April 01, 2018 (Oudenaarde, BEL) – Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors made a bold attack with just over 25km to go to claim the 102nd Tour of Flanders, 264.7 km, from Antwerp to Oudenaarde, as he soloed in for the victory with a comfortable 12-second margin.

Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo held on to second with Philippe Gilbert (Bel) claiming third for double Quick-Step Floors podium. Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team finished 59th while fellow Canuck Antoine Duchesne (Can) Groupama-FDJ did not finish.

 

Niki Terpstra crushes the cobbles en route to magnificent Ronde van Vlaanderen win
report by Quick-Step Floors

Niki Terpstra continued the team’s dominance in the Belgian one-day races of this season, adding a 16th Monument victory to the astonishing palmares of the squad, just two days after Quick-Step celebrated 20 amazing years in cycling. Victorious this season in Le Samyn and E3 Harelbeke, each time after going solo in the final part of the race, Niki repeated that scenario at the Ronde van Vlaanderen, where he took his second career Monument, following the emphatic Paris-Roubaix triumph of 2014.

“It’s incredible! Winning De Ronde and Paris-Roubaix was a dream I had since I was a kid and watched these two races on television. That’s when I fell in love with them and now, having won both, it gives me huge joy. I can’t tell you how happy I am! To be victorious in these races you need very good legs, but also luck. Today, everything went perfect for me,” a happy Terpstra said after netting Quick-Step Floors’ 21st victory of the season.

Quick-Step Floors rode a perfect and intelligent race on Sunday right from the outset, sending the hard-working Tim Declercq, Iljo Keisse and Florian Sénéchal at the front of the peloton minutes after leaving Antwerp behind, and the three policed every move and reeled in all the attackers, allowing eleven men to go clear only after 70 kilometers. Even after things calmed down, the same fantastic trio continued to set the pace and made sure the gap didn’t go north of five minutes before the first hill of the day, the 2200m-long Oude Kwaremont.

Despite a series of accelerations on the iconic Muur-Kapelmuur and Koppenberg, the race didn’t break and the favourites stayed together. Quick-Step Floors had the numbers in the group, with Philippe Gilbert, Yves Lampaert, Zdenek Stybar and Niki Terpstra. Stybar, one of the most consistent riders of this spring campaign, with three consecutive top-10 placings, was the one to counter an attack of Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) on the Taaienberg, before trying a move of his own after cresting the Kruisberg.

Soon after they were caught, Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) powered ahead and was joined by Niki Terpstra, who then took the front and dropped the Milano-Sanremo winner as the Oude Kwaremont was looming on the horizon for the third time. At the moment of his attack, the Dutchman was 40 seconds behind a leading trio, but using his time trial skills he reduced the gap by the time he hit the bottom of the climb, while behind his teammates disrupted the rhythm of the chasers.

A two-time podium finisher at Ronde van Vlaanderen (2015 and 2017), Terpstra rode flawlessly on the long Oude Kwaremont, a hill which is a regular feature on the race since 1974, making contact with three riders in the front and dispatching them before putting some distance by the top of the berg and continuing his solo action. Not even the Paterberg, with its grueling cobbles and slopes, could stop Niki, who tenaciously extended his lead before going into time trial mode for the 12km-run in to Oudenaarde.

Crouched over his bars and without looking behind, the 33-year-old Quick-Step Floors rider sat up to relax only inside the final 100 meters of the race, when overwhelmed by emotion and happiness, he crossed the line arms aloft for a win that cements his status as one of the best Classics riders of the current peloton.

Defending champion Philippe Gilbert claimed third place, behind runner-up Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), following a canny attack with one kilometer to go. For Philippe, who played an important role once again, this was the tenth top-3 finish of his career in a Monument.

“We showed again that amazing team spirit, we showed that we are there for our teammates, ready to give everything so that the win lands in the team. The entire squad knew what they had to do and made a perfect race. The strongest rider won today and I’m happy for Niki, he rode a strong and smart race. Last year, I won and he came third, this time around, we arrived at the finish in reverse order. We are enjoying a fantastic run of success and hopefully we won’t stop here,” said Philippe, who one week from now will be at the start of Paris-Roubaix.

After soloing to glory following his daring all-in attack with 26 kilometers to go and putting in another storming performance, Niki – only the third Dutch rider in history to win both the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix and the first since 1986 to score the victory in Flanders – took us through the final hour of racing and showed his praise for his teammates.

“When I attacked and set in pursuit of the leaders it wasn’t easy due to the wind, but I kept riding hard. Then, when I saw the three, I knew I could catch them, so I kept pushing. In a race like this, you need to make the right attack, and that’s what I did. It’s a great year for me, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the team. The guys were extraordinary, they displayed once again their immense quality and I will repay them for their work and effort, be it in Paris-Roubaix or another race. Being part of such a great team means a lot and makes me very proud!”

Placing three riders in the top 10 – Niki Terpstra, Philippe Gilbert and Zdenek Stybar – at Ronde van Vlaanderen, a race which our team has won for the seventh time, helped Quick-Step Floors extend its lead in the World Tour standings to nearly 1500 points.

Results
1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors 6:21:25
2. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo 00:12
3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors 00:17
4. Michael Valgren (Den) Astana Pro Team 00:20
5. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 00:25
6. Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
7. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
8. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
9. Wout Van Aert (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
10. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quick-Step Floors
11. Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
12. Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Team Sky
13. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
14. Timo Roosen (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 01:09
15. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 01:13
16. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
17. Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
18. Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb
19. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data
20. Magnus Cort (Den) Astana Pro Team
21. Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky
22. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 01:15
23. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
24. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 01:18
25. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Bahrain-Merida 01:24
26. Daniel Oss (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe 03:16
27. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) BMC Racing Team
28. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky
29. Yves Lampaert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
30. Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 03:40
31. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
32. John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
33. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin
34. Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team
35. Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
36. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
37. Ivan Garcia Cortina (Esp) Bahrain-Merida
38. Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
39. Gregory Rast (Sui) Trek-Segafredo
40. Sven Erik Bystr¿m (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
41. Julien Vermote (Bel) Dimension Data
42. Koen de Kort (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
43. Amund Gr¿ndahl Jansen (Nor) LottoNL-Jumbo 03:44
44. Florian Senechal (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 03:47
45. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott 04:10
46. Kristijan Koren (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
47. Piet Allegaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
48. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Groupama-FDJ
49. Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
50. Sacha Modolo (Ita) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
51. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
52. Oscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro Team
53. S¿ren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb 05:49
54. Maarten Wynants (Bel) LottoNL-Jumbo 07:34
55. Stefan KŸng (Sui) BMC Racing Team
56. Jos van Emden (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 08:18
57. Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal
58. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal
<b> 59. Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team </b>
60. Imanol Erviti (Esp) Movistar Team
61. Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal
62. Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team
63. Tony Martin (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
64. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
65. Carlos Barbero (Esp) Movistar Team 09:14
66. Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
67. Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale
68. Dion Smith (Nzl) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
69. Alex Kirsch (Lux) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
70. Huub Duijn (Ned) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
71. Patrick MŸller (Sui) Vital Concept Club
72. Pim Ligthart (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
73. Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky
74. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal
75. Lukas Spengler (Sui) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
76. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
77. Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team Sunweb
78. Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
79. Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Groupama-FDJ
80. Tom Scully (Nzl) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
81. Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
82. Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal
83. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
84. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Mitchelton-Scott
85. Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
86. Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
87. Sean De Bie (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan 13:12
88. Amaury Capiot (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
89. Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 14:31
90. Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
91. Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
92. Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
93. Ryan Mullen (Ire) Trek-Segafredo
94. Jan Willem van Schip (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
95. Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension Data
96. Nicolas Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data
97. Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Groupama-FDJ
98. Matti Breschel (Den) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
99. Alex Edmondson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
100. Taylor Phinney (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
101. Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
102. Justin Jules (Fra) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
103. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
104. Stijn Steels (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Truls Korsaeth (Nor) Astana Pro Team
DNF Michael Sch_r (Sui) BMC Racing Team
DNF Francisco Ventoso (Esp) BMC Racing Team
DNF Alberto Bettiol (Ita) BMC Racing Team
DNF Edward Theuns (Bel) Team Sunweb
DNF Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
DNF Rudy Barbier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Tim Declercq (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
DNF Tony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Sunweb
DNF Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Sunweb
DNF Fredrik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Mitchel Docker (Aus) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
DNF Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb
DNF Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Johann van Zyl (RSA) Dimension Data
DNF Stijn Devolder (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Michael Goolaerts (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Zico Waeytens (Bel) Veranda’s Willems Crelan
DNF Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
DNF Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
DNF Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
DNF Mark McNally (Gbr) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
DNF Kenny Dehaes (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
DNF Maxime Vantomme (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
DNF Julien Mortier (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
DNF Edward Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Floris Gerts (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Aime De Gendt (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Sjoerd van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Brian van Goethem (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Bryan Coquard (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Bert de Backer (Bel) Vital Concept Club
DNF Johan Le Bon (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF J_r_my Lecroq (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Julien Morice (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept Club
DNF Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Pieter Weening (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
DNF Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
<b> DNF Antoine Duchesne (Can) Groupama-FDJ </b>
DNF Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Jack Bauer (Nzl) Mitchelton-Scott
DNF Michael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
DNF Jorge Arcas (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF Nuno Matos (Por) Movistar Team
DNF Jasha SŸtterlin (Ger) Movistar Team
DNF Hector Carretero (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF Ryan Gibbons (RSA) Dimension Data
DNF Michael van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Jay Thomson (RSA) Dimension Data
DNF Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
DNF Pascal Eenkhoorn (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
DNF Bram Tankink (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
DNF Robert Wagner (Ger) LottoNL-Jumbo
DNF Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky
DNF Ian Stannard (Gbr) Team Sky
DNF Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Simone Consonni (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Filippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Ben Swift (Gbr) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Jose Goncçalves (Por) Katusha-Alpecin
DSQ Luke Rowe (Gbr) Team Sky