Rémi Cavagna (Quick Step Floors) wins the Dwars door West Vlaanderen 2018! The Frenchman takes the win in a rainy and freezy day thanks to a solo attack fostered with over 9 kilometers remaining. Cavagna has led the race together with his teammate Florian Senechal and Frederik Frison (Lotto-Soudal) along the last 50 kilometers of racing sitting for the most of the time 50″ ahead the peloton. Quick Step Floors frames a perfect day thanks to Senechal’s second place achieved on the finish line of Ichtegem. Moreover, Fabio Jakobsen (Quick Step Floors) takes the sprint of the chasers, in this manner being the third representative of the Belgian team out of the top-four positions. Anthony Turgis (Cofidis) completes the top-5.
Evergreen David Boucher (Tarteletto-Isorex), Alexander Cataford (UnitedHealthCare) and Dennis Coenen (Cibel-Cebon) are the ones who first face today’s cold rain on the face: in facts are the only brave riders that made the breakaway, opening an amazing maximum gap of 7’40” over the bunch with 125 kilometers to go. Unfortunately the race is not characterised by any particular episode if not by a few crashes caused by the bad weather until the peloton hits the cobbles. With just under 50 kilometers to go the bunch reel in the breakaway and the race heatens up.
Frederk Frison (Lotto-Soudal), Remi Cavagna and Florien Senechal (Quick Step Floors) counter-attack as soon as the break is called off. The trio opens rapidly a 40” gap even tough in the head of the peloton Roompot-Nederandse Loterij and Wanty-Groupe Gobert are struggling. In the meantime, two crashes occur: the first affects one CCC and one Joker-Icopal whereas the second interests Peter Vanspeybrouck (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), who is forced to pull back, and Kenneth Vanbilsen (Cofidis). Also Timothy Dupont (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) falls on the ground and, as a consqeuence to the impact, his bike breaks into two bits.
In the head of the peloton Quick Step Floors riders contribute to annoy the other teams’ shifts in order to facilitate their teammates in the lead to extend the gap. When the race passes through the beginning of the last lap of racing the break sits 50” ahead the peloton, which has downsized to more or less thirty riders. With over six kilometers remaining Remi Cavagna attacks and gains rapidly ground over the two former leaders. Senechal lets Frison struggle to chase the leader, in this way helping his teammate to eke out a wider advantage. Cavagna hold on at 9” of advantage throughout all the finale and, with just one kilometer remaining, Senechal attacks Frison in order to get the second place.
Dwars door West Vlaanderen 2018 Results
1 CAVAGNA Rémi Quick-Step Floors
2 SÉNÉCHAL Florian Quick-Step Floors
3 FRISON Frederik Lotto Soudal
4 JAKOBSEN Fabio Quick-Step Floors
5 TURGIS Anthony Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
6 VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume Wanty – Groupe Gobert
7 NARVAEZ Jhonatan Quick-Step Floors
8 NOPPE Christophe Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
9 GOOLAERTS Michael Vérandas Willems-Crelan
10 DUQUENNOY Jimmy WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic