Ian Stannard (Team Sky) defended his Omloop Het Nieuwsblad title and pulled off an incredible victory today despite being outnumbered in the final break.
Stannard found himself in a four-man breakaway with a narrow gap as they headed into the final 40 kilometres by three Etixx – Quick-Step riders: Tom Boonen, Stijn Vandenbergh and Niki Terpstra.
Stannard shut down a pair of late attacks on the run into Gent before out-sprinting Niki Terpstra to seal the victory.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Ian Stannard told TeamSky.com after the race. “It’s nice to do the double sweep at the race, but after the difficulties I had last year breaking my back it’s nice to have got myself back to where I was.
“Being with those three guys I knew they were all committed to trying to win. As a team they haven’t won it for 10 years and it’s a big one missing off Boonen’s palmares. I knew they were going to race hard. With Sep Vanmarcke and Greg van Avermaet chasing behind it put the pressure on them. I could just sit back, play a bit of poker and enjoy the ride.
“I just wanted to get a free ride for as long as I could. That was my idea. When they all started attacking me it wasn’t a great feeling. When Boonen went I was thinking ‘right, what do I do here?’ I knew if I rode him back I’d get attacked. I paced myself back a little bit. I could feel the wheel behind was trying hard to stay with me. So I felt like it was going pretty good and then I just took my chance.”
“All the guys got me into the climbs perfectly. I felt a bit of pressure when you’ve got a Tour de France winner putting it all on the line for you. You can only really finish it off can’t you! The whole team has really lifted a level since last year. We were always at the front and always perfectly positioned. Quick-Step took me to the end and I only had to race the last 4km (laughs)!”
The small gap that the four-man breakaway had and a chasing peloton played into Stannard’s hands, even though he was outnumbered.
Tom Boonen said, “Today we made a mistake in the final. We were in control of the race with three riders in the front group. In the final kilometers we attacked. Niki went first, Stannard reacted, and then I countered with my move. I was pretty sure at that time that it was the right moment to do it. But Stannard had the strategy to ride on the wheels of us three in the lead group, and save his energy until the final kilometers, so he was a bit fresher. He was also strong today. So, he caught me. The best thing to do at that point would have been to stay calm and wait for the sprint. But we had been full gas for the last hour, so really it was about instinct at that point. So, Niki attacked again, then Stannard, and then the final sprint was between those two guys. There is a thin line between a great race and a costly mistake and unfortunately we took the risk of not waiting for the sprint, and it didn’t work out. It would have been great to win the race, but that’s cycling. Congrats to Stannard. He rode a smart tactical race and his reactions to our attacks were impressive.”
Niki Terpstra added, “In the end I was alone with Stannard. I was in front for the sprint. I saw it was 300 meters and I decided not to go yet. Then I accelerated at 200 meters. Normally that is perfect for me, but I didn’t have the perfect sprinting legs after the big effort all day. I thought I had him until 50 meters in front of the finish line. I had nothing left in my legs at that point. Looking back, maybe it would have been better to wait for the sprint with Tom and not attacking, but it’s a question of moment and circumstances.”
However, Etixx-QuickStep team manager Patrick Lefevre was critical towards Stannard’s tactics. He told Sporza, “Stannard did what he had to do. Then again, I think that a rider from his calibre from that team should share the work until the gap was 40 seconds. He played it hard but tomorrow or next week it’s another race, then we can play that game. Stannard was team leader today. A team leader that was on the wheels for 40 kilometres. A rider of his level, a team leader, doesn’t stay on the wheels for 40 kilometres.”
“For us it wasn’t possible to play poker. There were three men at 20 seconds then you have to keep riding.”
Up next for the opening weekend of the Spring Classics is Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on Sunday, March 1, which can typically end in a breakaway or a bunch sprint. You can see the full Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne startlist here.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite
: Gent > Gent
Saturday 28th February (2015)
Classification: 1.HC
Category: Int. Men
Distance: 200.2km
| 1. |  |
STANNARD Ian
Team Sky
|
04:58:41 |
| 2. |  |
TERPSTRA Niki
Etixx - Quick Step
|
- |
| 3. |  |
BOONEN Tom
Etixx - Quick Step
|
0:08 |
| 4. | |
VANDENBERGH Stijn
Etixx - Quick Step
|
0:15 |
| 5. | |
VANMARCKE Sep
Team LottoNL-Jumbo
|
1:24 |
| 6. | |
VAN AVERMAET Greg
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 7. |  |
TYBAR Zdeněk
Etixx - Quick Step
|
1:29 |
| 8. | |
GILBERT Philippe
BMC Racing Team
|
4:35 |
| 9. | |
ROWE Luke
Team Sky
|
4:55 |
| 10. |  |
DéMARE Arnaud
FDJ
|
- |
| 11. |  |
KRISTOFF Alexander
Team Katusha
|
- |
| 12. | |
DEBUSSCHERE Jens
Lotto Soudal
|
- |
| 13. | |
KREDER Wesley
Team Roompot Oranje Peloton
|
- |
| 14. | |
THEUNS Edward
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
|
- |
| 15. |  |
MARCATO Marco
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
|
- |
| 16. | |
ASSELMAN Jesper
Team Roompot Oranje Peloton
|
- |
| 17. | |
TULIK Angelo
Team Europcar
|
- |
| 18. |  |
BURGHARDT Marcus
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 19. | |
MAES Nikolas
Etixx - Quick Step
|
- |
| 20. | |
DE NEGRI Pier Paolo
Nippo - Vini Fantini
|
- |
| 21. |  |
HOULE Hugo
AG2R La Mondiale
|
- |
| 22. |  |
SCHAR Michael
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 23. |  |
TSATEVICH Alexey
Team Katusha
|
- |
| 24. | |
SENECHAL Florian
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
- |
| 25. | |
PINEAU Jérome
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| 26. | |
OFFREDO Yoann
FDJ
|
- |
| 27. | |
BOASSON HAGEN Edvald
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| 28. | |
CHAVANEL Sylvain
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| 29. | |
SELVAGGI Mirko
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
|
- |
| 30. | |
LIGTHART Pim
Lotto Soudal
|
- |
| 31. | |
NAESEN Oliver
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
|
- |
| 32. | |
LEUKEMANS Bjorn
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
|
- |
| 33. |  |
HAUSSLER Heinrich
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| 34. | |
HOOGERLAND Johnny
Team Roompot Oranje Peloton
|
- |
| 35. | |
VACHON Florian
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
|
- |
| 36. | |
BENOOT Tiesj
Lotto Soudal
|
- |
| 37. | |
MINARD Sébastien
AG2R La Mondiale
|
- |
| 38. | |
TEUNS Dylan
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 39. | |
CHAINEL Steve
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
- |
| 40. | |
GATTO Oscar
Androni Giocattoli
|
- |
| 41. | |
SIEBERG Marcel
Lotto Soudal
|
- |
| 42. | |
PUCCIO Salvatore
Team Sky
|
- |
| 43. |  |
HALLER Marco
Team Katusha
|
5:06 |
| 44. | |
WIGGINS Bradley
Team Sky
|
5:09 |
| 45. | |
VANSUMMEREN Johan
AG2R La Mondiale
|
5:18 |
| 46. | |
GAUDIN Damien
AG2R La Mondiale
|
- |
| 47. | |
TRENTIN Matteo
Etixx - Quick Step
|
5:45 |
| 48. | |
BROECKX Stig
Lotto Soudal
|
7:23 |
| 49. |  |
DRUCKER Jean-Pierre
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 50. |  |
JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| 51. |  |
FARRAR Tyler
MTN - Qhubeka
|
9:50 |
| 52. | |
WAEYTENS Zico
Team Giant - Alpecin
|
10:19 |
| 53. | |
DE KORT Koen
Team Giant - Alpecin
|
- |
| 54. | |
CURVERS Roy
Team Giant - Alpecin
|
- |
| 55. | |
SINKELDAM Ramon
Team Giant - Alpecin
|
- |
| 56. | |
KEISSE Iljo
Etixx - Quick Step
|
- |
| 57. | |
DOWNING Russell
Cult Energy Pro Cycling
|
- |
| 58. | |
VAN LERBERGHE Bert
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
|
- |
| 59. | |
DUYN Huub
Team Roompot Oranje Peloton
|
- |
| 60. | |
KERKHOF Tim
Team Roompot Oranje Peloton
|
- |
| 61. | |
ZABEL Rick
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 62. | |
TERPSTRA Mike
Team Roompot Oranje Peloton
|
- |
| 63. | |
FINETTO Mauro
Southeast
|
- |
| 64. | |
HELVEN Sander
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
|
- |
| 65. | |
KNEES Christian
Team Sky
|
- |
| 66. |  |
REYNES MIMO Vicente
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| 67. |  |
KUREK Adrian
CCC Sprandi Polkowice
|
- |
| 68. | |
BRäNDLE Matthias
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| 69. | |
KIRSCH Alex
Cult Energy Pro Cycling
|
- |
| 70. | |
BRUN Frederic
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
|
- |
| 71. | |
EISEL Bernhard
Team Sky
|
- |
| 72. | |
DECLERCQ Tim
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
|
- |
| 73. | |
SELIG Rüdiger
Team Katusha
|
- |
| 74. | |
DUCHESNE Antoine
Team Europcar
|
- |
| 75. | |
MARTINEZ Yannick
Team Europcar
|
- |
| 76. |  |
SMUKULIS Gatis
Team Katusha
|
- |
| 77. | |
BYSTRøM Sven Erik
Team Katusha
|
- |
| 78. | |
BERNAUDEAU Giovanni
Team Europcar
|
- |
| 79. | |
DE VRIES Berden
Team Roompot Oranje Peloton
|
- |
| 80. | |
VERHELST Louis
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
- |
| 81. | |
VAN GOETHEM Brian
Team Roompot Oranje Peloton
|
- |
| 82. | |
PETIT Adrien
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
- |
| 83. | |
COLLI Daniele
Nippo - Vini Fantini
|
- |
| 84. | |
WYNANTS Maarten
Team LottoNL-Jumbo
|
- |
| 85. |  |
BRAMMEIER Matthew
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| 86. | |
VENTER Jaco
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| 87. | |
DELAGE Mickaël
FDJ
|
- |
| 88. | |
WYSS Danilo
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 89. | |
GESLIN Anthony
FDJ
|
- |
| 90. | |
BONNET William
FDJ
|
- |
| 91. | |
VAN HOECKE Gijs
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
|
- |
| 92. | |
WALLAYS Jelle
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
|
- |
| 93. | |
VANSPEYBROUCK Pieter
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
|
- |
| 94. | |
VOSS Paul
Bora-Argon 18
|
- |
| 95. | |
THWAITES Scott
Bora-Argon 18
|
- |
| 96. | |
WAGNER Robert
Team LottoNL-Jumbo
|
- |
| 97. | |
PFINGSTEN Christoph
Bora-Argon 18
|
- |
| 98. | |
VAN EMDEN Jos
Team LottoNL-Jumbo
|
- |
| 99. | |
TANKINK Bram
Team LottoNL-Jumbo
|
- |
| 100. |  |
JõEääR Gert
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
- |
| 101. | |
BELLETTI Manuel
Southeast
|
- |
| 102. | |
SCHILLINGER Andreas
Bora-Argon 18
|
- |
| 103. | |
CIOLEK Gerald
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| 104. | |
BANDIERA Marco
Androni Giocattoli
|
- |
| 105. | |
DEVENYNS Dries
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| DNF. |  |
REIHS Michael
Cult Energy Pro Cycling
|
- |
| DNF. | |
CARBEL SVENDGAARD Michael
Cult Energy Pro Cycling
|
- |
| DNF. | |
VINTHER Troels
Cult Energy Pro Cycling
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MARECZKO Jakub
Southeast
|
- |
| DNF. |  |
ZHUPA Eugert
Southeast
|
- |
| DNF. | |
GENE Yohann
Team Europcar
|
- |
| DNF. | |
JEROME Vincent
Team Europcar
|
- |
| DNF. | |
VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume
Etixx - Quick Step
|
- |
| DNF. | |
DE BACKER Bert
Team Giant - Alpecin
|
- |
| DNF. | |
ARNDT Nikias
Team Giant - Alpecin
|
- |
| DNF. | |
DEHAES Kenny
Lotto Soudal
|
- |
| DNF. | |
DE BIE Sean
Lotto Soudal
|
- |
| DNF. | |
DOCKX Gert
Lotto Soudal
|
- |
| DNF. | |
ELMIGER Martin
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| DNF. | |
AREGGER Marcel
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| DNF. | |
LE BON Johan
FDJ
|
- |
| DNF. | |
LADAGNOUS Matthieu
FDJ
|
- |
| DNF. |  |
MIHAYLOV Nikolay
CCC Sprandi Polkowice
|
- |
| DNF. | |
RUTKIEWICZ Marek
CCC Sprandi Polkowice
|
- |
| DNF. | |
CECCHINEL Giorgio
Southeast
|
- |
| DNF. | |
VIOLA Antonio
Nippo - Vini Fantini
|
- |
| DNF. | |
STACCHIOTTI Riccardo
Nippo - Vini Fantini
|
- |
| DNF. | |
POZZO Mattia
Nippo - Vini Fantini
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MARINI Nicolas
Nippo - Vini Fantini
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MALAGUTI Alessandro
Nippo - Vini Fantini
|
- |
| DNF. |  |
GROSU Eduard Michael
Nippo - Vini Fantini
|
- |
| DNF. | |
THOMSON Jay Robert
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| DNF. | |
BOS Theo
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| DNF. | |
ZANGERLE Joel
Cult Energy Pro Cycling
|
- |
| DNF. | |
DAL COL Andrea
Southeast
|
- |
| DNF. |  |
ANDRIATO DE MATTAS Rafael
Southeast
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MCLAY Daniel
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
|
- |
| DNF. | |
PERICHON Pierre-Luc
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MARYCZ Jaroslaw
CCC Sprandi Polkowice
|
- |
| DNF. | |
KIENDYS Tomasz
CCC Sprandi Polkowice
|
- |
| DNF. | |
LABORIE Christophe
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MONDORY Lloyd
AG2R La Mondiale
|
- |
| DNF. | |
BAUGNIES Jerome
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
|
- |
| DNF. | |
DE TROYER Tim
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
|
- |
| DNF. | |
VAN MELSEN Kevin
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
|
- |
| DNF. | |
GOUGEARD Alexis
AG2R La Mondiale
|
- |
| DNF. | |
KUZNETSOV Viacheslav
Team Katusha
|
- |
| DNF. | |
LEEZER Tom
Team LottoNL-Jumbo
|
- |
| DNF. | |
TJALLINGII Maarten
Team LottoNL-Jumbo
|
- |
| DNF. | |
JARRIER Benoit
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
|
- |
| DNF. | |
SCHWARZMANN Michael
Bora-Argon 18
|
- |
| DNF. | |
SCHORN Daniel
Bora-Argon 18
|
- |
| DNF. | |
DEMPSTER Zakkari
Bora-Argon 18
|
- |
| DNF. |  |
ARCHBOLD Shane
Bora-Argon 18
|
- |
| DNF. |  |
BAGDONAS Gediminas
AG2R La Mondiale
|
- |
| DNF. | |
VAN ASBROECK Tom
Team LottoNL-Jumbo
|
- |
| DNF. | |
DALL\'ANTONIA Tiziano
Androni Giocattoli
|
- |
| DNF. | |
FRAPPORTI Marco
Androni Giocattoli
|
- |
| DNF. | |
CHICCHI Francesco
Androni Giocattoli
|
- |
| DNF. | |
VEUCHELEN Frederik
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
|
- |
| DNF. | |
VIVIANI Elia
Team Sky
|
- |
| DNF. | |
SUTTON Chris
Team Sky
|
- |
| DNF. | |
PEDERSEN Mads
Cult Energy Pro Cycling
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MORTENSEN Martin
Cult Energy Pro Cycling
|
- |
| DNF. | |
TURGIS Anthony
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
- |
| DNF. | |
LEMOINE Cyril
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
- |
| DNF. | |
LAPORTE Christophe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
- |
| DNF. | |
TACIAK Mateusz
CCC Sprandi Polkowice
|
- |
| DNF. | |
STEPNIAK Grzegorz
CCC Sprandi Polkowice
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MORICE Julien
Team Europcar
|
- |
| DNF. | |
ENGOULVENT Jimmy
Team Europcar
|
- |
| DNF. | |
BACKAERT Frederik
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
|
- |
| DNF. | |
BOUCHER David
FDJ
|
- |
| DNF. | |
CAM Maxime
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
|
- |
| DNF. | |
FEILLU Romain
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
|
- |
| DNF. | |
TIMMER Albert
Team Giant - Alpecin
|
- |
| DNF. | |
ISAYCHEV Vladimir
Team Katusha
|
- |
| DNF. | |
STAMSNIJDER Tom
Team Giant - Alpecin
|
- |
| DNS. | |
TURGOT Sébastien
AG2R La Mondiale
|
- |