Le Samyn 2018 [LAST 20 KM]

February 27, 2018

Le Samyn 2018 – Quaregnon – Dour : 200 km

Le Samyn is an annual single-day road bicycle race in Belgium, held usually in late February or early March. The event was created in 1968 as Grand Prix de Fayt-le-Franc, named after the former municipality where it started and finished. In 1970 it was renamed Grand Prix José Samyn as a tribute to José Samyn, the race’s first winner who died in a race accident in 1969. Since 2005, the race is included in the UCI Europe Tour as a 1.1 event. It is the first race of the season in Wallonia, held on the Wednesday after its Flemish counterpart, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The race is run entirely in the province of Hainaut, starting in Quaregnon and finishing in Dour. During the course, 16 sectors of cobbled roads are traversed, prompting Belgian media to call it The Little Paris–Roubaix.

Le Samyn was Quick-Step Floor’s race to lose, and they didn’t. Niki Terpstra jumped and cleared the final three-man breakaway and muscle his way around the day’s gruelling, cobbled circuit before finishing with his second victory in Dour.

It was a case of classic tactics as Quick-Step’s Philippe Gilbert, also in the final move, backed lone rival Damien Gaudin (Direct Energie) into the unfortunate position of having to perform a futile chase only to finish third as Gilbert rode around him on the run-in to the finish line for second place.

The peloton had a chance to stretch its legs during Belgium’s ‘opening weekend’ with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, where Quick-Step Floors came up empty-handed. And so, perhaps out of sheer frustration, they came out swinging mid-week for Le Samyn’s 200km race between Quaregon and Dour.

The parcours was unforgiving, featuring four bergs in the first half. It was tough enough for an early split with Gaudin, Maxime Daniel (Fortuneo), Tom Devriendt (Wany Groupe-Gobert), Quentin Jauregui (AG2R-La Mondiale), Johan Le Bon (Vital Concept), Casper Pedersen (Aqua Blue), Franklin Six and Alex Kirsch (WB Aqua Sport) clearing the field.

Once the climbs were out of the way, Quick-Step Floors amassed at the front of the peloton with a pace so fast that it forced a split with 10 chasers – six of those were from Quick-Step.

Former winners Gilbert and Terpstra along with Tim Declercq, Davide Martinelli, Florian Sénéchal, and Zdenek Stybar controlled the chase; hell-bent on catching the breakaway, while Boris Vallée (Wanty Group-Gobert), Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto Soudal) and Maxime Daniel (Fortuneo) sat tight on the back. They made the catch.

At the half-way mark, the parcours entered the final four circuits, and the now 16-rider lead group held on to a 40-second lead, neither here nor there because Quick-Step planned to further blow the race apart over the four cobbled sectors on each lap.

They shelled riders one by one; first, it was Six followed by Vallée and then Quick-Step’s own Declercq, understandably tired after his efforts to drive the move earlier on.

Only the strongest survived, Gilbert and Terpstra led, while Gaudin, Van der Sande and Kirsch followed, building out 46 seconds on the dropped riders and 1:15 ahead of the field with 50km (2 laps) remaining.

Terpstra and Gilbert pushed hard over the cobblestones, often moving over to the dirt gutters for fast, smooth pedalling, and their efforts eventually shed Van der Sande and Kirsch.

Van der Sande and Kirsch tried desperately to regain contact with the trio. Reinforcement arrived as defending champion Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Wanty Groupe -Gobert), who wasn’t willing to hand over the race to Quick-Step, along with Adrien Petit (Direct Energie) and Gediminas Bagdonas (AG2R La Mondiale), latched on. By that time, however, the gap to the leaders had swelled to an almost unbridgeable 50 seconds.

Trapped in the uncomfortable position of not wanting to help his Quick-Step rivals but wanting to reap some small reward for his huge effort, Gaudin swapped equal pulls with Terpstra and Gilbert on the last lap.

Quick-Step’s inevitable attack on Gaudin began inside 15km to go, but it only took one jump from Terpstra to break the Frenchman. Gaudin conceded the first place prize to Terpstra, and then second to Gilbert, but he kept the third place – a small reward for such a big effort.

Results :
1 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick – Step Floors 4:47:48
2 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick – Step Floors 0:00:04
3 Damien Gaudin (Fra) Direct Energie 0:00:46
4 Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie 0:01:18
5 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale
6 Alex Kirsch (Lux) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic 0:01:21
7 Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Team Fortuneo – Samsic 0:01:59
8 Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale
9 Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
10 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie 0:02:02
11 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:02:08
12 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
13 Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Quick – Step Floors 0:02:19
14 Jelle Mannaerts (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex
15 Tanner Putt (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
16 Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept Cycling Club
17 Lionel Taminiaux (Bel) Ago – Aqua Service
18 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Aqua Blue Sport
19 Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct Energie
20 Sean De Bie (Bel) Veranda’s Willems – Crelan
21 Charlie Arimont (Bel) Ago – Aqua Service
22 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto Soudal
23 Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
24 Julien Stassen (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
25 Tom Dernies (Bel) Roubaix Lille Metropole
26 Ludwig De Winter (Bel) Wb Aqua Protect Veranclassic
27 Piet Allegaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
28 Nans Peters (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
29 Timothy Dupont (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
30 Floris Gerts (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
31 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
32 Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
33 Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
34 Lawrence Naesen (Bel) Lotto Soudal
35 Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
36 Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Veranda’s Willems – Crelan 0:02:26
37 Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
38 Bram Welten (Ned) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
39 Julien Morice (Fra) Vital Concept Cycling Club
40 Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Aqua Blue Sport 0:02:37
41 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 0:02:40
42 Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:02:46
43 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:03:13
44 Dries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda’s Willems – Crelan 0:03:42
45 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal
46 Edward Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:03:44
47 Stijn Steels (Bel) Veranda’s Willems – Crelan
48 Michael Goolaerts (Bel) Veranda’s Willems – Crelan 0:04:42
49 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:07:11
50 Dorian Godon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
51 Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
52 Lukas Spengler (Swi) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
53 Senne Leysen (Bel) Veranda’s Willems – Crelan 0:08:07
54 Elias Van Breussegem (Bel) Veranda’s Willems – Crelan 0:08:28
55 Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij 0:08:31
56 Davide Martinelli (Ita) Quick – Step Floors 0:08:52
57 Pierre Idjouadiene (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
58 Jimmy Duquennoy (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
59 David Boucher (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex
60 Maxime Farazijn (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
61 Lennert Teugels (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
62 Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
63 Emiel Vermeulen (Bel) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Matthias Legley (Bel) Sovac – Natura4Ever
DNF Samuel Leroux (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Alexander Maes (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex
DNF Niels De Rooze (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex
DNF Thomas Joly (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Jelle Cant (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex
DNF Pierre Barbier (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Laurin Winter (Ger) Team Differdange Losch
DNF Michiel Stockman (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex
DNF Kenny Dehaes (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
DNF Ugo Dangelo (Bel) T.Palm – Pôle Continental Wallon
DNF Robin Stenuit (Bel) Sovac – Natura4Ever
DNF Lander Seynaeve (Bel) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Abram Stockman (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex
DNF Timothy Stevens (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
DNF Arthur Baude (Bel) Ago – Aqua Service
DNF Franklin Six (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
DNF Anthony Debuy (Bel) Ago – Aqua Service
DNF Tom Paquot (Bel) Ago – Aqua Service
DNF Pierre Goebeert (Bel) Ago – Aqua Service
DNF Kenny Molly (Bel) Ago – Aqua Service
DNF Dennis Coenen (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
DNF Wim Reynaerts (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
DNF Roy Jans (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
DNF Louis Deguide (Bel) Sovac – Natura4Ever
DNF Brecht Ruyters (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
DNF Alexander Geuens (Bel) Sovac – Natura4Ever
DNF Jelle Donders (Bel) Team Differdange Losch
DNF Olivier Pardini (Bel) Team Differdange Losch
DNF Joshua Teasdale (GBr) Team Differdange Losch
DNF Tom Vermeer (Ned) Team Differdange Losch
DNF Kevin Verwaest (Bel) Team Differdange Losch
DNF Jan Petelin (Lux) Team Differdange Losch
DNF Gaetan Bille (Bel) Sovac – Natura4Ever
DNF Vincent De Sy (Bel) T.Palm – Pôle Continental Wallon
DNF Florian Deriaux (Fra) Sovac – Natura4Ever
DNF Laurent Evrard (Bel) Sovac – Natura4Ever
DNF Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
DNF Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Jérémy Lecroq (Fra) Vital Concept Cycling Club
DNF Travis Mccabe (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
DNF Adam Blythe (GBr) Aqua Blue Sport
DNF Kenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Mathias Van Gompel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Casper Phillip Pedersen (Den) Aqua Blue Sport
DNF Peter Koning (Ned) Aqua Blue Sport
DNF Shane Archbold (NZl) Aqua Blue Sport
DNF Eric Marcotte (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
DNF Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
DNF Jeremy Cornu (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Wouter Wippert (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Tim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Michael Carbel Svendgaard (Den) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
DNF Simon Sellier (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Maxime Daniel (Fra) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
DNF Florian Vachon (Fra) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
DNF Loic Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Steven Lammertink (Ned) Vital Concept Cycling Club
DNF Tomas Petit (Bel) T.Palm – Pôle Continental Wallon
DNF Edward Walsh (Can) T.Palm – Pôle Continental Wallon
DNF Ross Lamb (GBr) T.Palm – Pôle Continental Wallon
DNF Adam Lewis (GBr) T.Palm – Pôle Continental Wallon
DNF Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Romain Le Roux (Fra) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
DNF Johan Le Bon (Fra) Vital Concept Cycling Club
DNF Mark Mcnally (GBr) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Daniel Eaton (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
DNF Boris Vallee (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Guillaume Haag (Bel) T.Palm – Pôle Continental Wallon
DNF Lorrenzo Manzin (Fra) Vital Concept Cycling Club
DNF Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vital Concept Cycling Club
DNF Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Tim Declercq (Bel) Quick – Step Floors
DNF Lachlan Norris (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
DNF Florian Senechal (Fra) Quick – Step Floors
DNF Zdenek Štybar (Cze) Quick – Step Floors
DNF Alexander Cataford (Can) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
DNS Conor Dunne (Irl) Aqua Blue Sport
DNS Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits