2018 De Brabantse Pijl (HC), Belgium
La Flèche Brabançonne
58th edition: Wednesday, April 11, 2018
De Brabantse Pijl podium history | 2017 edition | 2019 edition | Race map | Photos | Start list
Leuven - Overijse, 201.9 km
Tim Wellens crosses the line alone. Fotoreporter Sirotti
The race: Here's the report from winner Tim Wellens' Lotto-Soudal team.
Tim Wellens successfully restarted competition by winning the Brabantse Pijl after a strong solo in the final kilometres! Teammate Tiesj Benoot could join him on the podium as third. Lotto Soudal set a strong collective performance.
Almost immediately after the start in Leuven a breakaway of seven riders was established. Lotto Soudal rider Rémy Mertz started controlling the gap. Just before entering the first of three local laps of 23.4 kilometres several Lotto Soudal riders came to the front. The peloton split when Maxime Monfort raised the pace. Then Tosh Van der Sande and Jack Haig created a gap. The duo succeeded in bridging to the leaders. At the beginning of the second lap, Van der Sande and his companion had got rid of all others. It was only with twelve kilometres to go that Van der Sande and Haig got caught. Again Lotto Soudal was positioned at the front of the bunch. After an acceleration of Jelle Vanendert a small group, including Tim Wellens, got a gap. With 7.5 kilometres to go Wellens attacked and that turned out to be the decisive move. Wellens arrived solo at the finish in Overijse, paying tribute to Michael Goolaerts. Tiesj Benoot sprinted to the third place, behind Sonny Colbrelli.
Tim Wellens: “It was the plan to let the race explode as early as possible, because we had such a strong line-up. That’s what we did with over seventy kilometres to go. Rémy Mertz had first controlled the gap on his own for sixty kilometres, until he got help from a rider of BMC and one of Bahrain. Maxime Monfort raised the pace on the local circuit and that caused the peloton to split. It was our plan to send a rider in the break afterwards and that was the case with Tosh Van der Sande. I thought for a while that they would remain ahead as there was not immediately a team that took control of the chase. When they got caught, Jelle Vanendert accelerated as I had asked. He did that perfectly. I attacked on a section with a slight headwind. I had to fight at first to get a gap, but when Pauwels and Serry came off the front my lead grew up to 25 seconds.”
“The past years I learned to choose the best moment to attack. Today that was with 7.8 kilometres to go and that meant that I needed to go full for about ten minutes. That went really well, I had super legs. This gives me confidence for the upcoming races, even though they are of a higher level. With the team we had today, we are more than ready.”
“Of course we talk about what happened with Michael Goolaerts, in the peloton and in the team. It was a very serene atmosphere at the start. There are teammates of mine that have raced with Michael. I know his teammates Sean De Bie and Zico Waeytens very well. They are going through a difficult time and I try to support them.”
Complete Results:
201.9 kilometers raced at an average speed of 42.836 km/hr
| 1 | WELLENS Tim | Lotto-Soudal | 4hr 42min 48sec |
| 2 | COLBRELLI Sonny | Bahrain-Merida | @ 9sec |
| 3 | BENOOT Tiesj | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 4 | SERRY Pieter | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 5 | TRATNIK Jan | CCC Sprandi Polkowice | s.t. |
| 6 | PASQUALON Andrea | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | s.t. |
| 7 | TEUNS Dylan | BMC | s.t. |
| 8 | DUIJN Huub | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | 0:12 |
| 9 | SPRENGERS Thomas | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 0:14 |
| 10 | IMPEY Daryl | Mitchelton-Scott | s.t. |
| 11 | MARTENS Paul | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 12 | VAN GESTEL Dries | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 13 | PAUWELS Serge | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 14 | VERONA Carlos | Mitchelton-Scott | s.t. |
| 15 | BOASSON HAGEN Edvald | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 16 | HERRADA Jesús | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 17 | RIESEBEEK Oscar | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 18 | PERNSTEINER Hermann | Bahrain-Merida | s.t. |
| 19 | COQUARD Bryan | Vital Concept | 0:19 |
| 20 | MEURISSE Xandro | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | s.t. |
| 21 | BARGUIL Warren | Fortuneo-Samsic | s.t. |
| 22 | JULES Justin | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 23 | GRELLIER Fabien | Direct Energie | 0:23 |
| 24 | WARBASSE Larry | Aqua Blue Sport | s.t. |
| 25 | MATÉ Luis Ángel | Cofidis | 0:29 |
| 26 | SBARAGLI Kristian | Israel Cycling Academy | s.t. |
| 27 | CANOLA Marco | Nippo-Vini Fantini | s.t. |
| 28 | DAVIES Scott | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 29 | POWER Robert | Mitchelton-Scott | 0:36 |
| 30 | HERRADA José | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 31 | BATTAGLIN Enrico | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 32 | BOLE Grega | Bahrain-Merida | s.t. |
| 33 | OWSIAN Lukasz | CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:47 |
| 34 | BOIVIN Guillaume | Israel Cycling Academy | 0:51 |
| 35 | DE WITTE Mathias | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | s.t. |
| 36 | RÉZA Kévin | Vital Concept | s.t. |
| 37 | SISR Frantisek | CCC Sprandi Polkowice | s.t. |
| 38 | GASPAROTTO Enrico | Bahrain-Merida | s.t. |
| 39 | WEENING Pieter | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 40 | VANENDERT Jelle | Lotto-Soudal | 0:55 |
| 41 | VAN HECKE Preben | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 1:15 |
| 42 | LIGTHART Pim | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | 1:17 |
| 43 | ARASHIRO Yukiya | Bahrain-Merida | 1:18 |
| 44 | MÜLLER Patrick | Vital Concept | s.t. |
| 45 | BACKAERT Frederik | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | s.t. |
| 46 | MORTIER Julien | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 47 | DECLERCQ Benjamin | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 48 | DELTOMBE Kevin | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 49 | GERTS Floris | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 50 | GATE Aaron | Aqua Blue Sport | s.t. |
| 51 | CAVAGNA Rémi | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 52 | MARCZYNSKI Tomasz | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 53 | PONZI Simone | Nippo-Vini Fantini | s.t. |
| 54 | VERMOTE Julien | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 55 | PEREZ Anthony | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 56 | DUNBAR Edward | Aqua Blue Sport | 1:25 |
| 57 | JUUL-JENSEN Christopher | Mitchelton-Scott | s.t. |
| 58 | BAUGNIES Jerome | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | s.t. |
| 59 | GESBERT Elie | Fortuneo-Samsic | 1:37 |
| 60 | SMITH Dion | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | 1:49 |
| 61 | GODON Dorian | Cofidis | 2:00 |
| 62 | PACHER Quentin | Vital Concept | 2:01 |
| 63 | MONFORT Maxime | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 64 | PEYSKENS Dimitri | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | 2:05 |
| 65 | ASGREEN Kasper | Quick-Step Floors | 2:26 |
| 66 | LINDEMAN Bert-Jan | LottoNL-Jumbo | 2:35 |
| 67 | KOCH Jonas | CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 2:40 |
| 68 | NARVAEZ Jhonatan | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 69 | NEILANDS Krists | Israel Cycling Academy | s.t. |
| 70 | ROSSKOPF Joey | BMC | s.t. |
| 71 | BOOKWALTER Brent | BMC | s.t. |
| 72 | JUNGELS Bob | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 73 | VANTOMME Maxime | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | 3:17 |
| 74 | SICARD Romain | Direct Energie | 3:28 |
| 75 | WAEYTENS Zico | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | 3:44 |
| 76 | MARTINELLI Davide | Quick-Step Floors | 4:22 |
| 77 | HAIG Jack | Mitchelton-Scott | 4:35 |
| 78 | VAN DER SANDE Tosh | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 79 | BERNAS Pawel | CCC Sprandi Polkowice | s.t. |
| 80 | TIZZA Marco | Nippo-Vini Fantini | 6:26 |
| 81 | FEILLU Brice | Fortuneo-Samsic | s.t. |
| 82 | HANSEN Lasse Norman | Aqua Blue Sport | 7:57 |
| 83 | REINDERS Elmar | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 84 | VAN HOOYDONCK Nathan | BMC | s.t. |
| 85 | LIVYNS Arjen | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | s.t. |
| 86 | WILLIAMS Tyler | Israel Cycling Academy | s.t. |
| 87 | JENSEN August | Israel Cycling Academy | s.t. |
| 88 | PALUTA Michal | CCC Sprandi Polkowice | s.t. |
| 89 | PLANET Charles | Novo Nordisk | 9:18 |
| 90 | GEBREIGZABHIER Amanuel | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 91 | PEDERSEN Casper | Aqua Blue Sport | s.t. |
| 92 | MOINARD Amaël | Fortuneo-Samsic | s.t. |
| 93 | BOUDAT Thomas | Direct Energie | 16:12 |
| 94 | DE BONDT Dries | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | 17:15 |
| 95 | OLIVIER Daan | LottoNL-Jumbo | 17:44 |
| 96 | KOBAYASHI Marino | Nippo-Vini Fantini | s.t. |
| 97 | HENTTALA Joonas | Novo Nordisk | s.t. |
| 98 | MASSON Christophe | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 99 | BOHLI Tom | BMC | s.t. |
| 100 | LOZANO David | Novo Nordisk | s.t. |
2018 Brabantse Pijl pictures by Fotoreporter Sirotti:
A sad moment as recently deceased team member Michael Goolaerts is remembered during the Veranda's Willems-Crelan team presentation.
Direct Energie riders Romain Sicard and Rein Taaramae head to the start.
Very somber Veranda's Willems-Crelan riders on the start line.
Veranda's Willems-Crelan leads the peloton as the race leaves the start city of Leuven.
Calvin Watson leads a break.
Enrico Battaglin
Kevin Reza
Maxime Monfort does his share of the work.
Jack Haig & Tosh Van Der Sande give it a go.
The race belongs to Tim Wellens.
Sonny Colbrelli (right, front) beats Tiesj Benoot for the field sprint win.
Winner Tim Wellens
The podium, from left: Sonny Solbrelli (2nd), Tim Wellens & Tiesj Benoot (3rd)
Start list with back numbers, April 10, 2018:
| BAHRAIN-MERIDA | |
| DS: Rik Verbrugghe | |
| 1 | COLBRELLI Sonny |
| 2 | ARASHIRO Yukiya |
| 3 | BOLE Grega |
| 4 | BOZIC Borut |
| 5 | GASPAROTTO Enrico |
| 6 | NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas |
| 7 | PERNSTEINER Hermann |
| BMC | |
| DS: Klaas Lodewyck | |
| 11 | TEUNS Dylan |
| 13 | BOHLI Tom |
| 14 | BOOKWALTER Brent |
| 15 | FRANKINY Kilian |
| 16 | ROSSKOPF Joey |
| 17 | VAN HOOYDONCK Nathan |
| LOTTO-SOUDAL | |
| DS: Mario Aerts | |
| 21 | BENOOT Tiesj |
| 22 | MARCZYNSKI Tomasz |
| 23 | MERTZ Rémy |
| 24 | MONFORT Maxime |
| 25 | VAN DER SANDE Tosh |
| 26 | VANENDERT Jelle |
| 27 | WELLENS Tim |
| MITCHELTON-SCOTT | |
| DS: Matthew Wilson | |
| 31 | IMPEY Daryl |
| 32 | HAIG Jack |
| 33 | HEPBURN Michael |
| 34 | JUUL JENSEN Christopher |
| 35 | POWER Robert |
| 36 | TUFT Svein |
| 37 | VERONA Carlos |
| QUICK-STEP FLOORS | |
| DS: Geert Van Bondt | |
| 41 | JUNGELS Bob |
| 42 | ASGREEN Kasper |
| 43 | CAVAGNA Rémi |
| 44 | MARTINELLI Davide |
| 45 | NARVAEZ Jhonatan |
| 46 | JAKOBSEN Fabio |
| 47 | SERRY Pieter |
| DIMENSION DATA | |
| DS: Jean-Pierre Heynderickx | |
| 51 | BOASSON HAGEN Edvald |
| 52 | DAVIES Scott |
| 53 | GEBREIGZABHIER Amanuel |
| 55 | PAUWELS Serge |
| 56 | VAN ZYL Johann |
| 57 | VERMOTE Julien |
| LOTTO NL-JUMBO | |
| DS: Addy Engels | |
| 61 | BATTAGLIN Enrico |
| 62 | DE TIER Floris |
| 63 | EENKHOORN Pascal |
| 64 | LINDEMAN Bertjan |
| 65 | MARTENS Paul |
| 66 | OLIVIER Daan |
| 67 | WAGNER Robert |
| AQUA BLUE SPORT | |
| DS: Niki Sorensen | |
| 71 | CHRISTIAN Mark |
| 72 | DUNBAR Eddie |
| 73 | GATE Aaron |
| 74 | HANSEN Lasse Norman |
| 75 | PEDERSEN Casper Phillip |
| 76 | WARBASSE Larry |
| 77 | WATSON Calvin |
| CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE | |
| DS: Piotr Wadecki | |
| 81 | TRATNIK Jan |
| 82 | BERNAS Pawel |
| 83 | GRADEK Kamil |
| 84 | KOCH Jonas |
| 85 | OWSIAN Lukasz |
| 86 | PALUTA Michal |
| 87 | SISR Frantisek |
| COFIDIS | |
| DS: Alain Deloeuil | |
| 91 | HERRADA Jesús |
| 92 | GODON Dorian |
| 93 | HERRADA José |
| 94 | MATE Luis Angel |
| 95 | PEREZ Anthony |
| 96 | ROSSETTO Stéphane |
| DIRECT ENERGIE | |
| DS: Lylian Lebreton | |
| 101 | TAARAMAE Rein |
| 102 | BOUDAT Thomas |
| 103 | COUSIN Jerome |
| 104 | GRELLIER Fabien |
| 105 | HIVERT Jonathan |
| 106 | SICARD Romain |
| 107 | TULIK Angelo |
| ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY | |
| Eric van Lancker | |
| 111 | SBARAGLI Kristian |
| 112 | BOIVIN Guillaume |
| 113 | GOLDSTEIN Roy |
| 114 | JENSEN August |
| 115 | NEILANDS Krists |
| 116 | VAN WINDEN Dennis |
| 117 | WILLIAMS Tyler |
| NIPPO-VINI FANTINI | |
| DS: Mario Manzoni | |
| 121 | CANOLA Marco |
| 122 | CIMA Imerio |
| 123 | GROSU Eduard Michael |
| 124 | KOBAYASHI Marino |
| 125 | LOBATO Juan Jose |
| 126 | PONZI Simone |
| 127 | TIZZA Marco |
| ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ | |
| DS: Michael Boogerd | |
| 131 | WEENING Pieter |
| 132 | DE GREEF Robbert |
| 133 | GERTS Floris |
| 134 | LIGTHART Pim |
| 135 | MEIJERS Jeroen |
| 136 | REINDERS Elmar |
| 137 | RIESEBEEK Oscar |
| SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE | |
| DS: Walter Planckaert | |
| 141 | VAN HECKE Preben |
| 142 | DE GENDT Aimé |
| 143 | DECLERCQ Benjamin |
| 144 | DELTOMBE Kevin |
| 145 | PLANCKAERT Edward |
| 146 | SPRENGERS Thomas |
| 147 | VAN GESTEL Dries |
| FORTUNEO-SAMSIC | |
| DS: Roger Trehin | |
| 151 | BARGUIL Warren |
| 152 | BONNAMOUR Franck |
| 153 | FEILLU Brice |
| 154 | GESBERT Elie |
| 155 | LEDANOIS Kevin |
| 156 | MOINARD Amaël |
| 157 | VACHON Florian |
| TEAM NOVO NORDISK | |
| DS: Massimo Podenzana | |
| 161 | PERON Andrea |
| 162 | HENTTALA Joonas |
| 163 | KAMSTRA Brian |
| 164 | LOZANO RIBA David |
| 165 | MCCLURE Reid |
| 166 | PLANET Charles |
| 167 | VAN IJZENDOORN Rik |
| VERANDA'S WILLEMS-CRELAN | |
| DS: Michiel Elijzen | |
| 171 | DE BIE Sean |
| 172 | DE BONDT Dries |
| 174 | DE WITTE Mathias |
| 175 | DUYN Huub |
| 176 | LIVYNS Arjen |
| 177 | VAN BREUSSEGEM Elias |
| 178 | WAEYTENS Zico |
| VITAL CONCEPT | |
| DS: Gilles Pauchard | |
| 181 | COQUARD Bryan |
| 182 | BAGOT Yohan |
| 183 | MOTTIER Justin |
| 184 | MÜLLER Patrick |
| 185 | PACHER Quentin |
| 186 | REZA Kévin |
| 187 | TURGIS Tanguy |
| WANTY–GROUPE GOBERT | |
| DS: Hilaire Van der Schueren | |
| 191 | BAUGNIES Jérôme |
| 192 | BACKAERT Frederik |
| 193 | DEVRIENDT Tom |
| 194 | EIKING Odd Christian |
| 195 | MEURISSE Xandro |
| 196 | PASQUALON Andrea |
| 197 | SMITH Dion |
| WB-AQUA PROTECT-VERANCLASSIC | |
| DS: Olivier Kaisen | |
| 201 | VANTOMME Maxime |
| 202 | JULES Justin |
| 203 | MASSON Christophe |
| 204 | MORTIER Julien |
| 205 | PEYSKENS Dimitri |
| 206 | ROBEET Ludovic |
| 207 | WARNIER Antoine |