Gent-Wevelgem: Team Dimension Data drives the race into Wevelgem

Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka took to the start of Gent-Wevelgem with former winner Edvald Boasson Hagen, who once again proofed to be in good shape at the moment. After suffering some bad luck at the E3 Harelbeke last Friday our African team was looking forward to finish the weekend off with a better result.

The 242 kilometer long classic from Deinze to Wevelgem got off to a fast start with four riders going clear only a few kilometers into the race. They quickly built up a lead of 11 minutes. With the wind being a key factor on the narrow Belgian country roads, the peloton picked up the pace after around 80 kilometers.

Our African team managed to place four riders in the front group of the peloton as the inevitable split was forced by 34 riders. Boasson Hagen, Tyler Farrar, Matt Brammeier, and Nic Dougall were part of that group. Over the following kilometers the group opened up a gap of 1 minute, moving closer to and eventually catching the 4-man-break with around 100 kilometers to go.

At that time our African team seemed to be one of the strongest of the day. With 70 kilometres to go, it was Trek to come to the front, racing for their captain Fabian Cancellara. The American team tried to help our Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka to shut down a series of attacks. However, the group decided to let Viatcheslav Kuznetsov (Katusha) go. The Russian built up a lead of 50 seconds before Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo) tried his luck on the Baneberg. With around 40 kilometres to go he was quickly chased down by Boasson Hagen and the rest of the favourites.

Our Norwegian national road race champion stayed in the mix at that time but unfortunately wasn’t able to go with Cancellara on the Kemmelberg, only a few kilometres later. It was the Swiss classics specialist who forced the final split together with reigning World Champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) and Vanmarcke. The trio rode across to Kuznetsov, while Etixx-QuickStep tried to organize the chase behind.

Going into the final kilometres it was clear that the winner would come from the 4-man-lead and in the end it was Sagan who got the better of Vanmarcke and Kuznetsov at the finish in Wevelgem. Boasson Hagen crossed the line together with the chasers 11 seconds later.