Jakobsen Wins Nokere-Koerse

14 March 2018 04:16

Dutchman Fabio Jakobsen of Quick Step has won the 73rd Danilith Nokere-Koerse race in Belgium.

A 191km 1.HC race from Deinze to Nokere featured more cobbled sectors than last year, 27 in 2018, with seven WorldTour teams entering and saw eight riders away with a lead of seven minutes after one hour of racing.

 

Over the Nokereberg climb for the first time and the gap to the front group which included Aqua Blue’s Conor Dunne was now at eight minutes.

 

That went out to 10.20 and was at a stable ten minutes with one hundred kilometres to go.

 

Wout Van Aert crashed as the gap rapidly fell to 6.24 with 85kms left and 5.24 with three laps (72kms) to go.

 

Timothy Stephens was first over the finish line to take more points for the Pur Natur Mountain challenge.

 

There was a crash as the gap came down to three minutes with just under fifty kilometres to go.

 

With one 29km lap to go, nine riders including Van Aert went after the eight up front.

 

Conor Dunne led on his own with ten kilometres and three sectors of cobbles to go.

 

Dunne was caught and the group which saw Team Sky’s Luke Rowe joining them as the speed ramped up.

 

Luke Rowe tried to attack but failed and it came down to a sprint. Ackermann of Bora Hansgrohe went but it was Fabio Jakobsen of Quick Step who won in 4.40.39. ahead of Capiot and Hoftsetter with Andy Fenn fifth.   

 

 

KEV MONKS FOR DIGITAL SPORTS GROUP 

 

 

 

Source: DSG