National Championships 2017 – Belgium – [Road Race – LAST 7 KM]

June 25, 2017

National Championships Belgium – Spain – Antwerp : 238 km

The Belgian National Road Race Championship is a cycling race which decides who will become Belgian national champion for the year to come. The record for most wins is currently held by one of the most successful Belgian sprinters, Tom Steels, who managed to take four road championship titles.
The winners of each event are awarded with a symbolic cycling jersey, which is black, yellow and red, like the national flag. These colours can be worn by the rider at other road racing events to show their status as national champion. The champion’s stripes can be combined into a sponsored rider’s team kit design for this purpose.

Oliver Naesen (AG2R) is the new Belgian champion. The 26 year-old won the sprint from a five-man group in Antwerp. Naesen jumped his front wheel in the air and narrowly beat Sep Vanmarcke (Cannondale-Drapac) to the line. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) was third ahead of Jens Keukeleire (Orica-Scott) and Nathan Van Hooydonck (BMC).

“It’s unbelievable. This was the piece of the puzzle that I was waiting for since the spring; it finally all came together. I squeezed out the last bit of energy that was in me during that sprint,” Naesen said in the post-race flash interview.

The race started on the same location as the Ronde van Vlaanderen, the historical main square of Antwerp. Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) was the defending champion. After a neutralized start, the riders reached the 17 kilometres long circuit which they had to cover fourteen times, totalling 238 kilometres. The course was completely flat though 1500 metres of cobbles spiced up the challenge at the backend of the course.

Early on, Lotto-Soudal was in a comfortable position. They had Jürgen Roelandts in the breakaway group, allowing them to save all other riders. Roelandts had to work hard as he was only joined by Jonas Rickaert (Sport Vlaanderen) and Kevyn Ista (WB-Veranclassic-Aqua Protect). After six laps of racing the trio enjoyed their maximum lead of 7:30 on the peloton. From there, Tim Declercq (Quick-Step Floors) and Ben Hermans (BMC) joined forces to bring back their deficit.

At 57 kilometres from the finish the trio was caught back. Straight away, the attacks were flying around to create a new race situation. A move with Jelle Wallays (Lotto-Soudal), Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Floors), Quinten Hermans (Telenet-Fidea Lions), Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) and Tom Van Asbroeck (Cannondale-Scott) was neutralized by the BMC-team. Several solo attempts followed, including a massive move from Philippe Gilbert at forty kilometres from the finish. When hitting the penultimate lap, everybody was still together.

Then, Jens Keukeleire made a move. He was joined by 2015 champion Preben Van Hecke (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise) and a few others. A second group joined up, creating a group of fourteen riders. The second group featured big names, including among others Oliver Naesen, Sep Vanmarcke, Jasper Stuyven, Tim Merlier (Willems Veranda’s-Crelan), Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal), Nathan Van Hooydonck and Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Floors). Suddenly, the peloton was a minute down on the leaders and their race was over. On the cobbles, Naesen accelerated and only Jasper Stuyven, Sep Vanmarcke, Nathan Van Hooydonck and Keukeleire were able to keep up. The Belgian teams were missing out in front.

During the final lap, the five worked well together, keeping the chasers and peloton at distance. On the final passages over the cobbles, Vanmarcke attacked twice but without success. A tired Van Hooydonck led out the sprint ahead of Naesen, Keukeleire, Stuyven and Vanmarcke. Vanmarcke started the sprint from far out, surprising the others. Naesen had the best reaction and waited until the final metres to pass Vanmarcke, throwing his front wheel over the line.

Naesen was massively excited, throwing his sunglasses and helmet in the crowd while celebrating the biggest win of his career. “I felt like I was the strongest rider in the group but then there were three really strong riders. Jens and Jasper are usually faster than me but after such a long, hard race, anything is possible; I was confident about that. Sep started from far out and had a good gap. He did what I did in E3 Harelbeke, while I did what Greg did. I was in the slipstream and came over him on the line. Hopefully this is my breakthrough victory. I knew I was ready for it,” Naesen said.

Results :
1 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 5:18:29
2 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac
3 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
4 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-Scott 0:00:01
5 Nathan Van Hooydonck (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:00:04
6 Tim Merlier (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan 0:00:47
7 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
8 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:48
9 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
10 Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:01:20
11 Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Beobank – Corendon
12 Timothy Dupont (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
13 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
14 Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
15 Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
16 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
17 Roy Jans (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
18 Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
19 Loïc Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team
20 Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Sunweb
21 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto Soudal
22 Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Sunweb
23 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal
24 Alexander Geuens (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen – Vastgoedservice Continental Team
25 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team
26 Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
27 Daan Soete (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions
28 Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
29 Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
30 Mathias De Witte (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
31 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
32 Christophe Noppe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
33 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
34 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal
35 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
36 Nicolas Cleppe (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions
37 Robin Stenuit (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
38 Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
39 Julien Vermote (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
40 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
41 Jarl Salomein (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
42 Laurens De Plus (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
43 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data
44 Maxime Vantomme (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect 0:01:26
45 Olivier Pardini (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
46 Jim Aernouts (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions
47 Piet Allegaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
48 Floris De Tier (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
49 Pieter Serry (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
50 Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
51 Brecht Ruyters (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
52 Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions
53 Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
54 Kevin Ista (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect 0:01:29
55 Emiel Vermeulen (Bel) Roubaix – Lille Metropole
56 Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal
57 Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
58 Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team
59 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
60 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
61 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
62 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
63 Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Era – Circus 0:01:38
64 Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 0:01:46
65 Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
66 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step Floors 0:01:53
67 Lawrence Naesen (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect 0:01:57
68 Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
69 Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto Soudal
70 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal
71 Gregory Habeaux (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
72 Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
73 Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect 0:02:33
74 Ludwig De Winter (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect 0:02:58
75 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan 0:03:20
76 Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal
77 Michiel Dieleman (Bel) Cibel – Cebon 0:03:27
78 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:04:03
79 Michael Goolaerts (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
80 Stijn Steels (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:04:06
81 Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac 0:05:30
DNF Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Enzo Wouters (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team
DNF Tim Declercq (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
DNF Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Robby Cobbaert (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
DNF Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Boris Vallee (Bel) Fortuneo – Vital Concept
DNF Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Marlux Napoleon Games
DNF Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Marlux Napoleon Games
DNF Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) Marlux Napoleon Games
DNF Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Marlux Napoleon Games
DNF Jens Adams (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen – Vastgoedservice Continental Team
DNF Gerry Druyts (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen – Vastgoedservice Continental Team
DNF Julien Stassen (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
DNF Rob Peeters (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen – Vastgoedservice Continental Team
DNF Ludovic Robeet (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
DNF Dennis Coenen (Bel) Cibel – Cebon
DNF Quinten Hermans (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions
DNF Daan Hoeyberghs (Bel) Beobank – Corendon
DNF Tom Meeusen (Bel) Beobank – Corendon
DNF Diether Sweeck (Bel) Era – Circus
DNF Joeri Calleeuw (Bel) Roubaix – Lille Metropole
DNF Lander Seynaeve (Bel) Roubaix – Lille Metropole
DNF Nicolas Vereecken (Bel) Roubaix – Lille Metropole
DNF Laurent Van Den Bak (Bel) LPC
DNF Rob Leemans (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen – Vastgoedservice Continental Team
DNF Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Moreno De Pauw (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Lindsay De Vylder (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Kevin Deltombe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Edward Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Ruben Pols (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Jens Wallays (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Antoine Warnier (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
DNF Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Aime De Gendt (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Gaetan Bille (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Sander Cordeel (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Jappe Jaspers (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Elias Van Breussegem (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Thomas Deruette (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
DNF Jimmy Duquennoy (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
DNF Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert