Norwegian sprinter dispatches Terpstra from two-man breakaway
Image 1 of 92
A bit of mirror time mid-race (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Australian champion Heinrich Haussler (IAM Cycling) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jacopo Guarnieri (Katusha) waits for the team car (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Youcef Reguigi (MTN-Qhubeka) hits the cobbles (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Magnus Cort (Orica-GreenEdge) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck finished 46th (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Dries Devenyns (IAM Cycling) was in the front group but fell away in the finale (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Yoann Offredo (FDJ) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jasper Stuyven (Trek) was 32nd on his second appearance at De Ronde (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Arnaud Démare was the best of the FDJ riders even though he crashed at a crucial time (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tornado Tom Frits was at the race again in 2015 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) after his attack on the Koppenberg (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Sam Bewley (Orica-GreenEdge) grunting his way up the cobbles (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Swiss champion Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling) finishes tenth (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
It wasn't Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) day (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Johan Vansummeran (Ag2r) will look for a better result at Paris-Roubaix. A race he's previously won (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A nature break is a must in a seven hour race (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Blue skies equals big Belgian fans (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) is a name that many will remember after the 21-year-old finished fifth on his debut (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quick Step) after finishing second (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Lars Boome (Astana) proved he can do the distance at De Ronde and now turns his attention to Paris-Roubaix (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan gets a hand from a teammmate following a mechanical (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) checks the distance back to fifth place as he approaches the line (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The breakaway (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A blow up banner collapses on the peloton (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The peloton make their way up the climb (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Echlons beginning to form (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Plenty of crowds lined the street (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The riders depart bruges (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chasing windmills (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
It was a clear but cold day for the riders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Matt Brammeier leads the breakaway (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Belgian champion Jens Debusschere (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Tour of Flanders podium (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Tour of Flanders podium: Niki Terpstra, Alexander Kristoff and Greg Van Avermaet (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Geraint Thomas (Sky) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Team Sky chases (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Mitch Docker (Orica-GreenEdge) leads the early breakaway (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The heat is on in Oudenaarde (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Fans watch the Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) chased but could not catch the leaders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Daniel Oss (BMC) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Stijn Devolder (Trek Factory Racing) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) raced to an impressive fifth place in Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff's son Leo hides after a champagne bottle pops (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) went on the attack (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) makes the bridge (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quickstep) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quickstep) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quickstep) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Niki Terpstra and Alexander Kristoff (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Zdenek Stybar (Etixx-Quickstep) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quickstep) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Geraint Thomas (Sky) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The group of Thomas, Stybar and Sagan could not close the gap (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Lars Boom (Astana) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The peloton on the Paterberg
Geraint Thomas (Sky) and Zdenek Stybar (Etixx Quickstep) chasing
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quickstep) in Tour of Flanders
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quickstep) on the attack
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha)
Wiggins fans at the start in Bruges (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Bradley Wiggins (Sky) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The start of the Tour of Flanders in Bruges (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Many jerseys decorate a wall in Bruges (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
De Ronde is big in Belgium (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The 2015 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The 2015 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The 2015 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Geraint Thomas (Sky) in the early kilometers of Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) took a convincing sprint finish to win the 2015 Tour of Flanders ahead of breakaway companion Niki Terpstra (Etixx-QuickStep) while Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) led home the remnants of the chasers and was forced to settle for third.
Kristoff and Terpstra jumped clear after the ascent of the Kruisberg, with the Dutch rider first to open up a gap on the rest of the race favourites.
Despite never holding more than a thirty second lead and a late counter attack from Van Avermaet and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo), the leading duo survived until the finish. Coming into the final kilometre Terpstra sat back and forced Kristoff to the front but the 2014 Milan-San Remo winner held his nerve and comprehensively took the sprint to secure the second Monument of his career.
"I'm really happy to win, it's a really good feeling," Kristoff said. "My family is here today, and it was a big dream and my big goal this season and I managed to do it.
"At the end, I came with Niki, and he didn't really want to work with me, but I understand that. In the end I could still beat him."
Kristoff is the first Norwegian to win the Tour of Flanders but coming into the race he was among the red-hot favourites having enjoyed an incredible start to the season already. His performance matched that of his Katusha team – measured, calculating and almost faultless.
Even when the Norwegian saw several of his teammates involved in crashes the game plan remained the same with the squad wisely intent on keeping their leader out of trouble for as long as possible. Every effort appeared rehearsed and refined and whereas Team Sky looked impressive but ultimately short of numbers when it mattered most, Kristoff rounded out the display with a textbook finishing – latching onto the Terpstra express when most of his rivals looked intent on holding back and then working with the Dutchman. Even Terpstra’s understandable lack of commitment in the finale could not break Kristoff from his stride.
Van Avermaet and Sagan’s late cameos glossed over the larger chase group who fought tooth and nail on the final ascents of the Paterberg and Kwaremont but had little shared agreement or power to bring back the leading duo.
How the race unfolded
After a slightly delayed start due to a farmer’s protest the 199 riders for the Tour of Flanders were able to roll out from the historical market square of Bruges and head south towards Kortrijk and the Flemish Ardennes hills near finish town Oudenaarde.
After 20 kilometres of racing five riders managed to distance the peloton, with Jesse Sergent (Trek Factory Racing), Damien Gaudin (AG2R), Ralf Matzka (Bora), Matthew Brammeier (MTN Qhubeka) and Dylan Groenewegen (Roompot Oranje Peloton).
Clément Venturini (Cofidis) briefly featured in front but dropped back into the peloton. Brammeier won the bonus sprint in Sint-Eloois-Winkel, winning his 73kg weight in the local ‘Steene Molen’ beer.
A counter-attack with Lars Ytting Bak (Lotto-Soudal) and Marco Frapporti (Androni) bridged up to the five leaders, creating a group of seven. The Sky-led peloton allowed the group the distance and they collected a lead of nearly seven minutes when approaching Zwevegem, this year’s ‘village of the Ronde’, after 60 kilometres of racing.
As the peloton started to hit the first climbs the gap was coming back down.
Bradley Wiggins crashed, probably in the first crash of the day, just before the first ascent of the Oude Kwaremont. A few bike switches later he was back in the peloton where his teammates set the pace behind the seven leaders.
There were several counter-attacks during the first of three loops near Oudenaarde. André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) featured in almost all of them. Nevertheless none of these attacks managed to gain distance on the peloton. Meanwhile, Paolini, Sagan, Degenkolb and Pozzato were confronted with flat tyres but they all kept cool and returned to the front.
On the wider roads towards the cobbles of the Haaghoek a Shimano service car tried to overtake the lead group but while doing so the car sideswiped Jesse Sergent. The incident was similar to the crash that took out Juan Antonio Flecha and Johnny Hoogerland in the 2011 Tour de France.
Sergent, a 26-year-old rider from New-Zealand, was forced to abandon the race, bringing the lead group down to six riders, with about three minutes on the Sky-led peloton.
In Schorisse there was another incident with a neutral car from Shimano. This time they rode into the back of the FDJ team car. As a result the FDJ-car took down their own rider who had been visiting the team car. Two damaged cars, an injured FDJ-rider and a furious Marc Madiot was the outcome of another avoidable incident.
On the tenth climb of the day, the Kaperij, there were a few accelerations. In front Bak and Gaudin distanced their breakaway companions.
André Greipel was again trying to anticipate the moves from the team leaders, without gaining much distance as the pace in the peloton increased when approaching the second ascent of the Oude Kwaremont.
Belgian champion Jens Debusschere (Lotto-Soudal) led the peloton on the climb with the break finally caught at the top of the ascent.
Greipel kept trying to sneak away, this time just before the famous Koppenberg. On the steep cobbled climb several riders were dropped, including Wiggins, while Devolder and Thomas were