April 02, 2017 (Oudenaarde, BEL) – Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) delivered an epic victory on home turf with a stunning solo attack on the Oude Kwaremont at 55km to go to claim a bold victory at the legendary 260km Tour of Flanders, one of cycling’s five Monuments. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team finished second at 0:28 behind with Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors in third.

Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energie) was the top Canadian in 85th followed by Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale in 103rd as both riders were working for their teammates. The race was marked by numerous crashes but one that was pivotal involved reigning world champion Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe, Avermaet and Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale on the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont.

The trio at 55 sec. were hoping to reel in Gilbert who had attacked the lead group on the second Kwaremont ascent following the dreaded Muur van Geraardsbergen, which returned to Flanders following a half dozen years of absence.

Sagan ran into a roadside barrier and went down heavily with the others and Gilbert’s chances were now even stronger. Part of the fateful day saw legendary Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step Floors, at his final DeRonde, suffer a mechanical and a bike change that ended his chances for more glory. Another casualty was Sep Vanmarcke (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac who crashed and took down Luke Rowe (Sky) with him.

While Van Avermaet and Terpstra recovered and took up the challenge again it looked like Gilbert’s bold move would stick and it did as the flamme rouge came into view and Belgian national champ paid homage to his fans as the finishing straight in Oudenaarde secured him perhaps the biggest win of his career.

He crossed the line and then lifted his bike over his head as a final symbol of his Flanders triumph. “After the Muur I decided to go on the Kwaremont…when I found myself alone I just went.”

With three Monuments under his belt Gilbert vows to win Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix adding that he wants to win all five and realize a career dream. He dedicated his victory to the late Claude Criquielion, the last Belgian to win DeRond 30 years ago.

Results

1. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors 6:23:45
2. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team  0:29
3. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors
4. Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac
5. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin  0:53
6. Sacha Modolo (Ita) Team UAE Emirates
7. John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
8. Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier Triestina
9. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Direct Energie
10. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
11. Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Astana Pro Team
12. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-Scott
13. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Quick-Step Floors
14. Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
15. Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky
16. Scott Thwaites (Gbr) Dimension Data
17. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal
18. Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team
19. Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo  1:01
20. AndrÈ Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal  2:29
21. Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
22. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data
23. Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale  2:32
24. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac
25. Alexander Edmonson (Aus) Orica-Scott  3:30
26. Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie
27. Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
28. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb
29. Pim Ligthart (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
30. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica-Scott
31. Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
32. Matti Breschel (Den) Astana Pro Team
33. Marco Marcato (Ita) Team UAE Emirates
34. Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ
35. Julien Vermote (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
36. Yves Lampaert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
37. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
38. Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
39. Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
40. Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
41. Stefan K¸ng (Sui) BMC Racing Team
42. Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
43. Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
44. Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
45. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
46. Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
47. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
48. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
49. Silvan Dillier (Sui) BMC Racing Team
50. Eugert Zhupa (Alb) Wilier Triestina
51. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
52. Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac
53. Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
54. Huub Duyn (Ned) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
55. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
56. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ
57. Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
58. Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
59. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data
60. Reto Hollenstein (Sui) Katusha-Alpecin
61. Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team
62. Gaetan Bille (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan  3:35
63. Alex Turrin (Ita) Wilier Triestina
64. Ian Stannard (Gbr) Team Sky  3:36
65. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie
66. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe
67. Zdenek  `tybar (Cze) Quick-Step Floors
68. Ivan Garcia Cortina (Esp) Bahrain-Merida  4:15
69. Sam Bewley (Nzl) Orica-Scott  4:32
70. Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ  6:59
71. Mark Mcnally (Gbr) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
72. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac
73. Michael Morkov (Den) Katusha-Alpecin
74. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb  8:02
75. Koen De Kort (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
76. Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
77. Federico Zurlo (Ita) Team UAE Emirates  8:35
78. Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Sunweb
79. Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team
80. Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
81. Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb
82. Ryan Mullen (Irl) Cannondale-Drapac
83. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
84. Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
85. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie
86. Andrey Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
87. Imanol Erviti (Esp) Movistar Team
88. Dion Smith (Nzl) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
89. Jasha S¸tterlin (Ger) Movistar Team
90. Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Sunweb
91. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica-Scott
92. Mitch Docker (Aus) Orica-Scott
93. Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
94. Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
95. Julien Morice (Fra) Direct Energie
96. Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ
97. Lars Boom (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
98. Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
99. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
100. Stijn Steels (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
101. Dries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
102. Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky 0:11:31
103. Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale
104. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data
105. Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
106. Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Team Sky
107. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo
108. Owain Doull (Gbr) Team Sky
109. Stijn Devolder (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
110. Tom Scully (Nzl) Cannondale-Drapac
111. Rudy Barbier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
112. Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
113. Rafael Andriato (Bra) Wilier Triestina
114. Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
115. Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
116. Amund Grondahl Jansen (Nor) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
117. Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie
118. Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie
119. Gregory Rast (Sui) Trek-Segafredo
120. Luke Rowe (Gbr) Team Sky
121. Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data
DNF Jonathan Diebben (Gbr) Team Sky
DNF Liam Bertazzo (Ita) Wilier Triestina
DNF Nick Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data
DNF Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Stef Van Zummeren (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Michael Goolaerts (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Dimension Data
DNF Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) Movistar Team
DNF Jorge Arcas PeÒa (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF HÈctor Carretero (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Luka Mezgec (Slo) Orica-Scott
DNF Nuno Matos (Por) Movistar Team
DNF Alex Dowsett (Gbr) Movistar Team
DNF Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Dimension Data
DNF Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Tony Martin (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Lukas Pˆstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Oscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Nikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
DNF Zhandos Bizhigitov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
DNF Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Giuseppe Fonzi (Ita) Wilier Triestina
DNF Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Matteo Draperi (Ita) Wilier Triestina
DNF Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky
DNF MichaÎl Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
DNF Loic Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Marko Kump (Slo) Team UAE Emirates
DNF Ion Ander Insausti Irastorza (Esp) Bahrain-Merida
DNF Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team Sunweb
DNF Taylor Phinney (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
DNF Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Sunweb
DNF Kenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac
DNF Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Sunweb
DNF Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Andrea Guardini (Ita) Team UAE Emirates
DNF Marc Sarreau (Fra) FDJ
DNF Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team UAE Emirates
DNF Berden De Vries (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Oliviero Troia (Ita) Team UAE Emirates
DNF Francisco Jose Ventoso Alberdi (Esp) BMC Racing Team
DNF Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team
DNF Martin Elmiger (Sui) BMC Racing Team
DNF Sander Cordeel (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Simone Consonni (Ita) Team UAE Emirates
DNF Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal
DNF Niccolo’ Bonifazio (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
DNF Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Elmar Reinders (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Bahrain-Merida
DNF Meiyin Wang (Chn) Bahrain-Merida
DNF Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Andre Looij (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Edward Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Steven Lammertink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) FDJ
DNF Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ
DNF Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJ
DNF Taco Van Der Hoorn (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
DNF R¸diger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNS Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-Scott