Philippe Gilbert proved that he is back in form by delivering a great performance in today's RideLondon Classic where he was arguably the strongest rider and created the selection. However, the Belgian was frustrated to have messed it up in the final sprint.

BMC Racing Team's Philippe Gilbert finished fourth and newly-signed stagiaire Loïc Vliegen was seventh in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic. Gilbert's attack 20 kilometers from the finish of the 192-km race sliced an 11-man breakaway group to five on a climb 20 km from the finish.

A second attack whittled it to just Gilbert and Julian Alaphilippe (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), but the three others came back, setting up a five-man sprint to the finish.

"(Sporting Manager) Allan Peiper told me that the last sprint bonification was a hill, so I decided to give it a little chance there," Gilbert said. "I was hoping to go again on the last climb and I went, but it made little difference."

Gilbert said he was not at his best in the sprint, which was won by Adam Blythe (NFTO) ahead of Ben Swift (Team Sky) and Alaphilippe.

"I was second position and that was not the best," the past world road champion said.

Vliegen, who was signed as a stagiaire earlier this month from the BMC Development Team, said he tried to make the most of a pre-race order from Peiper to make the day's breakaway.

"In the last 80 kilometers, we were 40 in the front when Sky put pressure on the peloton," he said. "I attacked on a hill and the selection (to the group of 11) was made."

The 20-year-old – winner of the opening stage of Tryptiques Ardennais earlier this year and runner-up in pair of one-day races in Belgium – called his first race with the BMC Racing Team a success.

"Unfortunately, I had some cramps and could not follow Philippe in the final," he said. "But I am happy with my result."