Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2014 [FULL RACE] (flemish)

March 1, 2014

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2014 – Gent – Gent : 198,4 km

Starting and finishing in Ghent’s striking Sint Pietersplein, the peloton will tackle ten climbs on the 199 kilometre course, beginning with the Leberg (59km). After controversially cutting the Muur van Geraardsbergen from the Tour of Flanders, organiser Flanders Classics makes some sort of amends by including it as the third helling here, albeit with 117km still to race. The race traditionally begins to enter its endgame on the Taaienberg (136km), followed shortly afterwards by the Eikenberg and Wolvenberg, although it is the Omloop’s flat sections of cobbles – particularly the three blasts over the sector at Haaghoek – that often cause the greatest problems. The final climb of the Molenberg comes with some 37 kilometres still to race, though there are still three sections of cobbles in the finale that can force additional selections in the leading group.

Ian Stannard (Team Sky) claimed a thrilling edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in a two-up sprint against BMC’s Greg Van Avermaet. The pair slipped clear of the main field inside the closing kilometres of the race and despite a late chase from Omega Pharma-Quickstep and Belkin, the pair held on to decide the race in a sprint finish.

Heading into the final few hundred meters, van Avermaet moved to the front but Stannard, with a strong pedigree from his track racing days, kicked out and had enough to hold off a late challenge from the Belgian rider.

Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) finished third, giving Sky two riders on the podium, after the Norwegian beat Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Sep Vanmarcke (Team Belkin to the line).

Boasson Hagen and Terpstra had joined forces moments before the winning move when a dangerous group had slipped clear, but after Lars Boom punctured and Yoann Offredo crashed, the group lost its impetus.

With Boasson Hagen and Terpstra caught, Stannard and Van Avermaet seized the initiative forged clear.

Goodbye Kristof

The traditional opener of the Belgian road season in Ghent started at half past 11 with a minute of silence to pay tribute to the late Kristof Goddaert and Ghent’s art pope Jan Hoet, who both passed away recently. Goddaert’s teammates from the IAM team lined up in front of the peloton on a chilly, foggy and quiet St-Peter’s square.

Cyril Lemoine (Cofidis), Frederik Veuchelen (Wanty), Stijn Steels (Topsport), Maciej Paterski (CCC), Christophe Laborie (Bretagne-Séché Environnement), Andreas Schillinger (Netapp), Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Katusha), and Ramon Sinkeldam (Giant Shimano) animated the first half of the race, breaking clear inside the first 30 kilometres.

After nearly 150km, the last four survivors of this group were caught by the peloton. The damage in the peloton caused by the series of slippery roads, pavé and the typical bergs was severe. The biggest victims of the multiple crashes were Thor Hushovd (BMC) and Alexandre Pichot (Europcar), who were both forced to leave the race with injuries.

The ascents of the Taaienberg, Eikenberg and Wolvenberg showed that Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin), Matteo Trentin (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step) and Nikki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step) all had good legs, while the expected attack from Tom Boonen on the Taaienberg never materialized.

Around 40 riders survived all the attacks and hit the Leberg 42km from the finish in Ghent. Greg van Avermaet (BMC) put in an acceleration on the Leberg, but once the pace dropped, a few other riders managed to sneak away. The group included Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky), Lars Boom (Belkin), Yoann Offredo (FDJ.fr), Arnaud Démare (FDJ.fr), Nikki Tepstra, Egoitz Garcia (Cofidis) and Kenneth Van Bilsen (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise).

When the group turned the corner onto the Molenberg at 37km from the finish, Offredo fell while riding in third position. Terpstra and Boom hammered up the cobbled climb and discovered at the top that they were the sole leaders. Boasson Hagen, Van Bilsen and Démare eventually managed to bridge back up to the Dutch duo when hitting the 2.4km-long former Roman road of the Paddestraat, with 30km to go to the finish.

On the Paddestraat, Boom led the leaders over the wet cobbles while Vanmarcke led the peloton at 35 seconds. Halfway over the cobbles, a fierce acceleration from Terpstra was answered only by Boom and Boasson Hagen. The three leaders had a gap of 45 seconds, but the co-operation was lacking.

When Boom flatted and fell back to the bunch Terpstra and Boasson Hagen began to attack each other, a clear sign that any partnership would be fleeting at best.

At the final pavé section called the “Lange Munte”, the remains of the peloton were only 20 seconds down on the two leaders. Boasson Hagen and Terpstra exchanged attacks but ended up in the clutches of the bunch.

With 17km to go, about 20 riders were battling for the victory. A peloton with Tom Boonen trailed the leaders by 50 seconds.

Stannard wasted no time and when several groups came together; he blasted away on the wider roads towards Ghent, with only van Avermaet holding his wheel.

It looked as though victory would certainly come down to the two leaders but when Terpstra and Vanmarcke attacked, with Boasson Hagen for company, it looked as though the race was playing into the Norwegian’s hands. However, Stannard and Van Avermaet remained consistent in their turns and only inside the final kilometre, with the chase too far back, did they start to watch each other.

Results :
1 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky 4:49:55
2 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
3 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky 0:00:24
4 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
5 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
6 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 0:01:34
7 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
8 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano
9 Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
10 Arnaud Demare (Fra) Fdj.fr
11 Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky
12 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Garmin Sharp
13 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol
14 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
15 Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
16 Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
17 Johan Le Bon (Fra) Fdj.fr 0:01:41
18 Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
19 Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:02:47
20 Yoann Offredo (Fra) Fdj.fr
21 Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:03:43
22 Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Team Katusha
23 Christophe Laborie (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
24 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
25 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
26 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling
27 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN – Qhubeka
28 Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano 0:03:46
29 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
30 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
31 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha
32 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
33 Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
34 Martin Reimer (Ger) MTN – Qhubeka 0:09:14
35 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol
36 Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN – Qhubeka
37 Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
38 Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Belisol
39 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Belisol
40 Clément Koretzky (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
41 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
42 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
43 Kiryll Pozdnyakov (Rus) Rusvelo
44 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) MTN – Qhubeka
45 Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
46 Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM Cycling
47 Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin Sharp
48 Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano
49 Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
50 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol
51 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Team Netapp – Endura
52 Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
53 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
54 Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team
55 David Boucher (Fra) Fdj.fr
56 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Team Netapp – Endura
57 Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
58 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol
59 Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team Netapp – Endura
60 Tony Hurel (Fra) Team Europcar
61 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar
62 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Garmin Sharp
63 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
64 Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar
65 Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
66 Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team Europcar
67 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Fdj.fr
68 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
69 Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
70 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin Sharp
71 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
72 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
73 Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
74 Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
75 Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
76 Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Giant-Shimano
77 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
78 Jaco Venter (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka
79 Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
80 Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
81 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky
82 Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin Sharp
83 Timofey Kritskiy (Rus) Rusvelo 0:14:02
84 Vladimir Isaichev (Rus) Team Katusha
85 Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
86 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale
87 Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
88 Alexey Tsatevitch (Rus) Team Katusha
89 Marco Bandiera (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
90 Nicola Testi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
91 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) IAM Cycling
92 Robert Wagner (Ger) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
93 Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka
94 Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale
95 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
96 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
97 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
98 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Sky
99 David Millar (GBr) Garmin Sharp
100 Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (Fra) Fdj.fr
101 Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar
102 Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
103 Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka
104 Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
105 Benjamin Le Montagner (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
DNF Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha
DNF Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha
DNF Rudiger Selig (Ger) Team Katusha
DNF Kenny De Haes (Bel) Lotto Belisol
DNF Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol
DNF Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
DNF Steve Chainel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Thomas Leezer (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
DNF Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
DNF Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
DNF Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team
DNF Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team
DNF Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team
DNF Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
DNF William Bonnet (Fra) Fdj.fr
DNF Mickael Delage (Fra) Fdj.fr
DNF Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin Sharp
DNF Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin Sharp
DNF Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
DNF Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky
DNF Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky
DNF Christopher Sutton (Aus) Team Sky
DNF Manuel Belletti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Antonio Parrinello (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Andrea Zordan (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Erwann Corbel (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
DNF Pierre-Luc Perrichon (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
DNF Pawel Charucki (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Piotr Gawronski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Nikolay Mihaylov (Bul) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Jacek Morajko (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNF Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Kevin Ista (Bel) IAM Cycling
DNF Dominic Klemme (Ger) IAM Cycling
DNF Pirmin Lang (Swi) IAM Cycling
DNF Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM Cycling
DNF Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN – Qhubeka
DNF Igor Boev (Rus) Rusvelo
DNF Leonid Krasnov (Rus) Rusvelo
DNF Roman Maikin (Rus) Rusvelo
DNF Andrei Solomennikov (Rus) Rusvelo
DNF Gennadiy Tatarinov (Rus) Rusvelo
DNF Blaz Jarc (Slo) Team Netapp – Endura
DNF Ralf Matzka (Ger) Team Netapp – Endura
DNF Jonathan Mcevoy (GBr) Team Netapp – Endura
DNF Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team Netapp – Endura
DNF Paul Voss (Ger) Team Netapp – Endura
DNF Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert