2015 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (1.1), Belgium
67th edition: Sunday, March 1, 2015
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne podium history | 2014 edition | 2016 edition
2015 route map | Startlist | Live updates |
Mark Cavendish wins the 2015 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. Photo © Belga
The race: Etixx-Quick Step partially washed away the humiliation the team suffered yesterday at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, when the team had three riders in the winning four-man break, but could not close the deal when Sky rider Ian Stannard out-smarted and out-raced the Etixx trio to win the first Belgian race.
Today, a break of 20 went clear with about 55 kms to go. It was filled with heavy hitters such as Tom Boonen, Philippe Gilbert, Mark Cavendish and Ian Stannard and for quite a while looked to have been the winning move. But, it was caught with about 30 km to go, setting things up for a sprint.
Phillipe Gilbert tried a last-minute flier, but he was rounded up in the final kilometer, leaving things for a big romp to the line. Mark Cavendish is enjoying sparkling form and he did not disappoint. Alexander Kristoff looked to have the race won, but in the final meters Cavandish went right by the Katusha rider to win the Belgian semi-classic for the second time. He also triumphed here in 2012.
Complete results:
193 km raced at an average speed of 43.048 km/hr.
197 starters, 107 classified finishers
| 1 | CAVENDISH Mark | ETIXX - QUICK STEP | 4hr 29min 0sec |
| 2 | KRISTOFF Alexander | TEAM KATUSHA | s.t. |
| 3 | VIVIANI Elia | TEAM SKY | s.t. |
| 4 | VAN ASBROECK Tom | TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO | s.t. |
| 5 | COLLI Daniele | NIPPO - VINI FANTINI | s.t. |
| 6 | DRUCKER Jean-Pierre | BMC RACING TEAM | s.t. |
| 7 | DEBUSSCHERE Jens | LOTTO SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 8 | SBARAGLI Kristian | MTN - QHUBEKA | s.t. |
| 9 | KREDER Raymond | TEAM ROOMPOT | s.t. |
| 10 | PELUCCHI Matteo | IAM CYCLING | s.t. |
| 11 | SALOMEIN Jarl | TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE | s.t. |
| 12 | DEMOITIE Antoine | WALLONIE - BRUXELLES | s.t. |
| 13 | BOASSON HAGEN Edvald | MTN - QHUBEKA | s.t. |
| 14 | THEUNS Edward | TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE | s.t. |
| 15 | ISTA Kevyn | WALLONIE - BRUXELLES | s.t. |
| 16 | VAN GENECHTEN Jonas | IAM CYCLING | s.t. |
| 17 | VEREECKEN Nicolas | TEAM 3M | s.t. |
| 18 | BOUHANNI Nacer | COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS | s.t. |
| 19 | BENNETT Sam | BORA-ARGON 18 | s.t. |
| 20 | JANS Roy | WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 21 | DE NEGRI Pier Paolo | NIPPO - VINI FANTINI | s.t. |
| 22 | COQUARD Bryan | TEAM EUROPCAR | @ 4sec |
| 23 | HENDERSON Greg | LOTTO SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 24 | BURGHARDT Marcus | BMC RACING TEAM | s.t. |
| 25 | NAESEN Oliver | TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE | s.t. |
| 26 | VANSPEYBROUCK Pieter | TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE | s.t. |
| 27 | HOULE Hugo | AG2R LA MONDIALE | s.t. |
| 28 | PERICHON Pierre-Luc | BRETAGNE-SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT | s.t. |
| 29 | BOONEN Tom | ETIXX - QUICK STEP | s.t. |
| 30 | DOWNEY Sean | AN POST - CHAINREACTION | s.t. |
| 31 | LE BON Johan | FDJ | s.t. |
| 32 | GUARNIERI Jacopo | TEAM KATUSHA | s.t. |
| 33 | VAN HOECKE Gijs | TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE | s.t. |
| 34 | TCATEVICH Aleksei | TEAM KATUSHA | s.t. |
| 35 | STYBAR Zdenek | ETIXX - QUICK STEP | s.t. |
| 36 | KUREK Adrian | CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE | s.t. |
| 37 | VINGERLING Michael | TEAM 3M | s.t. |
| 38 | FINETTO Mauro | SOUTHEAST | s.t. |
| 39 | ELMIGER Martin | IAM CYCLING | s.t. |
| 40 | KUZNETSOV Viacheslav | TEAM KATUSHA | s.t. |
| 41 | MARCATO Marco | WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 42 | PEYSKENS Dimitri | TEAM 3M | s.t. |
| 43 | SCHORN Daniel | BORA-ARGON 18 | s.t. |
| 44 | BAK Lars Ytting | LOTTO SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 45 | CHAVANEL Sébastien | FDJ | s.t. |
| 46 | CHEVALIER Olivier | WALLONIE - BRUXELLES | s.t. |
| 47 | VAN GINNEKEN Sjoerd | TEAM ROOMPOT | s.t. |
| 48 | VAN HECKE Preben | TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE | s.t. |
| 49 | GILBERT Philippe | BMC RACING TEAM | s.t. |
| 50 | KLUGE Roger | IAM CYCLING | s.t. |
| 51 | ROWE Luke | TEAM SKY | s.t. |
| 52 | VANSUMMEREN Johan | AG2R LA MONDIALE | s.t. |
| 53 | THWAITES Scott | BORA-ARGON 18 | s.t. |
| 54 | DOCKX Gert | LOTTO SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 55 | VANLANDSCHOOT James | WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 56 | LADAGNOUS Matthieu | FDJ | s.t. |
| 57 | SIEBERG Marcel | LOTTO SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 58 | ZABEL Rick | BMC RACING TEAM | s.t. |
| 59 | KREDER Michel | TEAM ROOMPOT | s.t. |
| 60 | WYSS Danilo | BMC RACING TEAM | s.t. |
| 61 | ROLLIN Dominique | COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS | s.t. |
| 62 | TEUNS Dylan | BMC RACING TEAM | s.t. |
| 63 | MALAGUTI Alessandro | NIPPO - VINI FANTINI | s.t. |
| 64 | GAUDIN Damien | AG2R LA MONDIALE | s.t. |
| 65 | JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt | MTN - QHUBEKA | s.t. |
| 66 | FARRAR Tyler | MTN - QHUBEKA | s.t. |
| 67 | STANNARD Ian | TEAM SKY | s.t. |
| 68 | CIOLEK Gerald | MTN - QHUBEKA | s.t. |
| 69 | VAN AVERMAET Greg | BMC RACING TEAM | s.t. |
| 70 | REGUIGUI Youcef | MTN - QHUBEKA | s.t. |
| 71 | STASSEN Julien | WALLONIE - BRUXELLES | s.t. |
| 72 | LAMPAERT Yves | ETIXX - QUICK STEP | s.t. |
| 73 | MINARD Sébastien | AG2R LA MONDIALE | s.t. |
| 74 | ANTONINI Simone | WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 75 | GENE Yohann | TEAM EUROPCAR | @ 25sec |
| 76 | GOOVAERTS Tom | CCT p/b CHAMPION SYSTEM | s.t. |
| 77 | MAES Nikolas | ETIXX - QUICK STEP | @ 30sec |
| 78 | WISNIOWSKI Lukasz | ETIXX - QUICK STEP | s.t. |
| 79 | SELVAGGI Mirko | WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 80 | WYNANTS Maarten | TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO | s.t. |
| 81 | VANMARCKE Sep | TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO | s.t. |
| 82 | WAGNER Robert Thomas | TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO | s.t. |
| 83 | EISEL Bernhard | TEAM SKY | @ 42sec |
| 84 | PUCCIO Salvatore | TEAM SKY | @ 44sec |
| 85 | LIGTHART Pim | LOTTO SOUDAL | @ 47sec |
| 86 | PETIT Adrien | COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS | @ 51sec |
| 87 | VAUBOURZEIX Thomas | VERANCLASSIC - EKOI | s.t. |
| 88 | VAN EMPEL Etienne | TEAM ROOMPOT | s.t. |
| 89 | BROECKX Stig | LOTTO SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 90 | MONDORY Lloyd | AG2R LA MONDIALE | s.t. |
| 91 | KOZONCHUK Dmitrii | TEAM KATUSHA | s.t. |
| 92 | KNEES Christian | TEAM SKY | s.t. |
| 93 | HALLER Marco | TEAM KATUSHA | s.t. |
| 94 | JEROME Vincent | TEAM EUROPCAR | @ 1min 28sec |
| 95 | VEUCHELEN Frederik | WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 96 | BACKAERT Frederik | WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 97 | BYSTRØM Sven Erik | TEAM KATUSHA | @ 1min 5sec |
| 98 | MEURISSE Xandro | AN POST - CHAINREACTION | @ 1min 55sec |
| 99 | KEISSE Iljo | ETIXX - QUICK STEP | s.t. |
| 100 | HONIG Reinier | TEAM ROOMPOT | s.t. |
| 101 | VAN EMDEN Jos | TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO | s.t. |
| 102 | TJALLINGII Maarten | TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO | s.t. |
| 103 | LEMOINE Cyril | COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS | @ 2min 35sec |
| 104 | NORDHAUG Lars Petter | TEAM SKY | @ 2min 43sec |
| 105 | BOECKMANS Kris | LOTTO SOUDAL | @ 2min 59sec |
| 106 | DEVENYNS Dries | IAM CYCLING | @ 6min 7sec |
| 107 | TRENTIN Matteo | ETIXX - QUICK STEP | s.t. |
Live Updates: Starting around 5:20 AM Pacific time (Sunday, March 1, of course)
Hi, welcome to BikeRaceInfo's live coverage of the Belgian semi-classic Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
The finish: Gilbert is caught and Mark Cavendish wins the race. Alexander Kristoff went first but Cavendish, in a long side-by-side sprint, just passed him.
1 km to go: Gilbert is still away with 11 seconds. Lotto-Soudal is chasing.
2 km to go: Gilbert now is 10 seconds away. What perfect timing.
3 km to go: Gilbert has six seconds and his gap is growing.
4 km to go: Phillipe Gilbert attacks. He's got a real gap! Has he timed it right?
5 km to go: Cavendish is up near the front. LottoNL is up there now. Ian Stannard (Sky) takes a big pull. Katusha is no longer leading. It's Sky that has taken over.
8 km to go: Bottles are being tossed as the riders try to lighten their bikes for the sprint. Katusha is still at the front, doing the hard work. Sky just behind them. Philippe Gilbert is moving up.
10 km to go: Matteo Trentin (Etixx) has some sort of problem and drops back. Katusha is still pounding away at the front. The pack is content to let them do the work.
15 km to go: The riders got the bell for the final lap. Trentin has a long talk with his Etixx-Quick Step team car. The Etixx team wants to get it right this time after blowing it at Het Nieuwsblad yesterday.
16 km to go: Several Europcar riders are moving up on the left side of the road, next to the Katusha line with lots of Sky muscle also up front.
20 km to go: Pack is lined out with Katusha massing at the front and working hard.
25 km to go: Katusha is working the front pretty hard with several Eitxx-Quick step riders right behind them. Peloton is lined out. They are going pretty fast.
28 km to go: I didn't see it, but it looks like Boeckmans has been caught and the pack is together. Riders are going back for food and bottles, among them Tyler Farrar. Race is going through the town of Kortrijk.
33 km to go: Break is caught with the sole exception of Boeckmans, who remains off the front. Ian Stannard has gone back to talk to the team car. No race radios in this race. Now we'll have two 16km finishing circuits.
37 km to go: Gap is 29 seconds and the Shimano neutral service car that was following the break has been pulled. Peloton has the break in sight, a big motivator.
39 km to go: The pack indeed hasn't surrendered. Gap is 37 seconds. This race is far from over. There are a lot of riders in the break not working.
41 km to go: I was expecting the pack to give up and let the gap explode. I was wrong. Gap is still at 65 seconds. Cavendish is in the break, sitting in and looking very serious. If they drag him to the line, given his current form, he will be hard to beat. Cavendish won in 2012. Tom Boonen, also in the break, is a three-time winner (2007, 2009, 2014).
49 km to go: Boonen hits the front hard on the day's final climb. Gap is 57sec. Riders are echeloned across the road with the wind coming from their left. MTN-Qhubeka is at the pack's front doing all the chase work, trying to save their race.
51 km to go: Gap has stabilized at 52sec as Ag2r helps with the chase.
55 km to go: Under all this pressure a group of about 20 looks like it has gone clear with a serious gap. In the group are Boonen, Gilbert, Stybar, Stannard, Thwaits, Cavendish, Kristoff, Wynants and Lampaert. That's a lot of horsepower. Gap has gone out to 1min 2sec. MTN-Qhubeka is leading the chase. They blew it and as far as I can see, don't have any riders in the break.
60 km to go: Riders on are the path next to the cobbles, looking for a smoother way down the road. Break is about caught.
62 km to go: Etixx-Quick Step is all over the front. They must be really hurting and angry after blowing their chances at Het Nieuwsblad yesterday when they had three of the four riders in the front break and still didn't win. It's head and legs. Yesterday's winner Ian Stannard is staying at the front. Riders are on a 2km section of cobbles. Break's gap is down to 23sec
65 km to go: The riders are climbing on some rough cobbles, bouncing a lot. Sep Vanmarcke hits the front hard and gets a little gap. Tom Boonen and a couple of others get on his wheel. Looks like a group of four has gone clear. Quickly, they are caught. Speeds are high, the pack is constantly breaking apart and re-forming.
70 km to go: Boonen and Tjalingii have formed a small gap. The pack has closed up to the pair while the break's gap is down to 51sec. Sky has swarmed at the front now. Among the riders in the break are Jimmy Engoulvent, Thomas Vauborzeix, M. Pozzo and Eugert Zhupa.
73 km to go: The race is going over narrow roads. Etixx-Quick Step has hit the front, stringing out the peloton and forming gaps. The peloton is lined out, single file. The gap has fallen to 1min 19sec. Tom Boonen just took a vicious pull. Ouch!
6:00 AM Pacific time: The race so far: Beautiful sunny day in Belgium, riders are wearing arm, neck and leg warmers. There are nine climbs today. A break of eight has gone clear. They have 1min 50sec
2015 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne map. Brussels is 20 kilometers to the east of the easternmost part of the route. Obscured by the highlighted route, that's Oudenaarde in the center of the map. Of course, that's Kuurne just south of the start and finish flags.
Startlist (as of February 25):
ETIXX – QUICK STEP (BEL)
1. Boonen Tom
2. Cavendish Mark (GBR)
3. Trentin Matteo (ITA)
4. Velits Martini (SVK)
5. Van Keirsbulck Guillaume
6. Lampaert Yves
7. Maes Nikolas
8. Keisse Iljo
SKY TEAM (GBR)
11. Wiggins Bradley (GBR)
12. Knees Christian (GER)
13. Eisel Bernhard (AUT)
14. Stannard Ian (GBR)
15. Sutton Christopher (AUS)
16. Viviani Elia (ITA)
17. Rowe Luke (GBR)
18. Fenn Andrew (GBR)
LOTTO - SOUDAL (BEL)
21. Greipel Andre (GER)
22. Roelandts Jurgen
23. Bak Lars (DEN)
24. Boeckmans Kris
25. Debusschere Jens
26. Sieberg Marcel (GER)
27. Broeckx Stig
28. Henderson Greg (AUS)
KATUSHA TEAM (RUS)
31. Kristoff Alexander (NOR)
32. Smukulis Gatis (LAT)
33. Kozonchuk Dmitry (RUS)
34. Selig Rudiger (GER)
35. Guarnieri Jacopo (ITA)
36. Tsatevich Alexey (RUS)
37. Haller Marco (AUT)
38. Kuznetsov Viacheslav (RUS)
LottoNL - Jumbo (NED)
41. Vanmarcke Sep
42 Tjallingii Maarten(NED)
43. Flens Rik (NED)
44. Van Asbroeck Tom (GER)
45. Markus Barry (NED)
46. Teunissen Mike
47. Leezer Tom (NED)
48. Hofland Moreno (NED)
IAM Cycling Team (SUI)
51. Elmiger Martin (SUI)
52. Aregger Marcel (SUI)
53. Holst Enger Sondre (NOR)
54. Kluge Roger (GER)
55. Pellaud Simon (SUI)
56. Pelucchi Matteo (ITA)
57. Reynes Vicente (ESP)
58. Van Genechten Jonas
FDJ (FRA)
61. Demare Arnaud (FRA)
62. Boucher David
63. Delage Mickael (FRA)
64. Ladagnous Matthieu (FRA)
65. Chavanel Sébastien (FRA)
66. Sarreau Marc (FRA)
67. Lebon Johan (FRA)
68. Offredo Yoann (FRA)
COFIDIS (FRA)
71. Bouhanni Nacer(FRA)
72. Laporte Christophe (FRA)
73. Soupe Geofrey (FRA)
74. Lemoine Cyril (FRA)
75. Rollin Dominique (CAN)
76. Chainel Steve (FRA)
77. Ahlstrand Jonas (SWE)
78. Van Bilsen Kenneth
BMC RACING TEAM (USA)
81. Gilbert Philippe
82. Zabel Rick (GER)
83. Van Avermaet Greg
84. Drucker Jean-Pierre (LUX)
85. Kung Stefann (SUI)
86. Schar Michael (SUI)
87. Teuns Dylan
88. Burgardht Marcus (GER)
AG 2R – LA MONDIALE (FRA)
91. Vansumeren Johan
92. Turgot Sebastien (FRA)
93. Bagdonas Gediminas (LTU)
94. Maxime Daniel (FRA)
95. Houle Hugo (CAN)
96. Mondory Lloyd (FRA)
97. Minard Sébastien (FRA)
98. Gaudin Damien (FRA)
ROOMPOT (NED)
101. Kreder Raymond (NED)
102. Van Ginneken Sjoerd (NED)
103. Groenewegen Dylan (NED)
104. Honig Reiner (NED)
105. Kreder Michel (NED)
106. Lammertink Maurits (NED)
107. Looij André (NED)
108. Slik Ivar (NED)
MTN - QUBEKA p.b. Samsung (RSA)
111. Farrar Tyler (USA)
112. Ciolek Gerald (GER)
113. Stauff Andreas (GER)
114. Venter Jaco (RSA)
115. Thomson Jay (RSA)
116. Sbaragli Kristian (ITA)
117. Reguigui Youcef (ALG)
118. Van Zyl Johann (RSA)
BORA – ARGON 18 (GER)
121. Thurau Björn (GER)
122. Archbold Shane (NZL)
123. Matzka Ralf (GER)
124. Bennett Sam (IRL)
125. Schorn Daniel (AUT)
126.,Schwarzmann Michael (GER)
127. Thwaites Scott (GBR)
128. Pfingsten Christoph (GER)
WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT (BEL)
131. Napolitano Danilo (ITA)
132. Baugnies Jerome
133. Veuchelen Frederik
134. Ghyselinck Jan
135. Van Landschoot James
136. Jans Roy
137. Selvaggi Mirko (ITA)
138. Marcato Marco (ITA)
CCC SPRANDI KOLKOWICE (POL)
141 . Kiendys Tomasz (POL)
142. Mihaylov Nikolay (BUL)
143. Stepniak Grzegorzl (POL)
144. Taciak Mateuz (POL)
145. Kurek Adrian (POL)
146 . Marycz Jaroslaw (POL)
147 . Samolai Branislau (BLR)
148. Rutkiewicz Marek (POL)
NIPPO – VINI FANTINI – DE ROSA (ITA)
151. Colli Daniele (ITA)
152. De Negri Pierpaolo (ITA)
153. Grosu Eduard (ITA)
154. Pozzo Mattia (ITA)
155. Viola Antonio (ITA)
156. Malaguti Allesandro (ITA)
157. Marini Nicolas (ITA)
158. Satacchiotti Riccardo (ITA)
BRETAGNE SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT (FRA)
161. Hutarovich Yauheni (BIE)
162. Boulo Mathieu (FRA)
163. Brun Frédéric (FRA)
164. Jarrier Benoit (FRA)
165. Cam Maxime (FRA)
166. Laborie Christophe(FRA)
167. Feillu Romain (FRA)
168. Mc Lay Daniel (ANG)
TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE (BEL)
171. Wallays Jelle
172. Wallays Jens
173. Naesen Oliver
174. Van Hecke Preben
175. Theuns Edward
176. Van Hoecke Gijs
177. Van Meirhaeghe Jef
178. Salomein Jari
WALLONIE - BRUXELLES (BEL)
181. Chevalier Olivier
182. Delfosse Sébastien
183. Demotte Antoine
184. Pons Gaetan
185. De Winter Ludwig
186. Ista Kevyn
187. Stassen Julien
188. Pestiaux Loic
EUROPCAR (FRA)
191. Cocquard Bryan (FRA)
192. Bernaudeau Giovanni (FRA)
193. Duchesne Antoine (CAN)
194. Engoulvent Jimmy (FRA)
195. Jerome Vincent (FRA)
196. Lamoisson Morgan (FRA)
197. Martinez Yannick (FRA)
198. Picchot Alexandre (FRA)
SOUTHEAST (ITA)
201. Petacchi Alessandro (ITA)
202. Beletti Manuel (ITA)
203. Cecchinel Giorgio (ITA )
204. Dal Col Andrea (ITA)
205. Andriato Rafael (ITA)
206. Finetto Mauro (ITA)
207. Mareczko Jakub (ITA)
208. Zhupa Eugert (ALB)
CHAMPION SYSTEM (NZL)
211. Dzervius Darijus (LTU)
212. Haggerty Josh (NZL)
213. Tokuda Suguru (JPN)
214. Gadgaard Morten (DEN)
215. Koishi Yuma (JPN)
216. Tokuda Tanzo (JPN)
217. Goovaerts Tom
218. Zenovich Matt (NZL)
VERANCLASSIC –EKOI (BEL)
221 . Rosseler Sébastien.
222. Gardeyn Gorik
223. Cammaerts Edwig
224. Justin Jules (FRA)
225. Vaubourzeix Thomas (FRA)
226. Rullère Melvin (FRA)
227. De Rooze Niels
228. Finders Dirk (GER)
AN POST – CHAINREACTION – S KELLY (BEL)
231.Kruopis Aidis
232. Dunne Conor
233. Slater Alistair
234. Vandenbogaerde Jens
235. Meurisse Xandro
236. Maes Alexander
237. Siskevicius Paulius
238. Wilson Jack
TEAM 3M (BEL)
241. De Man Jaap (NED)
242. Mc Convey Connor (IRL)
243. Vingerling Michael (NED)
244. Nereecken Nicolas
245. Peyskens Dimitri
246. Vanspeybrouck Tim
247. Degreeve Martijn
248. Janssens Jimmy