For the second year in a row, André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) won the oldest race on the cycling calendar, the Brussels Cycling Classic which was formerly known as Paris-Brussels. The German was given a perfect lead-out in the expected bunch sprint and held off Elia Viviani (Cannondale) and Arnaud Demare (FDJ) to make it two in a row in the biggest Belgian autumn race.

One year ago, André Greipel took his first victory in a big one-day race when he beat John Degenkolb and Nacer Bouhanni in the Brussels Cycling Classic. Today he repeated that achievement when he defended his title in the 93rd edition of the old race that was formerly known as Paris-Brussels.

After a very aggressive race, it all came down to the expected bunch sprint but Greipel seemed to be out of the running when he was poorly positioned at the flamme rouge. At that point, FDJ were in complete control, trying to lead Arnaud Demare out.

However, Tony Gallopin made a perfect lead-out to sprint past the FDJ train with his captain on his wheel. Elia Viviani was just behind the big German and both were in a great position when they started their sprint.

Viviani tried to pass Greipel but he was no match to the powerful German who easily took the win. Demare had lost his position due to Gallopin’s move and tried to make a long sprint that allowed him to complete the podium.

The 93rd edition of the race was held on a 201.7km course that started and finished in Brussels. After a mostly flat first part, the riders did five laps of a tough circuit that included three hellingen, and in total the riders had to tackle 19 of those small climbs. The final 47km were flat though and the riders finished the race by doing a lap of a 15km finishing circuit.

The riders took off under a cloudy sky but there was no rain and very little wind. The race got off to a very fast start with lots of attacks before the early break finally took off.

Christophe Riblon (Ag2r), Antonino Parrinello (Androni), Clement Koretzky (Bretagne), Matteo Rabottini (Neri Sottoli), Jan Ghyselinck (Wanty) and Tom Dernies (Wallonie) made up the group that was allowed to build an advantage that reached a maximum of 5.46. However, Lotto Belisol, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, Colombia and Trek took control and they started to bring back the early escapees.

After 83km of racing, the gap was 5.50 but 15km further down the road, the break was only 3.15 ahead. With Colombia doing most of the work in the peloton, the gap continued to melt away and at the top of the Langestraat climb with 78km to go, the advantage was just 1.50.

Now OPQS wanted to make the race hard and so Iljo Keisse brought the gap down to less than a minute before his teammate Gert Steegmans took off on the Smeysberg. Yoann Offredo (FDJ) and several other riders joined him while Rabottini dropped his companions in the front group.

It all came back together but that didn’t dampen the aggressive spirit. Offredo launched a strong attack the final time up the Langestraat and a big 20-rider group was created.

As there was no cooperation, it all came back together for the final climb. Ben Gastauer (Ag2r), Dylan Theuns (Topsport) and Jempy Drucker (Wanty) managed to get a gap but at the top of the climb, they were brought back.

While Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek) had to fight his way back from a puncture, the attacking continued. The right move was launched by Kenneth Vanbilsen (Topsport) and he was joined by his teammate Jasper De Buyst, Lars Bak (Lotto) and Bjorn Thurau (Europcar) to form a strong quartet.

With 35km to go, they were 15 seconds ahead but Cannondale were now chasing hard. As Trek also lend them a hand, the advantage started to come down.

This was the signal for Bak to try a move and the Dane dropped his companions that were all brought back. He managed to reopen his advantage to 25 seconds with 23km to go but now Androni had joined forces with Trek and Cannondale and with 21km to go, Bak was back in the fold.

Europcar started to ride tempo on the front but has no response when Luca Wackermann (Lampre) and Andriy Grivko (Astana) attacked with 20km to go. They were joined by Mauro Finetto (Neri) and Sebastien Delfosse (Wallonie) and as only Europcar led the chase, they had a 7-second advantage at the penultimate passage of the line.

Now OPQS, Wanty and Lotto started to chase and with 12km to go, it was all back together. OPQS set a hard pace until FDJ took over with 6km to go.

The French team was passed by NetApp-Endura who did a great job to lead the group until they hit the flamme rouge. Here FDJ again took over but it was Gallopin who set Greipel up for the win.

Most of the riders will get a chance to take revenge in tomorrow’s GP de Fourmies which has a slightly hillier course and can be won by both an attacker or a strong sprinter who can handle the climbs.