Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team had its selected riders — 12 for the UCI Road World Championship on Sunday — show plenty of aggressiveness in the 265km race. It appeared Tom Boonen was in prime position for Belgium, as he was surrounded by four teammates in the final kilometers, and was in 4th position at the beginning of the final climb up the Cauberg.
However, it was not Boonen who pounced on the opportunity for the win. Boonen's teammate, Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team), launched an attack midway up the 1.5km Cauberg, and soloed to victory as no one could catch him for the next 1700m before the finish line. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway/Team Sky ProCycling) took silver, and Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) was 3rd.
Dario Cataldo (Italy) did plenty of work earlier in the race, leading a small breakaway that turned into a group of almost 30 riders that tried, but failed, to stay away until the finish. Dries Devenyns and Kevin De Weert also did plenty of work for the Belgian Team as they chased the breakaway down.
Niki Terpstra (Holland), Frantisek Rabon (Czech Republic) and several other OPQS riders were caught behind a peloton crash earlier in the race that compromised their chances of contesting the race finish.
Top 5 Results
1 Philippe Gilbert (BEL) 6:10:41
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) +4"
3 Alejandro Valverde (ESP) +5"
4 John Degenkolb (GER) +5"
5 Lars Boom (NED) +5"
OPQS Results
12 Tom BOONEN (BEL) +5
57 Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) +2'21"
61 Michal Golas (POL) s.t.
66 Niki Terpstra (NED) s.t.
104 Frantisek Rabon (CZE) +8'55"
116 Zdenek Stybar (CZE) s.t.
120 Matteo Trentin (ITA) +9'44"
DNF Dario Cataldo (ITA)
DNF Kevin De Weert (BEL)
DNF Dries Devenyns (BEL)
DNF Martin Velits (SVK)
DNF Peter Velits (SVK)