Lampaert defends Dwars title in pouring rain

After a day of smash-mouth racing on rain-slicked cobblestones, Yves Lampaert attacked a group of five in the final kilometer to win his second Dwars door Vlaanderen in as many years.

Sunweb’s Mike Teunissen was second to the Quick-Step rider. The breakaway instigator Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First-Drapac) sprinted home to third.

“When the hostilities began and Vanmarcke attacked, Niki [Terpstra] told me to go, so I jumped and joined the front group,” said Lampaert. “We worked together there and rode full gas, making sure we had a nice advantage for the final.”

Top-10 results

• 1. Yves Lampaert, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, in 04:09:40
• 2. Mike Teunissen, TEAM SUNWEB, at 0:00:02
• 3. Sep Vanmarcke, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 0:00:02
• 4. Edvald Boasson Hagen, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 0:00:02
• 5. Mads Pedersen, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 0:00:02
• 6. Zdenek Štybar, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 0:00:29
• 7. Tiesj Benoot, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 0:00:30
• 8. Greg Van Avermaet, BMC RACING TEAM, at 0:00:59
• 9. Niki Terpstra, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 0:00:59
• 10. Jasper Stuyven, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 0:00:59

However, the four riders that rounded out the top-five behind Lampaert were likely kicking themselves for missing a chance to sprint for victory. Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) tested the lead group with a minor attack before the final kilometer of the 180.5km race. Lampaert marked the move, leading to a lull in the finale.

Lampaert crept up the left side, gradually accelerating.

Teunissen looked like he might jump right on the Belgian’s wheel, but then he looked back, seemingly waiting for Vanmarcke to take up the chase.

Vanmarcke feinted, but then slipped in behind the Dutchman on the left. On the right, Pedersen was too gassed to chase.

The fifth man in the break sat on Pedersen’s wheel, Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data). “I was stupid not to follow Lampaert’s last move initially and then missed out on the podium because nobody wanted to chase so I led from too far out,” Boasson Hagen said.

That was all the gap that Lampaert needed to ride home alone to victory, his team’s 20th of the season.

“Five guys. I’m only third. I wasn’t feeling on my top level today, I must admit,” said Vanmarcke. “Podium is good. Yves jumped at the right moment. I didn’t have much left.”

Behind the breakaway, Lampaert’s Quick-Step teammate Zdenek Stybar won the sprint for sixth. He was active earlier in the wet race, attacking up the Taaienberg and riding in the breakaway for a little while.

Tiesj Benoot (Lotto-Soudal) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) were right behind the Czech champion. They too had gone on the attack earlier in the day.

Notably, GC rider Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was an aggressor in the final 50 kilometers of racing, riding comfortably on the slippery, rough roads of Belgium. He sprinted to 11th on a day after covering a few moves and even launching an attack of his own before the winning group got away.

Results

• 1. Yves Lampaert, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, in 04:09:40
• 2. Mike Teunissen, TEAM SUNWEB, at 0:00:02
• 3. Sep Vanmarcke, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 0:00:02
• 4. Edvald Boasson Hagen, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 0:00:02
• 5. Mads Pedersen, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 0:00:02
• 6. Zdenek Štybar, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 0:00:29
• 7. Tiesj Benoot, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 0:00:30
• 8. Greg Van Avermaet, BMC RACING TEAM, at 0:00:59
• 9. Niki Terpstra, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 0:00:59
• 10. Jasper Stuyven, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 0:00:59
• 11. Alejandro Valverde, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 0:00:59
• 12. Gianni Moscon, TEAM SKY, at 0:00:59
• 13. Timo Roosen, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 0:00:59
• 14. Magnus Cort Nielsen, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 0:02:42
• 15. John Degenkolb, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 0:02:42
• 16. Christophe Laporte, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at 0:02:42
• 17. Danny Van Poppel, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 0:02:42
• 18. Jasper De Buyst, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 0:02:42
• 19. Jean-Pierre Drucker, BMC RACING TEAM, at 0:02:42
• 20. Christophe Noppe, SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at 0:02:42
• 21. Christoph Pfingsten, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 0:02:42
• 22. Luke Rowe, TEAM SKY, at 0:02:42
• 23. Heinrich Haussler, BAHRAIN – MERIDA, at 0:02:42
• 24. Edward Theuns, TEAM SUNWEB, at 0:02:42
• 25. Michael SchÄr, BMC RACING TEAM, at 0:02:42
• 26. Piet Allegaert, SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at 0:02:42
• 27. Jurgen Roelandts, BMC RACING TEAM, at 0:02:42
• 28. Bert Van Lerberghe, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at 0:02:42
• 29. Hugo Houle, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 0:02:42
• 30. Amund Grøndahl Jansen, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 0:02:42
• 31. Luke Durbridge, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 0:02:42
• 32. Sven Erik BystrØm, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 0:02:42
• 33. Jonas Rickaert, SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at 0:02:42
• 34. Sacha Modolo, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 0:02:42
• 35. Tony Martin, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 0:02:42
• 36. Maximiliano Ariel Richeze, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 0:02:42
• 37. Tom Scully, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 0:02:42
• 38. Søren Kragh Andersen, TEAM SUNWEB, at 0:04:01
• 39. Justin Jules, WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC, at 0:06:47
• 40. Roy Curvers, TEAM SUNWEB, at 0:06:47
• 41. Jasha SÜtterlin, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 0:06:47
• 42. Ryan Mullen, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 0:06:47
• 43. Iljo Keisse, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 0:06:47
• 44. Laurens De Vreese, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 0:06:47
• 45. Kenneth Vanbilsen, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at 0:06:47
• 46. Maxime Farazijn, SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at 0:06:47
• 47. Julien Vermote, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 0:06:47
• 48. Nico Denz, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 0:06:47
• 49. Nils Politt, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 0:06:47
• 50. August Jensen, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY, at 0:06:47
• 51. Frederik Backaert, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at 0:06:47
• 52. Lukas Spengler, WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC, at 0:06:47
• 53. Maarten Wynants, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 0:06:47
• 54. Hector Carretero, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 0:06:47
• 55. Pascal Ackermann, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 0:06:47
• 56. Francisco Jose Ventoso Alberdi, BMC RACING TEAM, at 0:06:47
• 57. Nicolas Dougall, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 0:06:47
• 58. Gregory Rast, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 0:06:47
• 59. Jonathan Dibben, TEAM SKY, at 0:06:47
• 60. Nairo Quintana, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 0:06:47
• 61. Lukasz Wisniowski, TEAM SKY, at 0:06:47
• 62. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at 0:06:47
• 63. Viacheslav Kuznetsov, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at 0:06:47
• 64. Jack Bauer, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 0:06:47
• 65. Luka Mezgec, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 0:06:47
• 66. Stijn Vandenbergh, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 0:06:47
• 67. Borut Bozic, BAHRAIN – MERIDA, at 0:06:47
• 68. Dmitriy Gruzdev, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 0:06:47
• 69. Maxime Vantomme, WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC, at 0:06:47
• 70. Mitchell Docker, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 0:06:47
• 71. Dion Smith, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at 0:06:47
• 72. Sylvain Chavanel, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 0:06:47
• 73. Romain Bardet, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 0:06:47
• 74. Adrien Petit, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 0:06:47
• 75. Stefan KÜng, BMC RACING TEAM, at 0:06:47
• 76. Alexander Kristoff, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 0:06:47
• 77. Gijs Van Hoecke, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 0:06:47
• 78. Kristijan Koren, BAHRAIN – MERIDA, at 0:06:47
• 79. Ian Stannard, TEAM SKY, at 0:06:47
• 80. Ben Swift, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 0:06:47
• 81. Dylan Groenewegen, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 0:06:47
• 82. Jelle Wallays, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 0:06:47
• 83. Wout Van Aert, VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN, at 0:06:47
• 84. Alexander Edmondson, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 0:06:47
• 85. Aime De Gendt, SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at 0:06:47
• 86. Geoffrey Soupe, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at 0:06:47
• 87. Lars Bak Ytting, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 0:11:49
• 88. Guillaume Boivin, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY, at 0:11:49
• 89. Romain Cardis, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 0:11:49
• 90. Milan Menten, SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at 0:11:49
• 91. Casper Phillip Pedersen, at 0:11:49
• 92. Lawrence Naesen, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 0:11:51
• 93. Alexandre Pichot, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 0:11:51
• 94. Tom Van Asbroeck, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE, at 0:11:51
• 95. Cyril Lemoine, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at 0:11:51
• 96. Ryan Gibbons, TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 0:11:51
• 97. Carlos Barbero, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 0:11:51
• 98. Stijn Steels, VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN, at 0:11:51
• 99. Marco Marcato, UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 0:11:51
• 100. Kiel Reijnen, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 0:11:51
• 101. Mathew Hayman, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 0:11:54
• 102. Alvaro Jose Hodeg Chagui, QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 0:11:54
• 103. Loic Chetout, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at 0:11:54
• 104. Dennis Van Winden, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY, at 0:11:54
• 105. Michael Hepburn, MITCHELTON – SCOTT, at 0:11:54
• 106. Gediminas Bagdonas, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 0:11:54
• 107. Jorge Arcas, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 0:11:54
• 108. Wesley Kreder, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at 0:11:54
• 109. Yoann Offredo, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at 0:11:54
• 110. Rüdiger Selig, BORA – HANSGROHE, at 0:11:54
• 111. Koen De Kort, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 0:11:54
• 112. Kristoffer Halvorsen, TEAM SKY, at 0:11:54
• 113. Benjamin Perry, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY, at 0:11:54
• 114. Zico Waeytens, VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN, at 0:11:54
• 115. Nikias Arndt, TEAM SUNWEB, at 0:12:01
• 116. Lennard Hofstede, TEAM SUNWEB, at 0:12:01
• DNF Marco Haller, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN
• DNF Rick Zabel, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN
• DNF Jay Robert Thomson, TEAM DIMENSION DATA
• DNF José GonÇalves, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN
• DNF Tom-Jelte Slagter, TEAM DIMENSION DATA
• DNF Conor Dunne, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Nelson Oliveira, MOVISTAR TEAM
• DNF Thomas Leezer, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO
• DNF Phil Bauhaus, TEAM SUNWEB
• DNF Andrew Fenn, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Alberto Bettiol, BMC RACING TEAM
• DNF Peter Koning, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Christopher Lawless, TEAM SKY
• DNF Ivan Garcia Cortina, BAHRAIN – MERIDA
• DNF Luka Pibernik, BAHRAIN – MERIDA
• DNF David Per, BAHRAIN – MERIDA
• DNF Oliver Naesen, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Tony Gallopin, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Niccolo Bonifazio, BAHRAIN – MERIDA
• DNF Oliviero Troia, UAE TEAM EMIRATES
• DNF Rudy Barbier, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Matthew Brammeier, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Filippo Ganna, UAE TEAM EMIRATES
• DNF Simone Consonni, UAE TEAM EMIRATES
• DNF Baptiste Planckaert, TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN
• DNF Alexey Lutsenko, ASTANA PRO TEAM
• DNF Elia Viviani, QUICK – STEP FLOORS
• DNF Taylor Phinney, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE
• DNF Michaël Van Staeyen, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Jimmy Duquennoy, WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC
• DNF Tom Devriendt, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Aidis Kruopis, VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN
• DNF Pieter Vanspeybrouck, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Sean De Bie, VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN
• DNF Kenny Dehaes, WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC
• DNF Jens Debusschere, LOTTO SOUDAL
• DNF Yohann Gene, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Alex Kirsch, WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC
• DNF Aaron Verwilst, SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE
• DNF Simon Sellier, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Julien Stassen, WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC
• DNF Damien Gaudin, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Truls KorsÆth, ASTANA PRO TEAM
• DNF Michal KolÁr, BORA – HANSGROHE
• DNF Michael Valgren Andersen, ASTANA PRO TEAM
• DNF Maciej Bodnar, BORA – HANSGROHE
• DNF Aviv Yechezkel, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
• DNF Huub Duijn, VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN
• DNF Michael Schwarzmann, BORA – HANSGROHE
• DNF Shane Archbold, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Adam Blythe, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Sebastian Langeveld, TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST – DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE
• DNF Hamish Schreurs, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
• DNF Guy Sagiv, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
• DNF Sam Bewley, MITCHELTON – SCOTT
• DNF Stijn Devolder, VERANDA’S WILLEMS – CRELAN
• DNF Juraj Sagan, BORA – HANSGROHE
• DNS Nikolas Maes, LOTTO SOUDAL