Grand Prix de Denain - Porte du Hainaut

A hectic race in northern France

Taking place over 196.2 kilometers, the 65th edition of the Grand Prix de Denain was for many riders a repetition ahead of Paris-Roubaix, which is scheduled in three weeks’ time. A total of twelve cobblestone sectors, many of them caked in mud following the rain that fell in the region at the beginning of the week, were quite treacherous and made for a tense race.

The fact that the breakaway had a gap of seven minutes didn’t help the peloton, who soon began to panic when they realised they were running out of road to bring back the escapees. A number of crashes disrupted the chase, including one with ten kilometers to go, just as the gap was rapidly coming down. As a result, the riders in the front made it and Jannik Steimle (Q36.5) took the victory from a two-man sprint.

A large chasing group arrived one minute later, and Yves Lampaert finished in the top 20 as the best placed Soudal Quick-Step rider in what was the Belgian’s final outing before the start of the cobbled Classics next weekend.

Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images