The rain and cold added an extra level of stress to Gent-Wevelgem, but when the insane winds kicked into action the race turned into an unusual frightening affair: riders could barely stay on bikes - many didn’t - as gusts whipped chaos in the peloton.

Gert Steegmans was a victim during this crazy period; he explained to TFR.com his bizarre crash that could have ended much worse:

“Just bad luck today. We came into the Moeren and we know there is always wind here, but today there was extreme wind. I was in the first echelon and suddenly a guy a little in front of me is blown into me and takes both of us into the ditch. I fell into the water, then I had to try and get out - my race was over. I was pretty cold, but I also hurt something in my groin and leg – I hit a pole – and my mouth is quite sore, too.”

Grégory Rast witnessed Gert’s spectacular launch into the canal, and although he has experienced many an epic race due to weather, today was something that was a “different crazy” he explained.

“I have never seen something like this – guys were getting blown off the road into the river, even big guys like Gert Steegmans were blown into the river, and that was quite impressive,” said Rast. “When I saw Gert swimming in the river that was quite a shock. It was completely crazy – I never, never saw something like this. We were leaning 45 degrees into the wind just to try and stay on our bikes.”

The day began under heavy rain and Jesse Sergent joined the day’s early escape of seven riders that stayed away for over 100 kilometers. When they were finally brought back, Grégory Rast and Danny and Boy van Poppel were the last of Trek Factory Racing still surviving. 

The race hit its crucial point in the climbs stacked in the last 119 kilometers of the 239-kilometer course, and it was here that the usual suspects, the best Classics men, came to the fore. 

Grégory Rast explained the key moment of the race:

“The first climb of the Kemmelberg we went up really fast. It was fast before the Kemmelberg, on the Kemmel it was fast, and after the Kemmel. Then there was lots of jumping and I was not able to follow, and as soon as the big teams all had one rider [up] there then it was over, no one wanted to pull. 

“Danny was there at first, then just Boy and Boy tried to attack but he didn’t make it across. Then I was alone and alone I can do nothing.  When all the big teams are there, and all the strongest riders, then yeah I knew it was over.”

For sprinter Danny van Poppel, 20, it was a race he’d rather forget. Although he did admit that perhaps in the future he could learn to race this type of terrain, it will never replace the sprints.

“It was a really crazy race; very hard.  Before the first climb echelons formed and I was dropped with a big group - so nothing special for me today. This is not my favorite type of race, and from what I felt today, I think I will never like this kind of race.  But next year when I am one year stronger maybe I will feel different…but really the sprint is my goal for the next years.”

In the end, only 39 survivors would finish the epic race. Luca Paolini (Katusha) bettered five of the day's strongest - and luckiest - men and soloed to a well-earned victory.