Stuyven denies the sprinters at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne is traditionally a race for the sprinters, but Trek – Segafredo’s Jasper Stuyven had other plans Sunday. The 23-year-old Belgian launched a solo attack inside the final 20km of the race and held out to the finish, with plenty of time to start his celebration 150 meters from the line.

Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff bested Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) in the bunch sprint behind.

Top 10

• 1. Jasper STUYVEN, TREK – SEGAFREDO, in 4:53:50
• 2. Alexander KRISTOFF, TEAM KATUSHA, at :17
• 3. Nacer BOUHANNI, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at :17
• 4. Dylan GROENEWEGEN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :17
• 5. Lukasz WISNIOWSKI, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :17
• 6. Niccolo BONIFAZIO, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :17
• 7. Peter SAGAN, TINKOFF, at :17
• 8. Edward THEUNS, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :17
• 9. Jonas VANGENECHTEN, IAM CYCLING, at :17
• 10. Scott THWAITES, BORA-ARGON 18, at :17

 
A 11-man breakaway rode clear early on in the race, opening up a hefty advantage that topped out at around eight minutes, but the peloton eventually got into gear and began the task of reeling the move back in.

As the pace picked up, the peloton split and reformed several times on the on the lumpy Flemish parcours, with Stuyven and Tinkoff’s Peter Sagan among the animators trying to get separation on the climbs.

With around 40km to go, the peloton caught the breakaway, but accelerations at the head of affairs split the bunch. Stuyven was among those in the lead group of 16.

Roughly 35km from the finish, Lotto – Soudal’s Stig Broeckx was knocked to the pavement by a motorbike. His injuries forced him to abandon the race.

The lead group took an advantage of around half a minute into the final 20km, but the sprint teams in the peloton kept the pressure on in pursuit. With 17km to go, Stuyven decided to take matters into his own hands, launching a solo attack.

The group he left behind, which included Tom Boonen (Etixx – Quick-Step) put in a concerted effort to bring him back, but Stuyven was too strong. The peloton swept up Boonen’s group inside the final 10km, but not even the galloping sprinters’ teams could reel Stuyven in.

With a 30-second lead at 2km-to-go, Stuyven knew he had it in the bag, and was able to savor the success as he rolled down the finishing straight.

“It was pretty hard,” Stuyven said while making note of how challenging the headwind made his solo effort.

“It was really hard coming in alone, but I tried to manage and go as aero as possible.”

For Stuyven, a stage winner at last year’s Vuelta a España, the victory marked his first one-day win as a pro.

Kristoff has now been runner-up in back-to-back editions. He tipped his cap to Stuyven after the young Trek rider surprised the peloton to take the victory.

“Stuyven was really strong. I thought he would come back, but he wanted something else,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we did not catch him. It was a hard race, maybe because the wind was strong. With the attacks in the end, we had to chase behind. It was one guy too strong for us.”

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne results

• 1. Jasper STUYVEN, TREK – SEGAFREDO, in 4:53:50
• 2. Alexander KRISTOFF, TEAM KATUSHA, at :17
• 3. Nacer BOUHANNI, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at :17
• 4. Dylan GROENEWEGEN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :17
• 5. Lukasz WISNIOWSKI, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :17
• 6. Niccolo BONIFAZIO, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :17
• 7. Peter SAGAN, TINKOFF, at :17
• 8. Edward THEUNS, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :17
• 9. Jonas VANGENECHTEN, IAM CYCLING, at :17
• 10. Scott THWAITES, BORA-ARGON 18, at :17
• 11. Arnaud DEMARE, FDJ, at :17
• 12. Maxime DANIEL, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :17
• 13. Adrien PETIT, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :17
• 14. Raymond KREDER, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at :17
• 15. Caleb EWAN, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at :17
• 16. Nikolas MAES, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :17
• 17. Daniel OSS, BMC RACING TEAM, at :17
• 18. Bert VAN LERBERGHE, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at :17
• 19. Tom VAN ASBROECK, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :17
• 20. Jens DEBUSSCHERE, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :17
• 21. Pier Paolo DE NEGRI, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI, at :17
• 22. Gerry DRUYTS, CRV, at :17
• 23. Andrew FENN, TEAM SKY, at :17
• 24. Stijn VANDENBERGH, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :21
• 25. Eugert ZHUPA, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA, at :21
• 26. Markel IRIZAR ARANBURU, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :21
• 27. Laurent EVRARD, TEAM 3M, at :21
• 28. Pierre-Luc PERICHON, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT, at :21
• 29. Gediminas BAGDONAS, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :21
• 30. Simone ANTONINI, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :21
• 31. Florian SENECHAL, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at :21
• 32. Yoann OFFREDO, FDJ, at :21
• 33. Roy CURVERS, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :21
• 34. Pieter JACOBS, CRV, at :21
• 35. Kevin VAN MELSEN, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at :21
• 36. Matteo BUSATO, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA, at :21
• 37. Xandro MEURISSE, CRV, at :21
• 38. Gijs VAN HOECKE, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at :21
• 39. Jurgen ROELANDTS, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :21
• 40. Grégory RAST, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :21
• 41. Piotr HAVIK, TEAM 3M, at :21
• 42. Ralf MATZKA, BORA-ARGON 18, at :21
• 43. Zico WAEYTENS, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :21
• 44. Koen DE KORT, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :21
• 45. Ryan ANDERSON, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :21
• 46. Boy VAN POPPEL, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :21
• 47. Yanto BARKER, ONE PRO CYCLING, at :21
• 48. Sébastien TURGOT, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :21
• 49. Michal GOLAS, TEAM SKY, at :30
• 50. Salvatore PUCCIO, TEAM SKY, at :30
• 51. Jaap DE MAN, TEAM 3M, at :30
• 52. Gianni MOSCON, TEAM SKY, at :30
• 53. Martin VELITS, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :30
• 54. Bert DE BACKER, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :30
• 55. Maarten WYNANTS, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :30
• 56. Niki TERPSTRA, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :33
• 57. Michael SCHÄR, BMC RACING TEAM, at :33
• 58. Antoine DUCHESNE, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :35
• 59. Tom STAMSNIJDER, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :35
• 60. Hugo HOULE, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :35
• 61. Jens KEUKELEIRE, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at :37
• 62. Berden DE VRIES, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at :37
• 63. Floris DE TIER, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, at :39
• 64. Alexandre PICHOT, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :39
• 65. Romain CARDIS, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :39
• 66. Michel KREDER, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at :42
• 67. Leigh HOWARD, IAM CYCLING, at :42
• 68. Cyril LEMOINE, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at :42
• 69. Tom BOONEN, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :44
• 70. Manuel QUINZIATO, BMC RACING TEAM, at :47
• 71. Pim LIGTHART, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :47
• 72. Tom BOHLI, BMC RACING TEAM, at :47
• 73. Jean-Pierre DRUCKER, BMC RACING TEAM, at :47
• 74. Greg VAN AVERMAET, BMC RACING TEAM, at :47
• 75. Mirko TROSINO, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA, at :47
• 76. Dries DEVENYNS, IAM CYCLING, at :47
• 77. Oliver NAESEN, IAM CYCLING, at :47
• 78. Maarten TJALLINGII, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :47
• 79. Thomas LEEZER, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at :47
• 80. Heinrich HAUSSLER, IAM CYCLING, at :58
• 81. Gert DOCKX, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 1:00
• 82. Julien VERMOTE, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at 1:08
• 83. Nils POLITT, TEAM KATUSHA, at 1:40
• 84. Luke ROWE, TEAM SKY, at 1:58
• 85. Twan CASTELIJNS, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 1:58
• 86. Damien GAUDIN, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 1:58
• 87. Marco HALLER, TEAM KATUSHA, at 2:54
• 88. Jelle WALLAYS, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 3:15
• 89. Luke DURBRIDGE, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at 3:55
• 90. Mitchell DOCKER, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at 3:55
• 91. Frederik FRISON, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 3:55
• 92. Sergey LAGUTIN, TEAM KATUSHA, at 3:55
• 93. Aleksei TCATEVICH, TEAM KATUSHA, at 3:55
• 94. Sjoerd VAN GINNEKEN, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON, at 6:47
• 95. Sam BEWLEY, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at 7:30
• 96. Magnus Cort NIELSEN, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at 7:30
• 97. Alexander EDMONSON, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at 7:30
• DNF Daniele BENNATI, TINKOFF
• DNF Manuele BOARO, TINKOFF
• DNF Maciej BODNAR, TINKOFF
• DNF Adam BLYTHE, TINKOFF
• DNF Nikolay TRUSOV, TINKOFF
• DNF Jay MCCARTHY, TINKOFF
• DNF Oscar GATTO, TINKOFF
• DNF Elia VIVIANI, TEAM SKY
• DNF Alex PETERS, TEAM SKY
• DNF Greg HENDERSON, LOTTO SOUDAL
• DNF Stig BROECKX, LOTTO SOUDAL
• DNF Vladimir ISAYCHEV, TEAM KATUSHA
• DNF Michael MORKOV, TEAM KATUSHA
• DNF Sven erik BYSTRØM, TEAM KATUSHA
• DNF Guillaume VAN KEIRSBULCK, ETIXX – QUICK STEP
• DNF Sondre HOLST ENGER, IAM CYCLING
• DNF Roger KLUGE, IAM CYCLING
• DNF Matteo PELUCCHI, IAM CYCLING
• DNF Mickael DELAGE, FDJ
• DNF Marc SARREAU, FDJ
• DNF Matthieu LADAGNOUS, FDJ
• DNF Daniel HOELGAARD, FDJ
• DNF Johan LE BON, FDJ
• DNF Ignatas KONOVALOVAS, FDJ
• DNF Christopher JUUL JENSEN, ORICA – GreenEDGE
• DNF Floris GERFS, BMC RACING TEAM
• DNF Nico DENZ, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Alexis GOUGEARD, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Jesse SERGENT, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Bram TANKINK, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO
• DNF Robert WAGNER, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO
• DNF Giacomo NIZZOLO, TREK – SEGAFREDO
• DNF Marco COLEDAN, TREK – SEGAFREDO
• DNF Søren Kragh ANDERSEN, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN
• DNF Nikias ARNDT, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN
• DNF Albert TIMMER, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN
• DNF Filippo POZZATO, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Manuel BELLETTI, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Andrea FEDI, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Mirko TEDESCHI, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Enrique SANZ, SOUTHEAST – VENEZUELA
• DNF Shane ARCHBOLD, BORA-ARGON 18
• DNF Sam BENNETT, BORA-ARGON 18
• DNF Zakkari DEMPSTER, BORA-ARGON 18
• DNF Lukas PÖSTLBERGER, BORA-ARGON 18
• DNF Michael SCHWARZMANN, BORA-ARGON 18
• DNF Rudiger SELIG, BORA-ARGON 18
• DNF Roy JANS, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Kenny DE HAES, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Tom DEVRIENDT, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Mark MCNALLY, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Robin STENUIT, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Frederik VEUCHELEN, WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Yauheni HUTAROVICH, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Franck BONNAMOUR, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Daniel MCLAY, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Boris VALLEE, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Steven TRONET, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Benoit JARRIER, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Vegard BREEN, FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Preben VAN HECKE, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE
• DNF Amaury CAPIOT, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE
• DNF Maxime FARAZIJN, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE
• DNF Kenneth VAN BILSEN, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Borut BOZIC, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Jerome COUSIN, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Gert JOEAAR, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Jonas AHLSTRAND, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Yohann GENE, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Tony HUREL, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Julien MORICE, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Iuri FILOSI, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI
• DNF Eduard Michael GROSU, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI
• DNF Yuma KOISHI, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI
• DNF Nicolas MARINI, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI
• DNF Riccardo STACCHIOTTI, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI
• DNF Antonio VIOLA, NIPPO – VINI FANTINI
• DNF Jesper ASSELMAN, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON
• DNF Wesley KREDER, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON
• DNF André LOOIJ, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON
• DNF Brian VAN GOETHEM, ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON
• DNF Marcin BIALOBLOCKI, ONE PRO CYCLING
• DNF Sebastian LANDER, ONE PRO CYCLING
• DNF Hayden MCCORMICK, ONE PRO CYCLING
• DNF Martin MORTENSEN, ONE PRO CYCLING
• DNF Chris OPIE, ONE PRO CYCLING
• DNF Samuel WILLIAMS, ONE PRO CYCLING
• DNF Steele VON HOFF, ONE PRO CYCLING
• DNF David BOUCHER, CRV
• DNF Yannick EIJSSEN, CRV
• DNF Rob RUIJGH, CRV
• DNF Frederique ROBERT, CRV
• DNF Alexander GEUENS, CRV
• DNF Edwig CAMMAERTS, TEAM 3M
• DNF Michael VINGERLING, TEAM 3M
• DNF Yoeri HAVIK, TEAM 3M
• DNF Christophe SLEURS, TEAM 3M
• DNF Jimmy JANSSENS, TEAM 3M
• DNS Christian KNEES, TEAM SKY
• DNS Rick ZABEL, BMC RACING TEAM
• DNS Kenneth VAN ROOY, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE
• DNS Tim DECLERCQ, TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE