Reactions from the first stage of Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen

 

Dylan Groenewegen continued the dream start to his WorldTour career by taking his second victory since joining LottoNL-Jumbo in the bunch sprint on stage 1 of the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen. The Dutchman managed to hold off Tosh van der Sande (Lotto Soudal) and Baptiste Planckaert (Wallonie) while Tom Bohli (BMC) finished safely in the peloton to retain his lead.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

Dylan Groenewegen: This gives me confidence for Gent-Wevelgem

Dylan Groenewegen grabbed the victory in the first stage of the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen today. Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s sprinter had to put in some effort in the chase to the breakaway, but kept energy for the final kick.

 

The difference between Groenewegen and runner-up Van Der Sande seemed big on the finish photograph, but Dylan Groenewegen had to go hard for his stage win in the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen.

 

“There was a strong breakaway, which we started to chase immediately,” sports director Merijn Zeeman said after the race. “They were caught only just before the final turn and Dylan had to close the gap by himself. His sprint was impressive afterwards. This victory is a show of his mental strength.”

 

“With two kilometres to go, Robert Wagner crashed,” Groenewegen explained. “From that moment, I had to do it all by myself. There were three riders still in front of the peloton and because I was on the front of the peloton when we caught them, just before the final turn, I decided to start sprinting immediately. I was able to hold the lead fortunately. It’s nice to start the season in a good way, so I wanted to peak early, this season. That’s what I’m doing at the moment and my shape’s getting better every week.

 

"It was a pretty agitated sprint. Previously, we lost Robert Wagner 1.5 kilometer from the finish. I launched my effort at the right time. I could win quite easily. 

 

"At 1.5 kilometer from the finish, our preparation was something destroyed when we lost Robert Wagner. From then on it went quite hectic. There were indeed two riders on the attack but they were ultimately caught, making it a mass sprint.

 

“We are in a dual position with Martin Keizer in second overall while we try to win, but on the other hand, I also look at the overall classification via bonuses.

 

"We also have Martijn (Keizer) for the general classification. Tomorrow the weather forecast is not good. They expect rain and strong winds. Today we played my card. On the final day we will see what we can do for Keizer. He can certainly hold his own in bad weather. With the team we will do everything to help him to victory. 

 

“The season has so far been good for me. I had already won a stage in the Tour of Valencia and now this first road stage. At Dwars door Vlaanderen and Ghent-Wevelgem, I will get my chance. I want to be good again. These races suit me.

 

“Personally, I keep my momentum early in the season. This is my second win of the season after a stage of the Tour of Valencia. I think I'm almost ready for my next goal: Gent-Wevelgem. "

 

Dylan Groenewegen’s confidence made Team LottoNL-Jumbo put forth some extra effort already early in the race to catch the break.

 

“Dylan really wants to win and he shows that as well,” Zeeman added. “That is why we decided to let some men chase the peloton who would normally have to save energy for the sprint lead-out. Dylan finished it off afterwards and gave everyone who fought for him a beautiful reward today.”

 

Tosh van der Sande: Groenewegen was just stronger

”2nd place! Perfect job of my @Lotto_Soudal mates but @GroenewegenD was stronger... ! @LouisVervaeke you almost made it , strong ride,” Tosh van der Sande tweeted after his second place. “Really want to say that @LouisVervaeke is more than just a climbing talent!”

 

Louis Vervaeke agonizingly close to first pro win in West Flanders

Louis Vervaeke was caught 400m from the finish.

 

"In the end, we were only two,” he told Directvelo.”2 kilometers from the finish, I saw him start to suffer. He may have been afraid of my sprint as I had taken bonus seconds during the day. 

 

“The sprints jersey is a consolation, but tomorrow I will not ride to defend the jersey. I will fight to allow Sean De Bie to win the overall. 

 

”Two laps from the finish, we were gone. I took bonus seconds to anticipate a favorable outcome from my escape. Combined with a stage win, I would perhaps have taken the leader's jersey. The peloton decided otherwise.”

 

"I felt the peloton get close to our group so I went on the attack alone. Nico [Denz] was the only one who wanted to join me but he didn’t work anymore no more. Perhaps he was afraid to ride to the finish line with me. Actually, I do not understand it. Maybe we would have stayed ahead with his help and he could have sprinted with for the win.

 

"I have already some intermediate sprints on my account. I am glad to have taken the red jersey as the leader in the sprint standings. A consolation prize. 

 

”Tomorrow I will not focus on this jersey. We are going for the final classification with Sean De Bie and possibly for a stage win with Tosh Van der Sande. I'm sorry that I was caught one kilometer from the finish line.”

 

Baptiste Plackaert returns from illness with third place in West Flanders

Baptiste Planckaert who returned to action on Wednesday at the GP Samyn after a period of illness (flu), was third. It was his second podium after third place at the GP Marseillaise.

 

"It was fast throughout the stage,” he said. “We were well placed on the Oude Kwaremont with a good group. We were there in all corners of the local circuit. We wanted to do the sprint for Olivier Chevalier. But he punctured 3 or 4 kilometers from the finish. So I did the sprint for myself and so I had to be close to the front early. 

 

“The sprint was pretty dangerous. We caught some riders just before entering the last corner. This positioning was difficult and I chose the inside which allowed me to pass some riders. I finally turned in third position and I stayed 3rd in the end. 

 

“The legs are not back yet, despite my result. I was a bloc on the local circuit in Harelbeke. I feel that I still need speed, strength, a bit of everything, really. But it will come.”

 

Danilo Napolitano gets his chance in West Flanders

Today's stage in Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen finished in a bunch sprint. Danilo Napolitano was Wanty’s dedicated sprinter and he finished tenth.

 

Kenny Dehaes was his lead-out man and is happy that he felt strong again after some illness after returning from Tour of Oman.

 

"It was a very fast race," Dehaes said. "It took until halfway into the race before a break was formed. Etixx-QuickStep and Lotto-Soudal tried many times but BMC kept countering for their race leader Tom Bohli."

 

On the Tiegemberg a break got clear but they never got more than 2,5 minutes. It would become a sprint and it was decided Napolitano would be the man.

 

"I took Napo on my wheel and did his lead-out. Maybe it was a bit too early but we missed some riders who were caught up behind a crash."

 

Tomorrow there is another chance for either Napolitano or Dehaes in the stage between Nieuwpoort and Ichtegem.

 

Bad luck for two Katusha sprinters in West Flanders

Stage 1 in the 3-day Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen (UCI 2.1) came down to a bunch sprint on Saturday. With two cards to play in the anticipated sprint, Team KATUSHA ran into some bad luck near the finish line, but Jhonatan Restrepo’s presence in the break still bodes well for things to come.

 

”Aleksandr Porsev was our man for the sprint. Unfortunately he was involved in a crash at 7 km from the finish. He had to change his wheel and of course it was impossible for him to come back. Our second fast man, Alexey Tsatevich, also had to stop because of that crash. Alexey was able to continue but his return to the peloton cost him too much effort to play a lead role in the final sprint. It was bad luck, but the good thing of the day was the enthusiasm of Restrepo. He was in the front and showing his good intentions on Flemish roads. I think he’s a guy with a nice future,” said sports director Gennady Mikhaylov. 

 

For the 176 km road stage from Brugge to Harelbeke featuring four climbs (Tiegemberg twice, Holstraat and Oude Kwaremont) Team KATUSHA’s Jhonatan Restrepo put himself in the break of the day with 7 other riders. He spent 70 km in the front before being caught at 15 km from the finish.

 

Steele von Hoff misses out in bunch sprint in West Flanders

At kilometer 98, ONE’s Steele Von Hoff was brought down on a narrow section of the course. Unharmed Von Hoff jumped back on his bike and quickly joined the peloton.

 

With several corners on the finishing circuit it was important that ONE Pro Cycling were positioned at the front of the peloton to protect sprinter Steele Von Hoff. Hayden McCormick was making a massive effort on the front of the peloton to bring the break back together ready for the sprint.

 

A crash with 3km to go saw Von Hoff get delayed for a moment, causing him to lose his lead out train. Under the 1km to go banner, Martin Mortensen was on the front of the peloton with the leaders hanging 10 seconds in front of the peloton. On the finishing straight the sprinting peloton caught the break with 200m to go but unfortunately Von Hoff hadn’t been able to make up the places following his delay, crossing the line in 17th place.  The rest of the squad crossed the line not far behind, leaving the Polish National Champion Marcin Bialoblocki sitting in 10th position on the General Classification while Kiwi rider Dion Smith is in 20th going into Stage 2 on Sunday 6th March.

 

Lukasz Wisniowski gets closer to the lead in West Flanders

Stage 1 (Brugge – Harelbeke, 176.3 km) of the Belgian race witnessed a fast start, this being the reason for which a group didn’t manage to snap the elastic. The main cause was that many teams were interested in contesting the first intermediate sprint, where Lukasz Wisniowski – third on Friday’s prologue – came in second position, grabbing some bonus seconds which could prove useful when a line will be drawn at the end of the event. As soon as things calmed down after the first hour of racing, a group of eight broke from the pack, Julian Alaphilippe being among those to get clear.

 

Lukasz Wisniowski was protected by his teammates throughout the day and came in the same time, which meant he kept his third place in the overall standings, and is now just 8 seconds behind the yellow jersey wearer. Everything will be played on Sunday (Niuewpoor – Ichtegem, 182.7 km), on a tough course which has eight climbs and five cobbled sectors.

 

Tom Bohli: I expect the final stage to be like Hell

It was a relatively quiet start to stage 1 of Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen until an eight rider breakaway attacked with 100km to go.

 

The breakaway was caught at the last minute with 1km to go, making way for a bunch sprint won by Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL Jumbo).

 

Tom Bohli finished in the bunch to hold onto his yellow jersey going into the final stage tomorrow.

 

"It was really fast and chaotic out there today. We wanted to control the race and let a breakaway go away but even from the beginning everyone was attacking. The team did a great job to keep me out of trouble, especially considering we are only six riders including myself," Bohli said after the stage.

 

"I'm confident going into the final stage tomorrow. My shape is good and I think I can stay in the front group going over the hill and protect the yellow jersey. A stage like that is always difficult to predict but we'll see what happens.”

 

"It was really tough today,” he told Directvelo. “As overall leader, we expected to have to control the race. We worked until the end to catch the last attackers. Then I stayed in the bunch. I had to be up there with the fast sprinters. It was a pretty cold day, typically Flandrian. 

 

”Tomorrow I expect a hell. The weather conditions will be bad and the other teams want to capture the beautiful yellow jersey. It will require me to rest well for tomorrow.

 

"I'm glad I'm still leader. There’s still one day to go and then I can write a stage race to my name for the first time as a pro. It was still a tough ride even though it did not seem to be so. The team had to carry the weight of the race. Before the ascent of the Oude Kwaremont there was a break of eight riders. None of them were really a threat to my ranking but of course they could not get too far away.

 

"It will be a difficult day tomorrow. The weather foecasts are not really great. Unfortunately, this race is not the Two Days of West Flanders, otherwise I would have won now. We'll see what the stage to Ichtegem brings us. I can rely on a strong team. It is important to waste as little energy as possible in the run up to the finale and then finish it off. I want to keep the yellow jersey until the end. "

 

Stage 2 tomorrow sees the peloton ride 182,7km from Nieuwpoort to Ichtegem.