BMC went into the Eneco Tour with two potential winners of the race and even though they failed to win the race overall, they leave the race with positive feeling. Greg Van Avermaet won a stage and finished fifth overall while Philippe Gilbert built condition for the Vuelta and ended the race in 7th.
BMC Racing Team's Greg Van Avermaet finished fifth and Philippe Gilbert was seventh in the final standings of the Eneco Tour of Benelux Sunday as teammate Silvan Dillier placed ninth in the final stage. Dillier and teammate Daniel Oss were part of a large breakaway group from which Guillaume van Keirsbulck (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) soloed away to win the 183.4-kilometer race.
Tim Wellens (Lotto-Belisol) held on to win the race overall after taking the penultimate stage on Saturday. Van Avermaet – who won Friday's stage – and Gilbert were unable to break free from the peloton on the circuitous course that started in Belgium and finished in The Netherlands.
"We raced really aggressively, we were always there," Van Avermaet said. "We can be proud of the work all week. Manuel Quinziato did a great race. Too bad he had a bad day yesterday. All the rest were working for Phil and me. I thank them very much for the work they did. It saved me a lot of energy to make a good result."
Gilbert moved up one spot in the final standings Sunday after Keirsbulck's teammate, Niki Terpstra, was disqualified, dislodging him from his seventh place overall. The past world road champion said he saw the result – his 21st top 10 performance of the season – as a step forward.
"I am happy I was always fighting with the best," Gilbert said. "I think I am missing some percentage of form. But now, after a few days of recovery, I hope I can get my form back."
BMC Racing Team Sporting Manager Allan Peiper said Van Avermaet's stage win and two riders in the top 10 overall were highlights of a race he said built team spirit.
"I think we can be very happy with the way the team rode," he said. "We came here to win and we gave it our best shot. We were possibly the strongest team in the race and did everything to try and win it overall."
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