Omega Pharma - Quick - Step Cycling Team was the aggressor at the 195.5km Nokere Koerse on Wednesday, and the hard work paid off with an impressive leadout and an overwhelming sprint to victory for Francesco Chicchi.
Michal Kwiatkowski was part of two breakaways in the race — the first being a 12 rider break that was caught with slightly less than 40km to go, the second a 14 rider break that included teammate Matteo Trentin. While the second break was chased down by the peloton with 18km to go, Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team continued to drive the pace at the front. They chased down a few attacks within the final 9km, and firmly established their leadout train in the final 5km.
"We had riders in the breakaway — Kwiatkowski and then Trentin — all day long," Chicchi said. "We didn't have to work a lot, only in the final to win. This is my first victory in Nokere. I am really happy, and hope for another big race on Friday in the Handzame Classic."
Chicchi sat third wheel with just 2km remaining, and as the final kilometer came around, Andy Fenn and Matteo Trentin were the final men to set up Chicchi perfectly for his sprint. He took off with such acceleration that he won the race by multiple bike lengths, able to pull up and raise his hands in victory several meters before he crossed the line. This is the 22nd victory for Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team this season, in three disciplines. This was also the fourth win of the season for Chicchi.
"The team was perfect. They took the lead of the operations at 4km from the finish when the group was all together and did a great job. Iljo Keisse and Andy Fenn were perfect in the final 3km, and then Trentin gave a great leadout in the final kilometer," Chicchi said. "I started pulling at 500m. There was a corner at 300km, so I started before the corner and won 'easy' for once."
Keisse also did a great job helping Chicchi return to the peloton when there were a couple mechanical problems with his bike. Sports Director Tom Steels said the bike fixes were a bit "hectic," but everyone did their jobs to ensure Chicchi was ready if the race came down to a bunch sprint — a sprint that likely would include the need to be in the right place at the right time.
"It was a technical sprint," Steels said. "You have to be the first one at that last corner. There was cobbles, a downhill to the last 200 meters — but Fenn and Iljo, they could really feel the sprint, they knew when to go harder and when to take it easy in the pack. Chicchi went at the right time, and he was difficult to be beaten because he's in good shape."
