Tour of Flanders 2018 [LAST 30 KM]

April 01, 2018

Tour of Flanders 2018 – Antwerpen – Oudenaarde : 264,7 km

The 2018 Tour of Flanders (Dutch: Ronde van Vlaanderen 2018) was a road cycling one-day race that took place on 1 April 2018 in Belgium. It was the 102nd edition of the Tour of Flanders and the thirteenth event of the 2018 UCI World Tour.

Niki Terpstra continued Quick-Step Floors’ domination of the Belgian Classics with a solo win in the Tour of Flanders on Sunday. The Dutchman jumped clear over the top of the Kruisberg after Milan-San Remo winner Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) attacked.

Terpstra dropped the Italian soon after before catching, and then dropping, a trio of riders from the early breakaway on the Kwaremont. Despite a chase from a group containing Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) and last year’s winner Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) over the last two climbs, Terpstra was able to hold on for the win. Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) secured second place after surviving from the early break, as Gilbert capped another excellent day for Quick-Step with third place.

Terptra’s attack mirrored the move he made in the 2015 edition of the race, but unlike three years ago he didn’t have Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) for company. By the time Nibali had attacked, several other riders had shown their cards. Van Avermaet had accelerated on the Taaienberg, with Sybar, Moscon and Roelandts also making moves. Terpstra’s move may have come after Nibali’s, but it was effortless yet brutally decisive in comparison. The former Paris-Roubaix winner glided onto Nibali’s back wheel, waited as the Italian burnt is last match, and then simply pressed on the pedal. It almost looked easy.

With Terpstra clear, the rest of the Quick-Step team could sit back and force the likes of Sagan, Van Avermaet and Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First-Drapac) to organise a chase. With little in the way of team support, and unwillingness to sacrifice their chances only to see Gilbert or Stybar counter, the chase never truly looked cohesive. Quick-Step’s strength in numbers never looked so important.

At the foot of the final climb, the Paterberg, Terpstra held a 36-second lead over the group of main chasers. Sagan attempted to go clear on the climb, and again on the run-in, but he was closely marked and unable to create a significant gap as Terpstra set about a lone time trial to the finish.

As Terpstra raised his arms in victory, Gilbert marked a late move from Michael Valgren (Astana). Pedersen took a well-deserved second place, with Gilbert rounding out the podium.

“It’s a dream come true,” Terpstra said. “Winning Paris-Roubaix and now the Tour of Flanders… Those two races were always a big dream for me when I was young kid. I was already crazy about those two races. Now they’re both on my palmares. I can’t describe how happy I am.”

The win continues Quick-Steps’ dominance this season. The Belgian outfit, who started the race with four cards to play, have now won Le Samyn, Dwars door West Vlaanderen, Handzame Classic, De Panne, E3 Harelbeke, Dwars door Vlaanderen and Flanders. Few would bet against them winning next week in Paris-Roubaix.

Results :
1 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors 6:21:25
2 Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:12
3 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:17
4 Michael Valgren (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:00:20
5 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:00:25
6 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
7 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
8 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
9 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
10 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quick-Step Floors
11 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
12 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Team Sky
13 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
14 Timo Roosen (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:01:09
15 Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:13
16 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
17 Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
18 Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb
19 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data
20 Magnus Cort (Den) Astana Pro Team
21 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky
22 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 0:01:15
23 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
24 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:01:18
25 Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Bahrain-Merida 0:01:24
26 Daniel Oss (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:03:16
27 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) BMC Racing Team
28 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky
29 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
30 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 0:03:40
31 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
32 John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
33 Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin
34 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team
35 Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
36 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
37 Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) Bahrain-Merida
38 Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
39 Gregory Rast (Swi) Trek-Segafredo
40 Sven Erik Bystr¿m (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
41 Julien Vermote (Bel) Dimension Data
42 Koen de Kort (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
43 Amund Gr¿ndahl Jansen (Nor) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:03:44
44 Florian Senechal (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 0:03:47
45 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott 0:04:10
46 Kristijan Koren (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
47 Piet Allegaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
48 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Groupama-FDJ
49 Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
50 Sacha Modolo (Ita) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
51 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
52 Oscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro Team
53 S¿ren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb 0:05:49
54 Maarten Wynants (Bel) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:07:34
55 Stefan KŸng (Swi) BMC Racing Team
56 Jos van Emden (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:08:18
57 Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal
58 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal
59 Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team
60 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team
61 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal
62 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team
63 Tony Martin (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
64 Luke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
65 Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar Team 0:09:14
66 Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
67 Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale
68 Dion Smith (NZl) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
69 Alex Kirsch (Lux) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
70 Huub Duijn (Ned) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
71 Patrick MŸller (Swi) Vital Concept Club
72 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
73 Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky
74 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal
75 Lukas Spengler (Swi) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
76 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
77 Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team Sunweb
78 Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
79 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Groupama-FDJ
80 Tom Scully (NZl) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
81 Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
82 Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal
83 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
84 Luka Mezgec (Slo) Mitchelton-Scott
85 Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
86 Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
87 Sean De Bie (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan 0:13:12
88 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
89 Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:14:31
90 Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
91 Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
92 Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
93 Ryan Mullen (Ire) Trek-Segafredo
94 Jan Willem van Schip (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
95 Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension Data
96 Nicolas Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data
97 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Groupama-FDJ
98 Matti Breschel (Den) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
99 Alex Edmondson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
100 Taylor Phinney (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
101 Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
102 Justin Jules (Fra) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
103 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
104 Stijn Steels (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Truls Korsaeth (Nor) Astana Pro Team
DNF Michael Sch_r (Swi) BMC Racing Team
DNF Francisco Ventoso (Spa) BMC Racing Team
DNF Alberto Bettiol (Ita) BMC Racing Team
DNF Edward Theuns (Bel) Team Sunweb
DNF Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
DNF Rudy Barbier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Tim Declercq (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
DNF Tony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Sunweb
DNF Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Sunweb
DNF Fredrik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Mitchel Docker (Aus) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
DNF Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb
DNF Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Johann van Zyl (RSA) Dimension Data
DNF Stijn Devolder (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Michael Goolaerts (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Zico Waeytens (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
DNF Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
DNF Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
DNF Mark McNally (GBr) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
DNF Kenny Dehaes (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
DNF Maxime Vantomme (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
DNF Julien Mortier (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
DNF Edward Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Floris Gerts (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Aime De Gendt (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Sjoerd van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Brian van Goethem (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Bryan Coquard (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Bert de Backer (Bel) Vital Concept Club
DNF Johan Le Bon (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF J_r_my Lecroq (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Julien Morice (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept Club
DNF Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Pieter Weening (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Antoine Duchesne (Can) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Jack Bauer (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
DNF Michael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
DNF Jorge Arcas (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Nuno Matos (Por) Movistar Team
DNF Jasha SŸtterlin (Ger) Movistar Team
DNF Hector Carretero (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Ryan Gibbons (RSA) Dimension Data
DNF Michael van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Jay Thomson (RSA) Dimension Data
DNF Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
DNF Pascal Eenkhoorn (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
DNF Bram Tankink (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
DNF Robert Wagner (Ger) LottoNL-Jumbo
DNF Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky
DNF Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky
DNF Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Simone Consonni (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Filippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Ben Swift (GBr) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Jose Goncçalves (Por) Katusha-Alpecin
DSQ Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky