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RACE REPORTS: 65TH OMLOOP HET NIEUWSBLAD: FLECHA SOLOS!
Road Bike Action
February 27, 2010
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(Photo: Roberto: Bettini)
Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) started the classics season off with a solo victory in the Belgian semi-classic, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. After the race, Flecha dedicated his win to his new Sky team and late Belgian classics star Frank Vandenbroucke.
Shortly after the start of the race, Frederick Veuchelen (Vacansoleil) made the first attack of the day. He was immediately joined by the Dutchman Roy Curvers (Skil-Shimano), the German Roger Kluge (Team Milram) and Frenchman Frederic Guesdon (Française des Jeux). The four quickly took a 20-second lead from the peloton and quickly drove their gap up to more than eleven minutes.
After 50-kilometer there was a reaction from the peloton with David Boucher (Landbouwkrediet) and Gregory Habeaux (Willems Verandas) breaking free from the peloton. They were soon joined by the Dutchman Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil). This group of pursuers could not make the bridge to the break and were reeled in by the peloton. The peloton continued to narrow the gap to the breakaway, before Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) tried a solo move with 60-kilometers remaining but was quickly chased down.
With 50-kilometers to go, early breakaway rider Kluge was swallowed up by the peloton and soon Tom Boonen put on a demonstration of his rising form. At the foot of the Taaienberg the Quick Step rider tested his rivals by putting in a strong attack. Boonen immediately got a gap of ten seconds. The peloton quickly saw the danger of letting Boonen go up the road alone and the chase led to a regrouping at the front that contained all the big names, including Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) and Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto). Attack attempts by Lars Boom (Rabobank) and Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo) proved too optimistic.
With 30-kilometers remaining, a shrewd attack by Jürgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) saw the race get completely rearranged. Five men including teammates Gilbert and Roelandts, Juan-Antonio Flecha (Sky Team) and early breakaway riders Roy and Frederic Guesdon went off the front. Tom Boonen missed the split due to an ill-timed flat tire.
The new leading group was just free of the peloton when Gilbert attacked. The Belgian furiously charged off the front, but Flecha had an even bigger surprise in store. The Spaniard sat right on his wheel and then stormed away from the Belgian, who had no answer to Flecha’s attack.
Gilbert stayed behind and watched bewildered as Flecha pulled further and further away. The peloton had no response, allowing the Spaniard to solo the last the 20-kilometers. At the finish, Flecha had time to draw his bow and fire his trademark Arrow victory salute. After Thor Hushovd’s victory last year, Flecha is now the second foreigner in a row, and the first Spaniard ever, to win Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
In the sprint for second place, American Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) was nipped at the line by Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo). Niko Eeckhout (An Post-Sean Kelly) finished in seventh place and was the highest place Belgian.
After the finished Flecha said, "I dedicate this victory to my team at Sky, with Mathew Hayman, who gave me his wheel, and Frank Vandenbroucke who undoubtedly watching."
65th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
1. Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa/Sky)
2. Heinrich Haussler (Ger/Cervelo)
3. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Transitions)
4. Luca Paolini (Ita/Acqua & Sapone)
5. Marcel Sieberg (Ger/HTC-Team Columbia)
6. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Sky)
7. Niko Eeckhout (Bel/An Post-Sean Kelly)
8. Bernhard Eisel (Aut/HTC-Columbia)
9. Tom Veelers (Ned/Skil-Shimano)
10. Filippo Pozzato (Ita/Katusha) |
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