Gent - Wevelgem, the 74th edition of the famous race in the Western part of Belgium. The most difficult part of the race is the 2 laps containing the Scherpenberg, Mont des Chats, Mont Noir and the Kemmelberg, all of them have to be climbed twice. The last 35 kilometres are flat to the finish in Wevelgem.
The race was won 47 times by a Belgian rider. Last year, Fabian Cancellara became the 2nd Swiss winner (besides Rolf Graf in1954), completing a great weekend with wins in the E3 and Gent-Wevelgem.
We kick the race off with a 10-man BOTD, still 97 kilometres before the finish. Lagutin (Vacansoleil), Davis (Qantas), Kozontchuk (Nespresso), Stangelj (Astana), Izagirre (Euskaltel), López (Movistar), Goos (Rabo CT), Helminen (Landbouwkrediet), Gustov (Saxo) and Bono (Lampre) have a lead of 2'10 to the peloton.
7 riders have closed the gap in the kilometres before the first ascend of the Kemmelberg. Kasechkin (Lampre), Vandenbergh (Katusha), Devolder (Vacansoleil), Willems (Lotto), Barbé (Landbouwkrediet), Felline (Nespresso) and Quinziato (BMC) and the other 10 lead the peloton by 4 minutes.
After the summit of the Kemmelberg doesn't happen a lot, except that there is a shift in the leading group. So a group of 7 is in the lead while ascending the Kemmel for the 2nd time: Willems, Barbé, Devolder, Felline, Vandenbergh, Quinziato and Davis. But the peloton is only 1'32 behind with 37km to go.
In the flat part towards the finish in Wevelgem, a group of 27 riders come together. Most notable riders missing are Matthew Hayman (Sky), Heinrich Haussler (Garmin), Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma) and Martijn Maaskant who were too far behind in the peloton in the 2nd climb of the Kemmel.
This time, the riders don't wanna wait untill the finish to get outsprinted by Tommeke. Matti Breschel attacks, and Juan Antonio Flecha goes in the counter attack. But Flecha is stronger today and is able to pass the Danish rider. Will it be enough for the win?
Yes it is! 4 years after Oscar Freire, the crowd in Wevelgem sees an other Spanish win. A great attack by Flecha. Breschel manages to stay in 2nd place, just beating Cancellara and Boonen. And what about our riders? Well, Niki Terpstra was the only one that managed to stay in the leading group. He chose the wheel of Tyler Farrar to start the sprint, but Farrar didn't participate in the sprint. Ouch...... So an embarrassing 23rd place was the result....
Results
1
Juan Antonio Flecha
Sky ProCycling
5h18'03
2
Matti Breschel
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
3
Fabian Cancellara
Nissan - Radio Shack - Trek
s.t.
4
Tom Boonen
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
5
Geraint Thomas
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
6
Alessandro Ballan
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
7
Sebastian Langeveld
Team Qantas
s.t.
8
Johan Vansummeren
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
9
Nick Nuyens
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
10
Stijn Devolder
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
Spoiler
11
Allan Davis
Team Qantas
s.t.
12
Staf Scheirlinckx
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
13
Tyler Farrar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
14
Fabio Felline
Nespresso
s.t.
15
Sylvain Chavanel
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
16
Lars Boom
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
17
Stijn Vandenbergh
Katusha Team
s.t.
18
Bernhard Eisel
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
19
Koen Barbé
Landbouwkrediet
s.t.
20
Lars Ytting Bak
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
21
Björn Leukemans
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
22
Manuel Quinziato
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
23
Niki Terpstra
Monster Energy - Ford
s.t.
24
Frederik Willems
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
25
Lieuwe Westra
Monster Energy - Ford
+ 1'16
26
Sep Vanmarcke
Monster Energy - Ford
+ 1'38
27
Matthew Goss
Team Qantas
s.t.
28
Martijn Maaskant
Monster Energy - Ford
s.t.
29
Gerald Ciolek
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 3'32
30
Gert Steegmans
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 4'07
31
Heinrich Haussler
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 4'33
32
Matthew Hayman
Sky ProCycling
+ 5'18
33
Sébastien Rosseler
Monster Energy - Ford
s.t.
34
Ben Swift
Sky ProCycling
+ 7'15
35
Sergey Lagutin
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 7'40
36
Mark Cavendish
Sky ProCycling
+ 8'06
37
Leif Hoste
Katusha Team
s.t.
38
Maarten Neyens
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
39
Dennis Van Winden
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
40
Martin Elmiger
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
41
José Joaquín Rojas
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
42
Dries Devenyns
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
43
Grégory Rast
Nissan - Radio Shack - Trek
s.t.
44
Daniele Bennati
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
45
André Greipel
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
46
Leonardo Duque
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
47
Julien Vermote
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
48
Enrico Gasparotto
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
49
Aleksandr Kuschynski
Katusha Team
s.t.
50
Tom Stubbe
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
51
Ben Hermans
Nissan - Radio Shack - Trek
s.t.
52
Maarten Wynants
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
53
Aleksejs Saramotins
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
54
Ian Stannard
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
55
Steven Kruijswijk
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
56
Romain Feillu
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 9'52
57
David Millar
Sky ProCycling
+ 10'16
58
Jens Keukeleire
Monster Energy - Ford
s.t.
59
Juan José Haedo
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 11'27
60
Volodymir Gustov
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 12'04
61
David López
Movistar Team
+ 12'33
62
Andrey Kashechkin
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
63
Matteo Bono
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
64
Ion Izagirre
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
65
Gorazd Stangelj
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
66
Joost Posthuma
Monster Energy - Ford
s.t.
67
Dimitry Kozontchuk
Nespresso
s.t.
68
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Sony Ericsson
+ 14'01
69
Tomas Vaitkus
Team Qantas
s.t.
70
Davy Commeyne
Landbouwkrediet
s.t.
71
Maarten Tjallingii
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
72
Stuart O'Grady
Team Qantas
s.t.
73
Baden Cooke
Team Qantas
s.t.
74
Wim De Vocht
Veranda's Willems - Accent
s.t.
75
Alexsandr Dyachenko
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
76
Pello Bilbao
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
77
Yury Trofimov
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
78
Jetse Bol
Rabobank Continental Team
s.t.
79
Sébastien Minard
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
80
Steve Morabito
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
81
Marc Goos
Rabobank Continental Team
s.t.
82
Danilo Hondo
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
83
Frederik Veuchelen
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
84
Mirco Lorenzetto
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
85
Jan Ghyselinck
Veranda's Willems - Accent
s.t.
86
Jonathan Castroviejo
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
87
Jurgen Van Goolen
Veranda's Willems - Accent
s.t.
88
Luca Solari
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
89
Wesley Sulzberger
Team Qantas
s.t.
90
Carlos Oyarzun
Movistar Team
s.t.
91
Andriy Grivko
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
92
Ángel Vicioso
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
93
Javier Francisco Aramendia
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
94
Egoi Martínez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 16'03
95
Nelson Oliveira
Nissan - Radio Shack - Trek
s.t.
96
Derk Abel Beckeringh
Rabobank Continental Team
s.t.
97
Matti Helminen
Landbouwkrediet
+ 17'26
98
Alessandro Bertolini
Androni Giocattoli
+ 18'07
99
Matteo Montaguti
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
100
Gorik Gardeyn
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
101
Rubén Plaza
Movistar Team
s.t.
102
Stefan Van Dijk
Veranda's Willems - Accent
s.t.
103
Kevin Seeldraeyers
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
104
Martin Mortensen
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
105
Andrea Moletta
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
106
Marco Marcato
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
107
Sam Bewley
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
108
Dmitriy Fofonov
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
109
Michel Kreder
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
110
Jacobus Venter
Veranda's Willems - Accent
s.t.
111
Alex Rasmussen
Nespresso
s.t.
112
Diego Ulissi
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
113
Timothy Roe
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
114
Barry Markus
Rabobank Continental Team
s.t.
115
Enrique Sanz
Movistar Team
s.t.
116
Angelo Furlan
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
117
Sven Vandousselaere
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
118
Murilo Fischer
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
119
Americo Novembrini
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
120
Robert Kiserlovski
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
121
Markel Irizar
Nissan - Radio Shack - Trek
s.t.
122
Oscar Riesebeek
Rabobank Continental Team
s.t.
123
Matthew Lloyd
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
124
Adriano Malori
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
125
Anthony Colby
Team Garmin - Cervélo
+ 19'19
126
Matthew Busche
Nissan - Radio Shack - Trek
+ 19'49
127
Frédéric Amorison
Landbouwkrediet
s.t.
128
Karsten Kroon
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
129
Wim Van Huffel
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
130
Bauke Mollema
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
131
Chris Anker Sørensen
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
132
Marcos García
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
133
Jos Pronk
Rabobank Continental Team
s.t.
134
Vladimir Karpets
Katusha Team
s.t.
135
Steven Caethoven
Veranda's Willems - Accent
s.t.
136
Bart Dockx
Landbouwkrediet
s.t.
137
Mauro Santambrogio
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
138
Gustav Erik Larsson
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
139
Chris Barton
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
140
Geoffroy Lequatre
Nissan - Radio Shack - Trek
+ 20'37
141
Arnoud Van Groen
Veranda's Willems - Accent
+ 20'52
142
Jonathan Breyne
Landbouwkrediet
s.t.
143
Nikolai Trussov
Katusha Team
s.t.
144
Iván Velasco
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
145
Javier Iriarte
Movistar Team
+ 21'39
146
Jasper Bovenhuis
Rabobank Continental Team
s.t.
147
Yannick Eijssen
BMC Racing Team
+ 22'13
148
Jesse Sergent
Nissan - Radio Shack - Trek
s.t.
149
Ruslan Pidgornyy
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
150
Jonathan Monsalve
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
151
Thomas Degand
Veranda's Willems - Accent
s.t.
152
Moreno Hofland
Rabobank Continental Team
+ 22'57
153
Geert Verheyen
Landbouwkrediet
+ 23'12
154
Sérgio Paulinho
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
155
Danilo Di Luca
Katusha Team
s.t.
156
Alessandro Spezialetti
Lampre - Generali
+ 23'44
157
Anders Lund
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 24'36
158
Jan Kuyckx
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
159
Tomas Alberio
Nespresso
s.t.
160
Louis Esposito
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
161
Alexandre Botcharov
Katusha Team
+ 25'13
162
Valentin Iglinskiy
Pro Team Astana
+ 25'37
163
Maxime Vantomme
Katusha Team
s.t.
164
Simon Clarke
Team Qantas
s.t.
165
Maurice Astruc
Landbouwkrediet
+ 26'20
166
Jorge Montaña
Movistar Team
+ 27'15
167
Jan Tratnik
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
168
Alvaro La Cruz
Nespresso
+ 28'27
169
Joaquin Claveran
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
170
Eduardo Gonzalo
Movistar Team
s.t.
171
Noe Gianetti
Nespresso
s.t.
172
Andrey Amador
Movistar Team
s.t.
173
Filippo Bortolotti
Nespresso
+ 28'49
174
Rafal Majka
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
Today's winner
Flecha's first win of the season, after getting 2nd in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, 3rd in Dwars Door Vlaanderen and 2nd in Milano - San Remo, nice results (jealous)!
Word from the DS
We simply don't learn how to sprint in a group..... At least the form level of the riders is very good one week before the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Next stop is the 3Daagse De Panne - Koksijde, to reach a ultimate form.
When the cobblers are enjoying themselves in Belgium, and the more hilly oriented riders are riding in Catalunya, another part of the peloton shows up on the isle of Corse, to take part in the 81st edition of the Critérium International. The 3 stage 2.HC classified race is a perfect mix, with one mountain stage (finish at the summit the Col de l'Ospedal)), one short flat stage and one flat time trial.
Last year's edition was won by Europcar's Christophe Kern
Startlist
Spoiler
Monster Energy - Ford
1. R.Gesink
2. J.Bobridge
3. M.De Maar
4. W.Kelderman
5. M.Lefèvre
6. W.Poels
7. P.Sagan
8. J.Vanendert
Our goals
Difficult to say. It's the first race of the season for Robert Gesink, so we don't expect that much from him. Wilco Kelderman is the leader for the GC, but his form is declining. So, top 3 in a stage and in the GC...
First stage: Porto Vecchio to the Col de l'Ospedale, 198 very tough kilometres.
Story of the stage: a group of 8 riders ride away and the peloton falls asleep. Their maximum lead is over 15 minutes! So we decide to start the chase, but it'll probably to late for the stage win. Best riders in this group are Arnold Jeanneson (FDJ), Reinier Honig (Landbouwkrediet), David Veilleux Europcar), Cyril Dessel (AG2R) and Fabio Polazzi (Wallonie).
The 8 riders start the last climb with a lead of 6'46. Robert Gesink settles himself in front of the peloton, trying to get Wilco Kelderman as close to the leaders as possible. But apparently, Gesink's basic form is that high, that nobody in the peloton can follow his pace. 2 kilometres before the finish, he has joined Honig and Polazzi and is only 1 minute behind leader Jeanneson.
It's not enough to close the gap, so Jeanneson takes his first win of the season. Gesink finishes 2nd at '33, Kelderman 5th at 1'33.
Results & GC
1
Arnold Jeanneson
FDJ
5h56'06
2
Robert Gesink
Monster Energy - Ford
+ 47
3
Reinier Honig
Landbouwkrediet
+ 1'10
4
Fabio Polazzi
Wallonie Bruxelles - Crédit Agricole
+ 1'45
5
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Ford
+ 1'59
6
Sébastien Joly
Saur - Sojasun
+ 2'11
7
Jussi Veikkanen
Lotto - Belisol
+ 3'03
8
Cyril Dessel
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 3'05
9
David Veilleux
Team Europcar
+ 3'07
10
Brice Feillu
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
Today's winner
Word from the DS
That was a big mistake by the peloton. At least we tried to make the most of it. Gesink did great, but I don't know if he can make up 47 seconds...
Then vote for me and my story at the PCM.daily awards!!
Well,your story is nice but my vote is going for other longer story..
GW is hard to win...but Gesink did great in Criterium Int....maybe he can get those 47"...
Stage 2, a 75km short stage with start and finish in Porto Vecchio. It's pretty flat, so we'll expect a mass sprint.
And yes, it'll be a mass sprint. A group of 14, including N. Sijmens (Cofidis), J. Vangenechten (Wallonie), S. Poulhies (Big Mat), J. Jules (La Pomme) and M. Chérel (AG2R), gets a maximum advantage of 3 minutes. But as we have set our cards at Peter Sagan for the stage win, we chase them with succes.
In the preparation for the sprint, everything is working well, with Sagan taking the lead 800 metres before the finish. The celebration is about to begin, when William Bonnet comes with an incredible jump to take the 2nd consecutive FDJ-win. Sagan takes the 2nd place, Danilo Napolitano the 3rd.
The 3rd and last stage is a 7.8 kilometre time trial. Almost flat, only a small hill in the first half of the race.
First we show you today's winner. Dominique Cornu (Lotto) sets the best time and that can't be beaten: 10'21.
Wilco Kelderman rides the best time trial of our team. He ends up in 4th place, '7 behind Cornu. He jumps to the 4th place in the GC.
GC's number 2 Robert Gesink starts very fast, but he finds the man with the hammer at the summit of the small hill. He looses time in the 2nd half, and is 40 seconds slower than Cornu, 90th place....
Arnold Jeanneson isn't a great time trialist (TT 65), but knows that he has a great chance of succesfully defending his jersey. And he does! Althugh being one second slower than Gesink, it's more than enough to win the Critérium International!
Results
1
Dominique Cornu
Lotto - Belisol
10'21
2
Maurizio Biondo
Pisanellastoria - Guerciotti
+ 1
3
Cameron Meyer
Team Qantas
+ 2
4
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Ford
+ 7
5
Maciej Bodnar
Liquigas - Cannondale
+ 8
6
Stefan Schumacher
Pisanellastoria - Guerciotti
+ 10
7
Paul Martens
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
8
Damien Monier
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
s.t.
9
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
+ 11
10
Nicolas Vogondy
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
+ 13
GC
1
Arnold Jeanneson
FDJ
7h49'16
2
Robert Gesink
Monster Energy - Ford
+ 46
3
Reinier Honig
Landbouwkrediet
+ 1'08
4
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Ford
+ 1'25
5
Fabio Polazzi
Wallonie Bruxelles - Crédit Agricole
+ 1'45
6
Sébastien Joly
Saur - Sojasun
+ 1'48
7
Damien Monier
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
+ 2'54
8
Jussi Veikkanen
Lotto - Belisol
+ 2'59
9
Sandy Casar
FDJ
+ 3'00
10
David Veilleux
Team Europcar
s.t.
Points
1
Reinier Honig
Landbouwkrediet
0
39
2
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Ford
14
32
3
Arnold Jeanneson
FDJ
0
31
4
William Bonnet
FDJ
3
28
5
Dominique Cornu
Lotto - Belisol
25
25
KOTM
1
Cyril Dessel
AG2R La Mondiale
0
50
2
Julien Antomarchi
Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille
0
34
3
Reinier Honig
Landbouwkrediet
0
33
4
David Veilleux
Team Europcar
0
27
5
Brent Bookwalter
BMC Racing Team
0
25
U25
1
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Ford
7h50'41
2
David Veilleux
Team Europcar
+ 1'35
3
Wout Poels
Monster Energy - Ford
+ 3'23
Teams
1
Monster Energy - Ford
23h33'10
2
Saur - Sojasun
+ 2'26
3
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
+ 6'32
Overall winner
Word from the DS
We can look back pretty satisfied to the Critérium International. Although we missed the stage win twice with only a small margin, we got 2nd and 4th in the GC. Now back to Belgium for the cobbles!
The final preparation for the most important race on Belgian soil is the Drieedaagse De Panne - Koksijde. 4 stages in 3 days, with cobbles, wind and an individual time trail, so it's for an allrounder to win it!
Last year, one of the world's best allrounders won it: Thor Hushovd, the Norwegian thunder, took the win and it was the setup for his Flanders-Rouaix double.
The favourites *** Thor Hushovd (BMC), Fabian Cancellara (Nissan), Niki Terpstra ** Lars Boom (Rabobank), S. Devolder (Vacansoleil), Lieuwe Westra * Alessandro Ballan (BMC), J. Roelandts (Lotto), Sébastien Rosseler
Our goal
We'll aim for a top 3 in the GC. And as you can see, the 2 best riders of the previous cobbles-races don't participate. Although Team Sky is present, Juan Antnio Flecha isn't. And the entire Omega Pharma - Quick Step team is absent, including Tom Boonen!
Both Maaskant and Terpstra performed well.
