Despite a commanding team performance from the Europcar team, a windy version of Dwars door Vlaanderen ultimately ended in unadulterated disillusionment for the French team as team leader Thomas Voeckler's late assault was brought back just metres before the finish line in Waregem.

Jumping the ten-man leaders’ group with six kilometres to go, the compelling French rider built a gap of fifteen seconds on his rivals and appeared destined to win in the first of the Flemish one-day classics of the season. Regrettably for Voeckler the chasing pack came closer faster than the finish line. The 33 year-old Frenchman was caught back at 15 metres from the finish line and came fifth in Dwars door Vlaanderen. A rapturous Oscar Gatto (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) threw his hands in the air in a victory salute.

“I’m very disappointed because it’s been a very long time since I’ve raced a Flemish race, probably since 2001,” Voeckler told Cyclingnews.com. “I’ve been fourth at the E3 and eighth in the Tour of Flanders but I’ve never been able to win a race like these. I would have loved to achieve it today, but it wasn’t to be. Behind me they could smell the finish line and they increased the speed while I had been riding six or seven kilometres up front on my own. My speed went down. At 300 metres from the finish I looked back and thought I could make it. Then suddenly when I tried to re-accelerate I cramped.”