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RACE REPORTS: 64TH DWARS DOOR VLAANDEREN: TEAMWORK FROM QUICK STEP HOLDS OFF HAUSSLER
Brecht Decaluwé-RBA Classics Correspondent
March 25, 2009
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Van Impe speaks to the press after his emotional win
(Photo: Brecht Decaluwé)
In foul weather conditions, once troubled Belgian domestique Kevin Van Impe (Quick Step) has won the semi-classic Dwars door Vlaanderen. Van Impe held off compatriot Niko 'Rambo' Eeckhout (An Post-Sean Kelly) in a two-man sprint in Waregem, Belgium; both riders were survivors of the day’s early breakaway. Fourteen seconds later, Van Impe’s teammate Tom Boonen finished third ahead of the strongest man in the race, Cervélo's Heinrich Haussler. The German was outnumbered by the Belgian Quick Step team during an exciting finale.
“This isn't one of the top Spring Classics but for sure it's the biggest one in my career,” Van Impe said. Winner Kevin Van Impe (cousin of former Tour de France winner Lucien) is usually picking up bottles at the team director's car for guys like Tornado Tom. “Today we all wanted him to win the race. He's been through two rough years,” Quick Step's team manager Patrick Lefevre said. One year ago Van Impe's world collapsed when his son died few hours after being born. A poorly timed doping control during the funeral preparations and a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the past two years didn't boost his moral either.
“This one is for my family: my wife and my son but also for Kurt Hovelijnck and his family,” 27 year-old Van Impe said post-race in Waregem, referring to his Quick.Step team-mate who is still in critical condition after a bad crash during a training ride.
Still flying high after falling just 11-centimeters short of victory in Milano-Sanremo, Heinrich Haussler was the strongest man of the race today but in the end the German couldn't win the battle against the numbers of Quick Step. “They had too many guys but I'm not disappointed. Actually I wanted to take it easy today but to me only one race matters; I want to win the Tour of Flanders,” Haussler said to Road Bike Action.
In turbulent weather conditions, the peloton rolled out of Roeselare for 200 kilometers through Flanders fields and hills. High speeds, cold temps, heavy winds, hail and rain didn't keep thirteen riders from sneaking away, and the escape group featured classics specialists like Niko Eeckhout, Andreas Klier, Bernard Eisel but also eventual winner Kevin Van Impe.
At the hill zone the two minutes gap of the break quickly dropped as Quick Step's Stijn Devolder launched an acceleration that few could answer on the famous cobbled Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg climbs; hellingen (hills) made famous by featuring in the Spring Classic Ronde van Vlaanderen. A few survivors of the early breakaway hung on with the first riders of what was left of the peloton and twelve riders worked their way to Waregem.
Haussler's accelerations at 30 kilometers from the finish resulted in a five-man leader's group, featuring Boonen, Devolder, Eeckhout and Van Impe. With 18 kilometers to go Van Impe counter attacked Haussler and he got away with good old Eeckhout, staying away to the finish with the known result. Two minutes later Yauheni Hutarovich (Française des Jeux) won the bunch sprint for sixth place ahead of last year's Dwars door Vlaanderen winner Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step).
64th Dwars door Vlaanderen
Belgium, March 25, 2009
1. Kevin Van Impe (BEL) Quick Step 4.52.55 (40.967 km/h)
2. Niko Eeckhout (BEL) An Post-Sean Kelly Team at 2sec
3. Tom Boonen (BEL) Quick Step at 14sec
4. Heinrich Haussler (GER) Cervelo Test Team at 16sec
5. Stijn Devolder (BEL) Quick Step at 48sec
6. Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR) Française Des Jeux at 1.51sec
7. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Quick Step s.t.
8. Mathew Hayman (AUS) Rabobank s.t.
9. Wouter Weylandt (BEL) Quick Step s.t.
10. Kristof Goddaert (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator s.t.
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