April 13, 2014 (Roubaix, FRA) – Niki Terpstra might have been the third man on the list of the Omega Pharma Quick Step dream team at the start but the Dutchman ended up lifting the winner’s cobble in the Roubaix Velodrome after surging recklessly in a nail-biting finale. True to his season form – after wins in the Tour of Qatar and Dwars door Vlaanderen -, the 29-year-old from Beverwijk became the first Dutchman to win the Queen of Classics since Servais Knaven in 2001 and he owed it to a formidable team effort. His leader Tom Boonen was in the front all day and the Belgian outfit finished with three riders in the top ten, Czech Zdenek Stybar joining the show to take 5th place. While German sprinter John Degenkolb won the consolation sprint for second place, some 20 seconds behind Terpstra, title-holder and Tour of Flanders winner Fabian Cancellara, a little below-par, had to be content with third for his 12th podium in a major classic.

 

The start was given at 10:27 to 199 riders. After several attempts, the traditional morning break, launched at kilometer 23 involved eight riders: David Boucher (FDJ), Kenny de Haes (LTB), Andreas Schillinger (TNE), Michael Kolar (TCS), Clement Koretzky (BSE), Benoit Jarrier (BSE), TIm De Troyer (WGG), John Murphy (UHC). While the first hour was ridden at a hell of a pace (48.6 kph), as befits, the peloton relaxed a bit and the gap reached 9:10 after 50 kilometers.

The bunch, mostly led by Omega Pharma Quick Step riders, stayed within nine minutes until the first cobbled sector (8:05 in Troisvilles, km 97.5). The cobbles started to claim their first scalps and Tom Boonen was among the first riders to puncture in the third cobbled portion. Arnaud Demare (FDJ) was also among the unlucky riders as the Frenchman flatted and crashed as the race was reaching the half-mark.

His team-mate Boucher also punctured as the race tackled the Arenberg Trench and the unfortunate French-born Belgian was later stopped at a level-crossing as he was chasing before his former breakaway companions. After Arenberg and a series of flat tyres, Schillinger, Murphy, De Troyer and Jarrier found themselves alone in the lead. The infamous Trench had been merciless to Milan-San Remo winner Alexander Kristoff, who punctured twice and later crashed before calling it quits. Even pre-race favorite and title-holder Cancellara had his moment when he tumbled from a kerb into the peloton, sending a dozen other riders onto the tarmac. The Swiss made it back quickly into the peloton.

With 75 kms to go, Bradley Wiggins (SKY) looked unable to remain with the leading part of the peloton but the 2012 Tour de France winner ended up recovering well to finish in the top 10. The breakaway group lost John Murphy and were caught after 196 kms by a first chasing group including Boonen, Geraint Thomas (SKY), Mathieu Ladagnous (FDJ), Damien Gaudin (ALM), Bert De Backer (GIA) and Yannick Martinez (EUC). The six, led by an hyperactive Boonen and an ambitious Thomas, lost Gaudin and Ladagnous, and were joined by Norwegian champion Thor Hushovd (BMC) and Dutchman Bram Tankink (BEL) after 200 km.The six seemed to take the upper hand, taking their maximum lead to 50 seconds but Cancellara decided to react with 40 kms to go as Sep Vanmarcke (BEL) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) had surged. A long game of cat and mouse took place, Boonen trying hard to widen the gap at the front while the other leading favorites attacked one after the other to try and bridge it.

Unexpectedly, it was Peter Sagan (SVK) Cannondale who found an opening, chasing behind the break with Maartin Wynants (BEL) before catching them. The Slovak then tried his luck on his own for a while, but was in turn reined in with 15 kms to go by a group including Cancellara, Vanmarcke, Stybar and Degenkolb.

 

Results

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team  6:09:01
2. John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano  0:20
3. Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Trek Factory Racing
4. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
5. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
6. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale
7. Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Team Sky
8. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Garmin Sharp
9. Bradley Wiggins (Gbr) Team Sky
10. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
11. Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano  0:26
12. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ.fr  0:47
13. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky
14. Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
15. Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
16. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
17. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
18. Jos van Emden (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
19. Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team  1:05
20. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
21. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky
22. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
23. Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
24. Yannick Martinez (Fra) Team Europcar
25. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge
26. Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
27. Steve Chainel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
28. Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits  2:55
29. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
30. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
31. Luke Rowe (Gbr) Team Sky
32. Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.fr
33. Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
34. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team
35. Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo
36. Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale
37. Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team  2:59
38. Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin Sharp
39. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
40. Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
41. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica GreenEdge  4:14
42. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale  5:48
43. Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar  6:42
44. Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling
45. Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
46. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) AG2R La Mondiale
47. Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale
48. Brice Feillu (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement  6:44
49. Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
50. Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre-Merida
51. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
52. Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo  7:06
53. Boy van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
54. Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Esp) Movistar Team
55. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
56. Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Team NetApp – Endura
57. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha
58. Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Belisol
59. Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ.fr
60. Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
61. Imanol Erviti Ollo (Esp) Movistar Team
62. Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM Cycling
63. Blaz Jarc (Slo) Team NetApp – Endura
64. Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Garmin Sharp
65. Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky
66. Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team NetApp – Endura
67. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin Sharp
68. Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
69. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Giant-Shimano
70. Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
71. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
72. Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Cannondale
73. Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
74. Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha
75. Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol  7:22
76. Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team  7:51
77. Robert Wagner (Ger) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team  9:55
78. Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
79. James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
80. Andrea Francesco Palini (Ita) Lampre-Merida
81. Martijn Maaskant (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
82. Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
83. Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
84. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
85. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
86. Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha
87. Matthias Krizek (Aut) Cannondale
88. William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr
89. Nicki Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
90. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
91. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
92. Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Team Katusha
93. Jonathan McEvoy (Gbr) Team NetApp-Endura
94. Markel Irizar Aranburu (Esp) Trek Factory Racing
95. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
96. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team
97. Tim De Troyer (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
98. Marko Kump (Slo) Tinkoff-Saxo
99. Grégory Rast (Sui) Trek Factory Racing  0:18
100. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano  0:13:16
101. Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale  0:13:42
102. Clément Koretzky (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
103. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
104. Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
105. Jack Bauer (Nzl) Garmin Sharp
106. Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
107. Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
108. Yves Lampaert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
109. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol
110. Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale  0:16:14
111. Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ.fr  0:16:22
112. Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky
113. David Millar (Gbr) Garmin Sharp  0:16:40
114. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek Factory Racing  0:18:37
115. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) IAM Cycling  0:18:39
116. Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
117. Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Sky
118. Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica GreenEdge
119. Dominic Klemme (Ger) IAM Cycling
120. Jesse Sergent (Nzl) Trek Factory Racing
121. John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team  0:18:54
122. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
123. Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
124. Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team
125. Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin Sharp
126. Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha
127. Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team  0:22:04
128. Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
129. Vegard Breen (Nor) Lotto Belisol
130. Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Lotto Belisol  0:22:08
131. Jan Barta (Cze) Team NetApp – Endura  0:27:42
132. Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team  0:27:46
133. Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica GreenEdge
134. Sam Bennett (Irl) Team NetApp – Endura
135. Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
136. Rudiger Selig (Ger) Team Katusha
137. Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
138. Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
139. Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
140. Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
141. Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo
142. Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale  
143. Ralf Matzka (Ger) Team NetApp – Endura
144. Bradley White (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
DNF  Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar
DNF  Dayer Uberney Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team
DNF  Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF  Jesus Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF  José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF  Alex Dowsett (Gbr) Movistar Team
DNF  Jérôme Pineau (Fra) IAM Cycling
DNF  Evan Huffman (USA) Astana Pro Team
DNF  Marcel Aregger (Sui) IAM Cycling
DNF  Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
DNF  Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling
DNF  Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
DNF  Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo
DNF  Jesper Hansen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
DNF  Christophe Laborie (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
DNF  Benjamin Le Montagner (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
DNF  Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF  Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF  Sam Bewley (Nzl) Orica GreenEdge
DNF  Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF  Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF  Louis Verhelst (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF  Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF  Antoine Duchesne (Can) Team Europcar
DNF  Erwann Corbel (Fra) Bretagne – Seche Environnement
DNF  Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Cannondale
DNF  Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team NetApp – Endura
DNF  Hayden Roulston (Nzl) Trek Factory Racing
DNF  Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
DNF  Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
DNF  Silvan Dillier (Sui) BMC Racing Team
DNF  Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica GreenEdge
DNF  Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Team Katusha
DNF  Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF  Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Garmin Sharp
DNF  David Boucher (Fra) FDJ.fr
DNF  Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr
DNF  Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
DNF  Edward King (USA) Cannondale
DNF  Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF  Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Lampre-Merida
DNF  Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida