adrià Moreno Sala (Spa) Team Raleigh GacRow 29 - Cell 2
31Morgan Kneisky (Fra) Team Raleigh GacRow 30 - Cell 2
32Diego Rubio (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 31 - Cell 2
33Luca Chirico (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 32 - Cell 2
34Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 33 - Cell 2
35Steven Lampier (GBr) JLT CondorRow 34 - Cell 2
36Ian Stannard (GBr) Team SkyRow 35 - Cell 2
37Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 36 - Cell 2
38Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 37 - Cell 2
39Jack Pullar (GBr) Pedal HeavenRow 38 - Cell 2
40Edmund Bradbury (GBr) NFTORow 39 - Cell 2
41Christopher Froome (GBr) Team SkyRow 40 - Cell 2
42Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 41 - Cell 2
43Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Crelan-Vastgoedservice Continental TeamRow 42 - Cell 2
44Ben Swift (GBr) Team SkyRow 43 - Cell 2
45Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 44 - Cell 2
46Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 45 - Cell 2
47Matt Brammeier (Irl) Dimension DataRow 46 - Cell 2
48Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Dimension DataRow 47 - Cell 2
49Michael Thompson (GBr) Team WIGGINSRow 48 - Cell 2
50Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale-DrapacRow 49 - Cell 2
51Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
52Marc Demaar (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 51 - Cell 2
53Ryan Mullen (Irl) Cannondale-DrapacRow 52 - Cell 2
54Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 53 - Cell 2
55Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 54 - Cell 2
56Jon Irisarri (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 55 - Cell 2
57Jacob Scott (GBr) An Post-ChainreactionRow 56 - Cell 2
58Thomas Moses (GBr) JLT CondorRow 57 - Cell 2
59Samuel Harrison (GBr) Team WIGGINSRow 58 - Cell 2
60Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 59 - Cell 2
61Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 60 - Cell 2
62Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 61 - Cell 2
63Alistair Slater (GBr) JLT Condor0:00:16
64Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
65Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto SoudalRow 64 - Cell 2
66Pawel Charucki (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling Team0:00:19
67Reinier Honig (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton0:00:20
68Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension DataRow 67 - Cell 2
69Erick Rowsell (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 68 - Cell 2
70Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 69 - Cell 2
71Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx - Quick-Step0:00:24
72Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:00:28
73Thomas Stewart (GBr) Madison Genesis0:00:40
74Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar Team0:00:50
75Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF0:00:55
76Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:01:02
77Karol Domagalski (Pol) ONE Pro Cycling0:01:51
78Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky0:02:37
79Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team0:03:33
80Mateusz Taciak (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 79 - Cell 2
81Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani CSF0:03:46
82Nick Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data0:03:54
83Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica-BikeExchange0:04:35
84Svein Tuft (Can) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 83 - Cell 2
85Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 84 - Cell 2
86Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 85 - Cell 2
87Matthew Holmes (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 86 - Cell 2
88Conor Dunne (Irl) JLT CondorRow 87 - Cell 2
89Michal Paluta (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice0:06:56
90Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:08:46
91Christopher Latham (GBr) Team WIGGINSRow 90 - Cell 2
92Ian Bibby (GBr) NFTO0:10:54
93Sebastian Mora Vedri (Spa) Team Raleigh Gac0:13:02
94Dexter Gardias (GBr) Pedal Heaven0:13:53
95Joshua Hunt (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling0:15:32
96Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:17:10
97Max Stedman (GBr) Pedal Heaven0:19:15
98Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Cannondale-Drapac0:19:59
99Pawel Franczak (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling Team0:20:42
100Lukas Jaun (Swi) Team RothRow 99 - Cell 2
101Steven Roach (GBr) Team Raleigh GacRow 100 - Cell 2
102Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team SkyRow 101 - Cell 2
103Will Fox (GBr) Pedal HeavenRow 102 - Cell 2
104James Gullen (GBr) Pedal HeavenRow 103 - Cell 2
105Lucas Gaday Orozco (Arg) Team RothRow 104 - Cell 2
106Marco D'urbano (Ita) Team RothRow 105 - Cell 2
107Damien Shaw (Irl) An Post-ChainreactionRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFEmiel Wastyn (Bel) An Post-ChainreactionRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFOliver Ket-Spark (Aus) An Post-ChainreactionRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFGrischa Janorschke (Ger) Team RothRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFTristan Marguet (Swi) Team RothRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFGruffudd Lewis (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFKris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFFrederik Frison (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFHector Saez Benito (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 114 - Cell 2
DNFIker Azkarate Ramirez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 115 - Cell 2
DNFJack Bauer (NZl) Cannondale-DrapacRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFYanto Barker (GBr) ONE Pro CyclingRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Harley Goss (Aus) ONE Pro CyclingRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFPeter Williams (GBr) ONE Pro CyclingRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFDale Appleby (GBr) NFTORow 120 - Cell 2
DNFLiam Stones (GBr) NFTORow 121 - Cell 2
DNFRhys Lloyd (GBr) NFTORow 122 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Blythe (GBr) Tinkoff TeamRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFIan Field (GBr) Team Great BritainRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFOliver Wood (GBr) Team Great BritainRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Gibson (GBr) Team Great BritainRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFKai Reus (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFAlbert Torres Barcelo (Spa) Team Raleigh GacRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFEvan Oliphant (GBr) Team Raleigh GacRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFKenny De Ketele (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFRuben Pols (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Tennant (GBr) Team WIGGINSRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFDavide Martinelli (Ita) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFHamish Schreurs (NZl) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFPawel Bernas (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Stachowiak (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFLukasz Bodnar (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFStephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension DataRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFKenny De Haes (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFJean Bosco Nsengimana (Rwa) Stradalli - Bike AidRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFJoseph Areruya (Rwa) Team RwandaRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFJean Claude Uwizeyimana (Rwa) Team RwandaRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFSamuel Mugisha (Rwa) Team RwandaRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFAlex Paton (GBr) Pedal HeavenRow 145 - Cell 2
DSQConnor McConvey (Irl) An Post-ChainreactionRow 146 - Cell 2

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Kirsten Frattini
Women's Editor

Kirsten Frattini is an honours graduate of Kinesiology and Health Science from York University in Toronto, Canada. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's WorldTour. She has worked in both print and digital publishing, and started with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. Moving into a Production Editor's role in 2014, she produces and publishes international race coverage for all men's and women's races including Spring Classics, Grand Tours, World Championships and Olympic Games, and writes and edits news and features. As the Women's Editor at Cyclingnews, Kirsten also coordinates and oversees the global coverage of races, news, features and podcasts about women's professional cycling.

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