Fabian Cancellara (Trek) found time to drop back to the team car (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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A couple of former British champions, Wiggins and Thomas (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Thomas' face clearly shows the aftermath of an earlier crash (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Robert Wagner (Belkin) tries to untangle his bike (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Johnny Hoogerland (Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Johan le Bon (FDJ) was one of may riders to hit the tarmac (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Bananas for Omega Pharma Quick Step (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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David Millar has a new pair of shoes for every race this year in his final season (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The early break (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Sebastian Langeveld (Garmin Sharp) drives the pace (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Luca Paolini (Katusha) out in front (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Greg van Avermaet (BMC) off the front (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Fabian Cancellara (Trek) celebrates his victory (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Greg van Avermaet (BMC) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Nicki Sorenson (Tinkoff Saxo) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stig Broeckx (Lotto Belisol) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge) with a cap and aero helmet (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jens Keukeleire (Orica-GreenEdge) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Taylor Phinney (BMC) leads the break (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Guess where (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Riders on the approach to the Oude Kwaremont (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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A flying bicycle... (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Bradley Wiggins was a super domestique for Team Sky today (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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David Millar's (Garmin Sharp) shoes on display (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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One of the many crashes in the race (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Luke Durbridge (Orica-GreenEdge) feels the full force of the crash (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jan Barta (NetApp Endura) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The Cannondale mechanic has to quickly fix two bikes (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Michael Schwarzmann (NetApp Endura) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Greg van Avermaet (BMC) launches an attack (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stig Broeckx (Lotto Belisol) on the Oudenaarde (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Peter Sagan (Cannondale) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Raymond Kreder (Garmin Sharp) and Sylvain Chavanel (IAM Cycling) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stijn Vandenbergh (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) leads Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stijn Vandenbergh (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) in the final kilometres (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stijn Vandenbergh (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) tries his break free from the leading four riders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stijn Vandenbergh (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) with Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Lars Boom (Belkin) with Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) on his wheel (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The peloton in anticipation of the 2014 De Ronde (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Sep Vanmarcke and Fabian Cancellara congratulate each other (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The agony and the ecstasy... (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The start of the 2014 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Martin Elmiger (IAM Cyling) spectacularly rolls out of a crash (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Martin Elmiger (IAM Cyling) takes a tumble (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Stijn Devolder (Trek) attempts to get back on his bike after a crash (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Dayer Quintana (Movistar) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin) can't hide his dissapointement (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Greg van Avermaet (BMC) post race (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) back at De Ronde for the first time since 2005 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Martin Elmiger (IAM Cyling) retrieves his bike (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jens Keukeleire (Orica-GreenEdge) and Maartern Wynants(Belkin) ride on while a Movistar rider watches from a ditch (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jens Keukeleire (Orica-GreenEdge) picks his bike out of a ditch (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Team Europcar presented to the crowd (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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A Happy Fabian after claiming his third Flanders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Greg van Avermaet scratches his head thinking how he could have stopped Cancellara (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Fabian Cancellara (Trek) wins the 2014 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: AFP Photo)
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Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) drags the race winning move along (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Thor Hushovd (BMC) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Oscar Gatto (Cannondale) tried to support Peter Sagan (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Andrea Palini (Lampre - Merida) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Swiss rider attacked with Sep Vanmarcke on the final ascent of the Kwaremont and joined forces with Van Avermaet and Stijn Vandenbergh (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) who had slipped clear earlier in the race.
The foursome held off a chase from Cannondale and Omega Pharma - Quick-Step with Alexander Kristoff leading home the rest of the field in fifth place. For all their dominance earlier in the race Patrick Lefevere’s team were forced to settle for three riders inside the top ten and Stijn Vandenbergh in fourth.
There was no doubting that this was Cancellara’s day with the Trek leader producing arguably his most complete performance to win his third Flanders crown. This may have lacked a long, lone solo attack but his race winning canvas was covered in masterstrokes; all of which were set against an uncertain background as his team lost both Stijn Devolder and Yaroslav Popovych through crashes.
His first real foray came on the Kwaremont, where he sailed clear with and eager Vanmarcke. The pair linked up on the penultimate climb, setting QuickStep’s plans alight in a move that also distanced Peter Sagan (Cannondale).
Even an attack from Vanmarcke on the Paterberg couldn't ruffle Cancellara’s feathers and on the Paterberg the duo reeled in a tiring Vandenbergh before setting their sights on Van Avermaet. The BMC rider was unquestionably the most aggressive rider in the race but when the four linked up inside the final run to the finish in Oudenaarde, Cancellara once again let his experience tell.
Vandenbergh was the first to attack from the leading group, having sat on for most of the day’s ride with Van Avermaet, but when the BMC rider countered Cancellara feigned exhaustion and ushered Vanmarcke to the front to chase down the two leaders.
Inside the finale kilometre, Cancellara appeared to draw away from the rest of the group. It gave him enough room, and enough time, to launch his sprint at the perfect moment.
New course, same magic
Big crowds welcomed the riders in Bruges for the start of the 98th Tour of Flanders. Rain showers also welcomed the riders and during most of the first hour the riders were treated to a spring soaking. Only when approaching Heule, town of the Ronde 2014, did a breakaway manage to distance the peloton. Eleven riders featured in front with Taylor Phinney (BMC) being the biggest name among them.
While the large group quickly collected a lead of four minutes, crashes scared the peloton. Luke Durbridge (Orica-GreenEdge) and Johan Le Bon (FDJ.fr) were the first casualties and a little later Johan Vansummeren (Garmin-Sharp) rode into an elderly woman who stood on a traffic island in Wielsbeke. After the horrible crash both Vansummeren and the woman were brought to the hospital in bad condition.
Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin) also crashed but continued the race. Meanwhile, the lead group kept the pace high and when riding through Oudenaarde for the first time the gap was six minutes.
To the Oude Kwaremont
As the race tackled the first climbs, the gap of the lead group came back down. After the first ascent of the Oude Kwaremont the gap was five minutes. After three climbs, when approaching the 2650m pavé stretch of Kerkgate the bad luck for the Lotto-Belisol continued with their leader Jürgen Roelandts crashing out of the race.
On the descent of the Molenberg, and the peloton approached the Paddestraat there was another major crash. One rider slipped away in a left-hand corner and soon several riders were going down including Luca Paolini and former double winner Stijn Devolder. The peloton was split in two parts. On the Paddestraat, Omega Pharma – QuickStep put seven men on the front.
The crashes kept on coming. Popovych hooked into the clothing of a fan and went down hard, and on the wide roads towards the cobbles of the Haaghoek the second group with Devolder and Pozzato managed to come back to the front. Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Belisol) crashed at a bus stop platform to compound Lotto’s problems.
At the beautiful cobbles of the Haaghoek there were seven leaders left in front with Phinney, Romain Zingle (Cofidis), Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge), Stig Broeckx (Lotto-Belisol), Aliaksander Kuchynski (Katusha), James Vanlandschoot (Wanty-Groupe Robert) and Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) all clear. The peloton hit the cobbles three minutes later, still being led by Boonen’s troops.
The action explodes
When moving on towards the Kanarieberg – the ninth climb of the day - the speed in the peloton increased and the leaders were no more than two minutes clear. On the Kanarieberg Matteo Trentin (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step) and Manuel Quinziato (BMC) attacked with Bernhard Eisel (Sky) managing to latch on.
At the foot of the 2.2km long Oude Kwaremont only Impey, Broeckx and Phinney had survived from the initial break.
Yet another crash occurred in the peloton when BMC-riders switched wheels. Stijn Devolder hit the deck again, along with four riders from Tinkoff-Saxo.
The situation after the Paterberg - just before the Koppenberg - saw Impey, Phinney and Broeckx with just over half a minute on a group of about forty riders. Belkin and QuickStep led this group to the tough cobbled Koppenberg climb. A second group with Bradley Wiggins (Sky), Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) followed; with a third group containing Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) at nearly a minute.
Impey led the race over the Koppenberg with a small gap over Terpstra, Boonen, Cancellara, Sagan, Vanmarcke, Geraint Thomas (Sky), John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano), Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida), Stybar, Vandenbergh and only a few others which formed a lead group of about twenty riders.
On the cobbles of the Mariaborrestraat and Steenbeekdries the second group came back but in the meantime Stijn Vandenbergh, Dries Devenyns (Giant-Shimano) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) snuck away.
On the Taaienberg, Boasson Hagen and Devenyns dropped Vandenbergh. The two leaders had a handful of seconds on a star-studded group featuring Sagan, Cancellara, Boonen, Vandenbergh, Stybar, Terpstra, Degenkolb, Vanmarcke, Van Avermaet, Björn Leukemans (Wanty – Groupe Gobert) and Sébastien Minard (AG2R La Mondiale).
At 33km from the finish the duo were caught back and thirteen riders were leading. Devenyns attacked again, and soon after Van Avermaet tried his luck and broke clear with Vandenbergh on his wheel. Nobody in the lead group wanted to chase the leaders down and the pace dropped.
Sagan led the favourites-group over the cobbles as Degenkolb began to lose contact. Cancellara took over shortly after the cobbles which clearly hurt many riders. In front Van Avermaet received no support from Vandenbergh but still the duo gained half a minute on the favourites group as Vanmarcke attacked without success.
Omega lose their grip
At twenty kilometres from the finish the race turned on its head, first as Paolini and little later a large group with Pozzato, Thomas, Wiggins and others bridged back up with the favourites. When approaching the third ascent of the Oude Kwaremont the two leaders had 25 seconds on Leukemans and 45 seconds on the peloton.
Halfway up the climb, with Omega Pharma scattered and Sagan lacking punch, Cancellara began to stamp his authority on the race. The rest would have to fall in line.
Full Results
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek Factory Racing
6:15:18
2
Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
3
Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
4
Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
5
Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
0:00:08
6
Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
0:00:18
7
Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
0:00:35
8
Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky
0:00:37
9
Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert
0:00:41
10
Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Garmin Sharp
0:00:43
11
Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar
0:01:12
12
Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
13
Nicki Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
0:01:15
14
Dries Devenyns (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano
0:01:19
15
John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano
0:01:25
16
Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale
17
Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre-Merida
18
Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
19
Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling
20
Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
21
Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ.fr
22
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky
23
Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Belisol
24
Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert
0:01:35
25
Oscar Gatto (Ita) Cannondale
0:01:41
26
Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
0:01:43
27
Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
28
Steve Chainel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
29
Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) MTN - Qhubeka
30
Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
31
Jan Barta (Cze) Team NetApp - Endura
32
Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky
33
Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team
34
Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
35
Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
36
Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha
0:03:52
37
Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica Greenedge
38
Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale
39
Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar
40
Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
0:04:12
41
Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Cannondale
42
Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Belisol
43
Jos Van Emden (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
44
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
45
Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert
46
Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team
47
Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin Sharp
48
Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
49
Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
50
Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
51
Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica Greenedge
52
Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica Greenedge
53
Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Team NetApp - Endura
54
Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
55
Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team
56
Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team
57
Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Cannondale
58
Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
59
Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
0:07:41
60
Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky
61
Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
62
Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky
63
William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr
64
Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Giant-Shimano
65
Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky
66
Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol
0:08:17
67
Thomas Leezer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
68
Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
69
Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.fr
70
Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
71
Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
72
Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
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