Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne 2018, Groenewegen takes the win!

Dylan Groenewegen (Lotto Nl-Jumbo) wins the Kuurne-brussel-Kuurne 2018. The Dutch takes the sprint in Kuurne over Arnaud Demare (FDJ), in this manner replicating the results of Volta ao Algarve stage 1. The two sprinters begin their effort with over 250 meters remaining and, with 150 meters to go, reach and overtake Julien Vermote (Dimension Data). The Belgian, together with Loic Vliegen (BMC Racing) and Julien Duval (Ag2r La Mondiale), attacked with over 9 kilometers remaining, eked out an advantage of 15″ over the peloton and – that’s a twist of fate – he is reeled in by the bunch sprint within the last meters of racing. However, Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) finishes in third and completes the podium.

Lazy start today at the Kuurne – Brussel – Kuurne 2018. The freezing weather in the land of Flanders might be the main reason why the peloton proceeds with such a slow pace. Not only the temperature is low (0°C) but furthermore a strong and cold wind is hitting the course. Anyway, after 18 kilometers of racing the first attempt since the start succeeds in opening an advantage over the peloton. Korsaeth Truls (Astana), Bono Matteo (UAE Team Emirates), Allegaert Piet (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Van Bilsen Kenneth (Cofidis), Cardis Romain (Direct Energie), Bagdonas Gediminas (Ag2r La Mondiale) and Perry Benjamin (Israel Cycling Academy) are the protagonists of this try.

The peloton does not allow at all the break to extend its lead over two minutes of advantage. With over 143 kilometers remaining the leaders and their respective cars are forced to stop because a railway crossing: later on the organisers, in cooperation with the teams’ directors, restablish the gap the break used to have before the inconvenience. While in the head of the pack Quick Step Floors men are setting the pace, in the front good collaboration sets up and the gap remains at 2’. Along the slopes of the Kanarieberg the group gains ground over the break but, once the pack realized it was getting too much closer to the lead, calms down the pace and the gap returns back at 2’.

The Cote de Trieu (1250 meters, 7% average and 13% max) has been the first crucial moment of racing: the gap lessens to 40” and along the dangerous descent which leads to the bottom of the Oude Kwaremont the group jumps across the gap. On the Old Kwaremont (2200 meters, 4% average and 11,6% max), one of the most iconic Flemish muurs, the peloton splits and at the top of the climb a group made of 22 athletes opens a gap over the remaining bunch. In the meanwhile, Boy van Poppel (trek-Segafredo) and Marcus Burghardt (Bora-hansgrohe) are involved in a bad crash on the cobblestones together with Simon Seljier (Direct Energie).

The composition of the new leading group is terrific: Jasper Stuyven and Fabio Felline (Trek-Segafredo), Tiesj Benoot, Nicholas Maes and Jelle Wallays (Lotto-Soudal), Nils Politt and Jenthe Biermans (Katusha-Alpecin), Yves Lampaert (Quick Step Floors), Daniel Oss (Bora-hansgrohe), Arnaud Demare (FDJ), Matteo Trentin and Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott), Greg van Avermaet (BMC Racing), Rudy Barbier and Gediminas Bagdonas (Ag2r La Mondiale), Maarten Wijnants (Lotto Nl-Jumbo), Sep Vanmarcke and Sacha Modolo (EF Education First-Drapac), Heinrich Haussler and Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida), Truls Korsaeth (Astana) and Romain Cardis (Direct Energie) form a very respectable break, many of whose components have a strong classics pedigree.

Our leaders extend their gap almost to 1’ and seems, preminently because of the good collaboration between the attackers, that this should be the decisive move despite 80 kilometers are still between the break and the finish line in Kuurne. In the head of the peloton Astana is off at an astonishing pace, once in a while interchanged in the lead of the pack by other teams. The leaders lose the initial agreement and start to fade over: at this moment, with over 50 kilometers remaining, Stuyven and Oss attack along the slopes of the last climb of the race, the Nokeremberg (350 meters, 5% average and 7% max).

While the duo in the lead extend its advantage to 42”, the twenty chasers are swallowed in the peloton: it’s not easy to reach an agreement on the shifts in the head of the break when there are so many bigwigs. With 34 kilometers to go the race situation changes: Daniel Oss is affected by a puncture and, even if at first the Italian has tried to chase Stuyven, he gets back up and, due to the frustrating and demotivating incident occurred, abandons the race. Also Stuyven, with over 19 kilometers remaining, is reeled in by the peloton: in the meanwhile Sacha Modolo (EF-Drapac) and then Astana duo composed of Alexey Lutsenko and Magnus Cort Nielsen together with a Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise rider fall on the ground.

After a nervous stage of race in which the group proceeds in a long line and subsequently splits into several packs due to the crosswind, the peloton returns all together with 10 kilometers to go. At this moment Julien Duval attacks. Suddently Julien Vermote bridges across the gap and two kilometers later Loic Vliegen succeeds in chasing the two leaders. Amazingly, the break opens rapidly a 15” gap and, due to a little disorganisation in the back, it holds on its advantage until 3 kilometers to go. With FDJ setting a devilish pace the group gains ground over the leaders and, mockingly, reels in the break with just over a couple hundred meters remaining. Thanks to Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne’s victory, Groenewegen takes his fourth seasonal success.

Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne 2018 Results

Rank BIB Last Name First Name Country Team Age Result IRM
1 101 GROENEWEGEN Dylan NED TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO 25 04:51:41
2 61 DEMARE Arnaud FRA FDJ 27 00:00:00
3 121 COLBRELLI Sonny ITA BAHRAIN – MERIDA 28 00:00:00
4 215 LIGTHART Pim NED ROOMPOT – NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ 30 00:00:00
5 234 JULES Justin FRA WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC 32 00:00:00
6 84 DRUCKER Jean-Pierre LUX BMC RACING TEAM 32 00:00:00
7 202 BOIVIN Guillaume CAN ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY 29 00:00:00
8 17 WISNIOWSKI Lukasz POL TEAM SKY 27 00:00:00
9 157 VERMOTE Julien BEL TEAM DIMENSION DATA 29 00:00:00
10 223 DUPONT Timothy BEL WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT 31 00:00:00
11 91 NAESEN Oliver BEL AG2R LA MONDIALE 28 00:00:00
12 47 LAMPAERT Yves BEL QUICK – STEP FLOORS 27 00:00:00
13 34 POLITT Nils GER TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN 24 00:00:00
14 116 VAN ASBROECK Tom BEL TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC 28 00:00:00
15 25 DEBUSSCHERE Jens BEL LOTTO SOUDAL 29 00:00:00
16 71 TRENTIN Matteo ITA MITCHELTON – SCOTT 29 00:00:00
17 35 KUZNETSOV Viacheslav RUS TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN 29 00:00:00
18 184 VAN LERBERGHE Bert BEL COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 26 00:00:00
19 203 DEMPSTER Zakkari AUS ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY 31 00:00:00
20 242 GOOLAERTS Michael BEL VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN 24 00:00:00
21 231 DEHAES Kenny BEL WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC 34 00:00:00
22 2 NIZZOLO Giacomo ITA TREK – SEGAFREDO 29 00:00:00
23 191 BOUDAT Thomas FRA DIRECT ENERGIE 24 00:00:00
24 51 SARAMOTINS Aleksejs LAT BORA – HANSGROHE 36 00:00:00
25 45 KEISSE Iljo BEL QUICK – STEP FLOORS 36 00:00:00
26 97 BAGDONAS Gediminas LTU AG2R LA MONDIALE 33 00:00:00
27 52 SCHILLINGER Andreas GER BORA – HANSGROHE 35 00:00:00
28 144 MARCATO Marco ITA UAE TEAM EMIRATES 34 00:00:00
29 87 VLIEGEN Loïc BEL BMC RACING TEAM 25 00:00:00
30 37 BIERMANS Jenthe BEL TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN 23 00:00:00
31 125 KOREN Kristijan SLO BAHRAIN – MERIDA 32 00:00:00
32 85 BOHLI Tom SUI BMC RACING TEAM 24 00:00:00
33 72 HAYMAN Mathew AUS MITCHELTON – SCOTT 40 00:00:00
34 225 VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume BEL WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT 27 00:00:00
35 21 BENOOT Tiesj BEL LOTTO SOUDAL 24 00:00:00
36 222 OFFREDO Yoann FRA WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT 32 00:00:00
37 94 JAUREGUI Quentin FRA AG2R LA MONDIALE 24 00:00:00
38 1 STUYVEN Jasper BEL TREK – SEGAFREDO 26 00:00:00
39 92 DENZ Nico GER AG2R LA MONDIALE 24 00:00:00
40 112 BRESCHEL Matti DEN TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC 34 00:00:00
41 235 MORTIER Julien BEL WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC 21 00:00:00
42 6 MULLEN Ryan IRL TREK – SEGAFREDO 24 00:00:00
43 24 VAN DER SANDE Tosh BEL LOTTO SOUDAL 28 00:00:00
44 126 PIBERNIK Luka SLO BAHRAIN – MERIDA 25 00:00:00
45 26 DE BUYST Jasper BEL LOTTO SOUDAL 25 00:00:00
46 192 CARDIS Romain FRA DIRECT ENERGIE 26 00:00:00
47 93 DUVAL Julien FRA AG2R LA MONDIALE 28 00:00:00
48 245 DE WITTE Mathias BEL VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN 25 00:00:00
49 64 SARREAU Marc FRA FDJ 25 00:00:00
50 74 JUUL JENSEN Christopher DEN MITCHELTON – SCOTT 29 00:00:00
51 36 HOLLENSTEIN Reto SUI TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN 33 00:00:00
52 206 JENSEN August NOR ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY 27 00:00:00
53 95 VANDENBERGH Stijn BEL AG2R LA MONDIALE 34 00:00:00
54 43 TERPSTRA Niki NED QUICK – STEP FLOORS 34 00:00:00
55 83 VENTOSO ALBERDI Francisco Jose ESP BMC RACING TEAM 36 00:00:00
56 81 VAN AVERMAET Greg BEL BMC RACING TEAM 33 00:00:00
57 22 MAES Nikolas BEL LOTTO SOUDAL 32 00:00:00
58 75 DURBRIDGE Luke AUS MITCHELTON – SCOTT 27 00:00:00
59 107 WYNANTS Maarten BEL TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO 36 00:00:00
60 183 CLAEYS Dimitri BEL COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 31 00:00:00
61 111 VANMARCKE Sep BEL TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC  30 00:00:00
62 67 GUARNIERI Jacopo ITA FDJ 31 00:00:17
63 247 DUIJN Huub NED VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN 34 00:00:17
64 82 VAN HOOYDONCK Nathan BEL BMC RACING TEAM 23 00:00:17
65 212 WEENING Pieter NED ROOMPOT – NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ 37 00:00:17
66 14 GOLAS Michal POL TEAM SKY 34 00:00:17
67 86 BETTIOL Alberto ITA BMC RACING TEAM 25 00:00:17
68 46 DEVENYNS Dries BEL QUICK – STEP FLOORS 35 00:00:31
69 65 SINKELDAM Ramon NED FDJ 29 00:00:33
70 15 VAN BAARLE Dylan NED TEAM SKY 26 00:00:50
71 23 KEUKELEIRE Jens BEL LOTTO SOUDAL 30 00:01:20
72 117 DOCKER Mitchell AUS TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC  32 00:01:20
73 197 PETIT Adrien FRA DIRECT ENERGIE 28 00:01:21
74 134 GRUZDEV Dmitriy KAZ ASTANA PRO TEAM 32 00:03:52
75 147 TROIA Oliviero ITA UAE TEAM EMIRATES 24 00:03:52
76 123 BOLE Grega SLO BAHRAIN – MERIDA 33 00:03:52
77 127 HAUSSLER Heinrich AUS BAHRAIN – MERIDA 34 00:03:52
78 44 DECLERCQ Tim BEL QUICK – STEP FLOORS 29 00:03:52
79 241 DEVOLDER Stijn BEL VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN 39 00:03:52
80 133 GATTO Oscar ITA ASTANA PRO TEAM 33 00:03:52
81 3 PEDERSEN Mads DEN TREK – SEGAFREDO 23 00:03:52
82 27 WALLAYS Jelle BEL LOTTO SOUDAL 29 00:03:52
83 237 VANTOMME Maxime BEL WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC 32 00:03:52
84 96 DILLIER Silvan SUI AG2R LA MONDIALE 28 00:03:52
85 173 NOPPE Christophe BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 24 00:03:52
86 113 LANGEVELD Sebastian NED TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC  33 00:03:52
87 135 LUTSENKO Alexey KAZ ASTANA PRO TEAM 26 00:03:52
88 181 HOFSTETTER Hugo FRA COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 24 00:03:52
89 131 VALGREN ANDERSEN Michael DEN ASTANA PRO TEAM 26 00:03:52
90 136 KORSÆTH Truls NOR ASTANA PRO TEAM 25 00:03:52
91 216 VERMELTFOORT Coen NED ROOMPOT – NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ 30 00:03:52
211 WIPPERT Wouter NED ROOMPOT – NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ 28 DNF
213 ARIESEN Tim NED ROOMPOT – NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ 24 DNF
41 GAVIRIA RENDON Fernando COL QUICK – STEP FLOORS 24 DNF
214 GERTS Floris NED ROOMPOT – NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ 26 DNF
217 VAN GOETHEM Brian NED ROOMPOT – NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ 27 DNF
42 RICHEZE Maximiliano Ariel ARG QUICK – STEP FLOORS 35 DNF
207 YECHEZKEL Aviv ISR ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY 24 DNF
201 SBARAGLI Kristian ITA ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY 28 DNF
53 BENNETT Sam IRL BORA – HANSGROHE 28 DNF
54 BURGHARDT Marcus GER BORA – HANSGROHE 35 DNF
55 SCHWARZMANN Michael GER BORA – HANSGROHE 27 DNF
56 OSS Daniel ITA BORA – HANSGROHE 31 DNF
57 PFINGSTEN Christoph GER BORA – HANSGROHE 31 DNF
196 GENE Yohann FRA DIRECT ENERGIE 37 DNF
63 DUCHESNE Antoine CAN FDJ 27 DNF
205 PERRY Benjamin CAN ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY 24 DNF
236 SIX Franklin BEL WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC 22 DNF
246 VAN BREUSSEGEM Elias BEL VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN 26 DNF
4 RAST Gregory SUI TREK – SEGAFREDO 38 DNF
5 REIJNEN Kiel USA TREK – SEGAFREDO 32 DNF
244 TANNER David AUS VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN 34 DNF
7 VAN POPPEL Boy NED TREK – SEGAFREDO 30 DNF
11 DIBBEN Jonathan GBR TEAM SKY 24 DNF
12 KNEES Christian GER TEAM SKY 37 DNF
13 LAWLESS Christopher GBR TEAM SKY 23 DNF
31 MATHIS Marco GER TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN 24 DNF
16 DOULL Owain GBR TEAM SKY 25 DNF
221 ANTONINI Simone ITA WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT 27 DNF
233 ISTA Kevyn BEL WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC 34 DNF
232 DUQUENNOY Jimmy BEL WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC 23 DNF
227 VANSPEYBROUCK Pieter BEL WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT 31 DNF
226 VAN MELSEN Kevin BEL WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT 31 DNF
186 LEMOINE Cyril FRA COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 35 DNF
224 MCNALLY Mark GBR WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT 29 DNF
195 SELLIER Simon FRA DIRECT ENERGIE 23 DNF
32 SCHMIDT Mads Würtz DEN TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN 24 DNF
33 PLANCKAERT Baptiste BEL TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN 30 DNF
243 KRUOPIS Aidis LTU VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN 32 DNF
153 DOUGALL Nicolas RSA TEAM DIMENSION DATA 26 DNF
193 GAUDIN Damien FRA DIRECT ENERGIE 32 DNF
103 LEEZER Thomas NED TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO 33 DNF
104 LINDEMAN Bert-Jan NED TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO 29 DNF
105 TANKINK Bram NED TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO 40 DNF
106 ROOSEN Timo NED TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO 25 DNF
161 WELTEN Bram NED TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC 21 DNF
114 MODOLO Sacha ITA TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC  31 DNF
156 THWAITES Scott GBR TEAM DIMENSION DATA 28 DNF
115 SCULLY Tom NZL TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC  28 DNF
162 GERARD Arnaud FRA TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC 34 DNF
154 GIBBONS Ryan RSA TEAM DIMENSION DATA 24 DNF
163 JARRIER Benoit FRA TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC 29 DNF
152 EISEL Bernhard AUT TEAM DIMENSION DATA 37 DNF
122 BOZIC Borut SLO BAHRAIN – MERIDA 38 DNF
151 HAGEN Edvald Boasson NOR TEAM DIMENSION DATA 31 DNF
146 SWIFT Ben GBR UAE TEAM EMIRATES 31 DNF
145 RIABUSHENKO Aleksandr BLR UAE TEAM EMIRATES 23 DNF
143 GANNA Filippo ITA UAE TEAM EMIRATES 22 DNF
132 DE VREESE Laurens BEL ASTANA PRO TEAM 30 DNF
142 CONSONNI Simone ITA UAE TEAM EMIRATES 24 DNF
137 NIELSEN Magnus Cort DEN ASTANA PRO TEAM 25 DNF
155 THOMSON Jay Robert RSA TEAM DIMENSION DATA 32 DNF
177 VERWILST Aaron BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 21 DNF
194 PICHOT Alexandre FRA DIRECT ENERGIE 35 DNF
62 DELAGE Mickael FRA FDJ 33 DNF
124 GARCIA CORTINA Ivan ESP BAHRAIN – MERIDA 23 DNF
187 TURGIS Anthony FRA COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 24 DNF
141 BONO Matteo ITA UAE TEAM EMIRATES 35 DNF
73 HEPBURN Michael AUS MITCHELTON – SCOTT 27 DNF
185 VAN STAEYEN Michaël BEL COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 30 DNF
182 VANBILSEN Kenneth BEL COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 28 DNF
77 EDMONDSON Alexander AUS MITCHELTON – SCOTT 25 DNF
102 JANSEN Amund Grøndahl NOR TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO 24 DNF
76 HAMILTON Lucas AUS MITCHELTON – SCOTT 22 DNF
66 LE GAC Olivier FRA FDJ 25 DNF
176 ALLEGAERT Piet BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 23 DNF
175 DELTOMBE Kevin BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 24 DNF
174 MENTEN Milan BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 22 DNF
172 WARLOP Jordi BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 22 DNF
171 FARAZIJN Maxime BEL SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE 24 DNF
167 VACHON Florian FRA TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC 33 DNF
166 DANIEL Maxime FRA TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC 27 DNF
165 SVENDGAARD Michael Carbel DEN TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC 23 DNF
164 PERICHON Pierre Luc FRA TEAM FORTUNEO – SAMSIC 31 DNF
204 ENGER Sondre NOR ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY 25 DNS