Van Avermaet downs Sagan to win Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

After avoiding a huge crash with 62km to go, van Avermaet was among 11 riders to successfully chase down a six-rider break with 40km remaining.

Soon after, van Avermaet, Sagan and Vanmarcke found themselves in the lead inside the final 20km.

“The race was really hard,” said van Avermaet. “It was a beautiful race and we made it hard together with Peter Sagan. We opened up the race at the right time at Eikenberg. It was really nice to come with three guys to the finish and wonderful that I could finish it off.

“I had confidence from last year that I could win in a sprint on this finish and in the end, it was a good sprint and I am really happy with what I did today.”

Sagan said, “I had spent a lot of energy and it was hard to recover for the final sprint. I’ve worked hard these past few weeks, but it was one month without racing — it’s like a copy of last season, but it’s promising for the races to come. The season is long and has just started. I consider this race a very good training and I look forward to the upcoming races.

Results

• 1. Greg VAN AVERMAET, BMC RACING TEAM, in 4:55:06
• 2. Peter SAGAN, BORA-HANSGROHE, at :00
• 3. Sep VANMARCKE, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at :00
• 4. Fabio FELLINE, TREK-SEGAFREDO, at :45
• 5. Oscar GATTO, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :52
• 6. Luke ROWE, TEAM SKY, at :52
• 7. Oliver NAESEN, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at :52
• 8. Jasper STUYVEN, TREK-SEGAFREDO, at :52
• 9. Matteo TRENTIN, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at :56
• 10. Adrien PETIT, DIRECT ENERGIE, at :58
• 11. Frederik BACKAERT, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at :58
• 12. Mike TEUNISSEN, TEAM SUNWEB, at :58
• 13. Philippe GILBERT, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at :58
• 14. Zdenek ŠTYBAR, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at :58
• 15. Jurgen ROELANDTS, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 1:02
• 16. Magnus Cort NIELSEN, ORICA-SCOTT, at 2:41
• 17. Marcus BURGHARDT, BORA-HANSGROHE, at 2:41
• 18. Timo ROOSEN, TEAM LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 2:44
• 19. Matti BRESCHEL, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 2:44
• 20. Arnaud DEMARE, FDJ, at 2:44
• 21. Guillaume VAN KEIRSBULCK, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 2:44
• 22. Michael SCHÄR, BMC RACING TEAM, at 2:44
• 23. Justin JULES, WB VERANCLASSIC AQUA PROTECT, at 2:44
• 24. Gediminas BAGDONAS, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 2:44
• 25. Dylan GROENEWEGEN, TEAM LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 2:44
• 26. Søren Kragh ANDERSEN, TEAM SUNWEB, at 2:44
• 27. Yoann OFFREDO, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 2:44
• 28. Kristijan KOREN, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 2:44
• 29. Jasper DE BUYST, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 2:59
• 30. MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 2:59
• 31. Benoit JARRIER, FORTUNEO-VITAL CONCEPT, at 2:59
• 32. Kevin ISTA, WB VERANCLASSIC AQUA PROTECT, at 2:59
• 33. Taco VAN DER HOORN, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ, at 2:59
• 34. Jean-Pierre DRUCKER, BMC RACING TEAM, at 2:59
• 35. Sonny COLBRELLI, TEAM BAHRAIN-MERIDA, at 2:59
• 36. Florian SENECHAL, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at 2:59
• 37. Alexis GOUGEARD, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 2:59
• 38. Sebastian LANGEVELD, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 2:59
• 39. Bert VAN LERBERGHE, SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, at 2:59
• 40. Luke DURBRIDGE, ORICA-SCOTT, at 2:59
• 41. Jesper ASSELMAN, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ, at 2:59
• 42. Ignatas KONOVALOVAS, FDJ, at 2:59
• 43. Brian VAN GOETHEM, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ, at 2:59
• 44. Jos VAN EMDEN, TEAM LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 2:59
• 45. Francisco Jose VENTOSO ALBERDI, BMC RACING TEAM, at 2:59
• 46. Gianni MOSCON, TEAM SKY, at 2:59
• 47. Edward THEUNS, TREK-SEGAFREDO, at 2:59
• 48. ANDREY GRIVKO, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 2:59
• 49. Christopher JUUL JENSEN, ORICA-SCOTT, at 2:59
• 50. Mathew HAYMAN, ORICA-SCOTT, at 2:59
• 51. Niki TERPSTRA, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at 2:59
• 52. Preben VAN HECKE, SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, at 3:07
• 53. Sylvain CHAVANEL, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 3:07
• 54. Stijn VANDENBERGH, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 4:36
• 55. Maarten WYNANTS, TEAM LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 4:36
• 56. Quentin JAUREGUI, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 4:36
• 57. Reto HOLLENSTEIN, KATUSHA-ALPECIN, at 4:37
• 58. Peter KONING, AQUA BLUE SPORT, at 4:42
• 59. Jelle WALLAYS, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 5:26
• 60. Stijn DEVOLDER, VERANDAS WILLEMS-CRELAN, at 5:26
• 61. Stefan KÜNG, BMC RACING TEAM, at 7:45
• 62. Jimmy TURGIS, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at 7:45
• 63. Christoph PFINGSTEN, BORA-HANSGROHE, at 7:45
• 64. Maxime FARAZIJN, SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, at 7:45
• 65. Bert DE BACKER, TEAM SUNWEB, at 7:45
• 66. Stijn STEELS, SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, at 7:45
• 67. Thomas SPRENGERS, SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE, at 7:45
• 68. Huub DUYN, VERANDAS WILLEMS-CRELAN, at 7:45
• 69. Laurens DE VREESE, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 7:49
• 70. Christian KNEES, TEAM SKY, at 7:49
• 71. Pim LIGTHART, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ, at 7:49
• 72. Martin ELMIGER, BMC RACING TEAM, at 7:49
• 73. Gregory RAST, TREK-SEGAFREDO, at 7:49
• 74. Olivier PARDINI, WB VERANCLASSIC AQUA PROTECT, at 7:49
• 75. Maciej BODNAR, BORA-HANSGROHE, at 7:49
• 76. Hugo HOULE, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 7:49
• 77. Frederik FRISON, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 7:49
• 78. Ian STANNARD, TEAM SKY, at 7:49
• 79. THOMAS BOUDAT, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 7:49
• 80. Franck BONNAMOUR, FORTUNEO-VITAL CONCEPT, at 7:49
• 81. Dylan VAN BAARLE, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 7:49
• 82. Tom VAN ASBROECK, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 9:09
• 83. Ramon SINKELDAM, TEAM SUNWEB, at 9:09
• 84. Marco COLEDAN, TREK-SEGAFREDO, at 9:09
• 85. Dennis VAN WINDEN, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY, at 9:09
• 86. Iljo KEISSE, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at 9:09
• 87. Roy CURVERS, TEAM SUNWEB, at 9:09
• 88. Andreas SCHILLINGER, BORA-HANSGROHE, at 9:09
• 89. Lawrence NAESEN, WB VERANCLASSIC AQUA PROTECT, at 9:09
• 90. Sander CORDEEL, VERANDAS WILLEMS-CRELAN, at 9:09
• 91. Ivan GARCIA CORTINA, TEAM BAHRAIN-MERIDA, at 9:09
• 92. Ryan MULLEN, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 9:09
• 93. Julien MORICE, DIRECT ENERGIE, at 9:09
• 94. Olivier LE GAC, FDJ, at 9:09
• 95. Maxime VANTOMME, WB VERANCLASSIC AQUA PROTECT, at 9:09
• 96. Gijs VAN HOECKE, TEAM LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 9:09
• 97. Yves LAMPAERT, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at 9:16
• 98. Jérôme BAUGNIES, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 9:17
• 99. Bram TANKINK, TEAM LOTTONL-JUMBO, at 9:17
• 100. Florian VACHON, FORTUNEO-VITAL CONCEPT, at 9:17
• 101. Lukasz WISNIOWSKI, TEAM SKY, at 11:37
• 102. Tony MARTIN, KATUSHA-ALPECIN, at 11:37
• 103. Sven erik BYSTRØM, KATUSHA-ALPECIN, at 11:37
• 104. Boris VALLEE, FORTUNEO-VITAL CONCEPT, at 11:37
• 105. Danny VAN POPPEL, TEAM SKY, at 11:37
• 106. Arman KAMYSHEV, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 11:37
• 107. Lasse Norman HANSEN, AQUA BLUE SPORT, at 11:37
• 108. Daniel HOELGAARD, FDJ, at 11:37
• 109. Adam BLYTHE, AQUA BLUE SPORT, at 11:37
• 110. Maxime DANIEL, FORTUNEO-VITAL CONCEPT, at 11:37
• 111. Julien VERMOTE, QUICK-STEP FLOORS, at 11:37
• 112. Svein TUFT, ORICA-SCOTT, at 11:37
• 113. Guillaume BOIVIN, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY, at 11:37
• 114. Wesley KREDER, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT, at 11:37
• 115. Tom SCULLY, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC, at 11:37
• 116. Pierre LUC PERICHON, FORTUNEO-VITAL CONCEPT, at 13:01
• DNF Matthew BRAMMEIER, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Conor DUNNE, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Patrick BEVIN, CANNONDALE-DRAPAC
• DNF Andrew FENN, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Daniel OSS, BMC RACING TEAM
• DNF Zakkari DEMPSTER, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
• DNF Bryan COQUARD, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Christophe LAPORTE, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Romain CARDIS, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Ryan ANDERSON, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Aaron GATE, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Floris GERFS, BMC RACING TEAM
• DNF Leigh HOWARD, AQUA BLUE SPORT
• DNF Truls KORSÆTH, ASTANA PRO TEAM
• DNF Ruslan TLEUBAYEV, ASTANA PRO TEAM
• DNF Antoine DUCHESNE, DIRECT ENERGIE
• DNF Aviv YECHZKEL, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
• DNF Tom BOONEN, QUICK-STEP FLOORS
• DNF Aleksejs SARAMOTINS, BORA-HANSGROHE
• DNF Mihkel RÄIM, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
• DNF Benjamin PERRY, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
• DNF MARC FOURNIER, FDJ
• DNF Lukas PÖSTLBERGER, BORA-HANSGROHE
• DNF Tyler WILLIAMS, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
• DNF Dimitri CLAEYS, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Tiesj BENOOT, LOTTO SOUDAL
• DNF Hugo Hofstetter, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Jens DEBUSSCHERE, LOTTO SOUDAL
• DNF Kenneth VANBILSEN, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Nikolas MAES, LOTTO SOUDAL
• DNF Anthony TURGIS, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF James SHAW, LOTTO SOUDAL
• DNF Cyril LEMOINE, COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
• DNF Hamish SCHREURS, ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
• DNF Michal KOLÁR, BORA-HANSGROHE
• DNF Pieter VANSPEYBROUCK, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Luka PIBERNIK, TEAM BAHRAIN-MERIDA
• DNF Christophe PRÉMONT, VERANDAS WILLEMS-CRELAN
• DNF Dries DE BONDT, VERANDAS WILLEMS-CRELAN
• DNF Gaetan BILLE, VERANDAS WILLEMS-CRELAN
• DNF Tom STAMSNIJDER, TEAM SUNWEB
• DNF Lukas SPENGLER, VERANDAS WILLEMS-CRELAN
• DNF Zico WAEYTENS, TEAM SUNWEB
• DNF Max WALSCHEID, TEAM SUNWEB
• DNF Alex KIRSCH, VERANDAS WILLEMS-CRELAN
• DNF Stef VAN ZUMMEREN, VERANDAS WILLEMS-CRELAN
• DNF Jens MOURIS, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ
• DNF Lars BOOM, TEAM LOTTONL-JUMBO
• DNF Kevin VAN MELSEN, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Matthias BRÄNDLE, TREK-SEGAFREDO
• DNF Mads PEDERSEN, TREK-SEGAFREDO
• DNF Michal GOLAS, TEAM SKY
• DNF Simone ANTONINI, WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT
• DNF Salvatore PUCCIO, TEAM SKY
• DNF Kevin DELTOMBE, SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE
• DNF Edward PLANCKAERT, SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE
• DNF Aime DE GENDT, SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE
• DNF Nico DENZ, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Julien STASSEN, WB VERANCLASSIC AQUA PROJECT
• DNF Erwann CORBEL, FORTUNEO-VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Borut BOZIC, TEAM BAHRAIN-MERIDA
• DNF Domen NOVAK, TEAM BAHRAIN-MERIDA
• DNF Ion Ander INSAUSTI IRASTORZA, TEAM BAHRAIN-MERIDA
• DNF David PER, TEAM BAHRAIN-MERIDA
• DNF Markel IRIZAR ARANBURU, Tfs
• DNF Daniel MCLAY, FORTUNEO-VITAL CONCEPT
• DNF Julien DUVAL, AG2R LA MONDIALE
• DNF Jacopo GUARNIERI, FDJ
• DNF Matthieu LADAGNOUS, FDJ
• DNF Thomas LEEZER, TEAM LOTTONL-JUMBO
• DNF Jens KEUKELEIRE, ORICA-SCOTT
• DNF Antonio NIBALI, TEAM BAHRAIN-MERIDA
• DNF Coen VERMELTFOORT, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ
• DNF Sam BEWLEY, ORICA-SCOTT
• DNF Berden DE VRIES, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ
• DNF Jenthe BIERMANS, KATUSHA-ALPECIN
• DNF Nils POLITT, KATUSHA-ALPECIN
• DNF Otto VERGAERDE, VERANDAS WILLEMS-CRELAN
• DNF Alexander KRISTOFF, KATUSHA-ALPECIN
• DNF Viacheslav KUZNETSOV, KATUSHA-ALPECIN
• DNF Michael MORKOV, KATUSHA-ALPECIN
• DNF Marc SARREAU, FDJ
• DNS Elmar REINDERS, ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ