Astana's Michael Valgren has won the opening Spring Classic of the season - the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
A 257km race which started in Genk with 57kms of cobbles, saw ten riders away with twenty kilometres gone and an hour later, they were five minutes ahead.
With eighty kilometres to go, the peloton increased their speed and put pressure on the break which was splintering and affected by a couple of crashes.
More attacks on the front runners came over the next forty kilometres and eventually, the break was swallowed up with Greg Van Averamet (BMC-Racing-Team), Tim Wellens and Tiejs Benoot (Lotto-Soudal) attacking before a group of around fifty riders led with 35kms remaining.
Heading for the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg climbs and Sep Vanmarcke (EF-Drapac) who split the race with an attack which saw an elite group form going into the final fifteen kilometres.
Over the Bosberg and this group were together but with three kilometres left, Michael Valgren (Astana) out in a move which the others could not follow and won the race in 4:50:14, twelve seconds ahead of Lucas Wisniowski (Team-Sky) and Sep Vanmarcke (EF-Drapac).
Valgren said about his victory: "We really deserved this win with our team, as we were really strong in today’s final. I attacked several times, but the final time I knew it was the right one and I went full gas.
"Of course, I had some doubts if I was able to stay in front, but going into the final meters I knew we got it. I’m really happy with this win, it’s the biggest so far in my career.
"I hope I can build on this for the next races to come. It was really special, "
Picture courtesy of OHN
KEV MONKS FOR DIGITAL SPORTS GROUP
Source: DSG
