Dwars door Vlaanderen experienced an unexpected outcome with the victory of Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise). The race, which serves as the warm-up before the GP E3 and Gent-Wevelgem are held, took once again place in difficult weather conditions. The rain and cold decimated the pack, which kicked off at an average of more than 47km/h in the first hour of the race. 

Under these circumstances, IAM Cycling was particularly unfortunate since Marcel Aregger and Jérôme Pineau both crashed hard. Though Pineau ended up finishing in the team car, Aregger ended his day in an ambulance headed for the hospital at Oudenaarde.  According to the first diagnosis, the young Swiss German (24) suffered a broken collarbone and a head injury.

Before having a chance to receive treatment for his many abrasions, Jérôme Pineau explained what happened in the mass crash. 

“There was constant nervousness. I was trying to get away in the break. And all of the sudden a rider from Tinkoff-Saxo stopped with a broken wheel. I didn’t notice in time, and ran into him with full force at high speed. I finished my race in the ditch. I stood up with tons of bruises and a big gash on my left thigh. But I was most scared for my teammate Marcel Aregger. He was lying on the ground unconscious. But now I am relieved and reassured to learn his diagnosis.”

Eddy Seigneur, directeur sportif for IAM Cycling, also feared the worse when he saw his rider on the ground. 

“Images of Fabio Casartelli flashed through my mind. Marcel was lying face down on the pavement without giving any signs of life. Emergency medical rescuers attended him with all precautions. His face was very bloodied due to the injury to his eyebrow, but then he gave encouraging signs. He managed to move all his limbs. But of course it was such a terrible event and socking sight to see that neither Dries Devenyns nor Aleksejs Saramotins had the desire to continue the race.”

As for sports manager Rik Verbrugghe, he made the effort to see the positive things that came out of the race for the team by highlighting the courage Matthias Brändle showed in the breakaway.

“We were very unlucky today. But I am happy with the riders. They tried to execute our tactics. Matthias managed to get into a good breakaway, but he could not keep up with the front group considering the massive amount of effort he put in to find the opening.”