Having joined the right breakaway, Kevin Van Melsen found himself in a perfect position to take a breakthrough spot on the podium in Paris-Tours. Unfortunately, a gear problem left the Belgian empty-handed.

Wanty-Groupe Gobert showed itself in Paris-Tours, the last of the Classics of the European road season. Kévin Van Melsen was present in the break of the day and Roy Jans sprinted to a fourth position. Jelle Wallays won the race ahead of Thomas Voeckler.  

Kèvin Van Melsen was part of a breakaway of eight riders that attacked from the gun. He could stay with Wallays and Voeckler when they attacked the break in the final. The gap between the three leaders and the peloton was over one and a half minutes at 20 kilometres from the line. 

The three leaders had good chances to make it to the finish together when Kévin Van Melsen encountered terrible bad luck.

"On the last Côte, the Côte de Beau Soleil, my chain gave problems. I didn't have any trouble with it before," he explains. 

"I couldn't shift anymore because the chain wouldn't move. When Voeckler attacked on that climb and Wallays followed him, I couldn't. I am very disappointed because a podium place was in the cards today."

"I don't get many chances to ride a final like I did today," Van Melsen continues. "Today was my chance. I felt strong. Yes, the other two might have been stronger but the podium was a real possibility."

For sports director Hilaire Vanderschueren even a victory for the team would have been possible. 

"Van Melsen would have gone to the finish with Voeckler and Wallays. A podium place was a certainty and it might even have been more than third."

"In the end I am happy with what the team did though. We had a good plan before the start: a rider in the breakaway and three others to stay with Drucker, Jans and Leukemans. Unfortunately 'Leuki' crashed at 10km from the finish but with Jans and Drucker in fourth and sixth I am happy." 

Wanty-Groupe Gobert still sits second in the Europe Tour ranking with a 125-points lead on Cofidis. The Sluitingsprijs Putte-Kapellen is the last race of the season. "If we can win one more time, that would be great," Vanderschueren concludes.