Ian Wilkinson was second and Alex Blain third for Endura Racing in the 175 kilometre Beverbeek Classic (UCI 1.2) in Belgium.
The race, a UCI 1.2 over 175 kilometres, was held on typical Belgian roads, pan flat and with a mixture of twisty narrow lanes and wide open roads. The race was on from kilometre 0 and the plan for Endura Racing was to get a rider in a move and early on, the names of Endura Racing riders were coming in over radio tour as they got stuck in.
Video: http://www.tvl.be/nl/2012-02-26/tom-van-asbroeck-wint-beverbeek-classic/#content_top_l
Welsh rider Rob Partridge made his move after around 10k and riding like ten men with a peloton of 200 all chasing him, the winner of a round of the Halfords Tour Series in 2011, soloed away for another 10k until he was reeled back in.
More moves came and went until Alex Blain got himself in a move of seven riders. With the chase on from behind, the leaders had no time to settle down and the pace saw the number in the break reduced from seven to six and then to five. Blain then started to attack and it was down to three before the Frenchman went away on his own with three of the finishing circuits to go.
Behind him, moves were continuing to come and go with Erick Rowsell and Scott Thwaites among the Endura Racing riders marking the chasers and the team were well represented at the front of the race in the chase behind Blain. A group of 10 or so then went clear and Wilkinson jumped across to it. After Blain was caught, that left two Endura Racing riders in the eleven or so strong break.
The plan for the team was that should the race come back together, the team were going to work for Jonny McEvoy and although the race did almost come together, the responsibility for the win came down to Blain and Wilkinson. The Frenchman was going to go for a long one but after all day out front and the other teams taking it on from a long way out, the pace was too fast for a late attack.
So, after talking, they decided the best option was to work off each other and mark the other riders as best as they could. With 200 metres to go from about fifth wheel back, Wilkinson made his move and went clear in the dash for the line with Blain marking the rest behind him riding shotgun. After a winter of knee problems, Wilkinson was looking good for the win ten metres from the line but it wasn’t to be and Asbroeck got him on the line. Blain meanwhile came through for third to give the team two on the podium.
“Second was a bit unexpected really†said Wilkinson to VeloUK after the race. “We had a good little team here with great morale and if it had of come down to a bunch sprint, it was going to be either Scott Thwaites or Jonny McEvoy (Jonny was said to have won the bunch sprint).”
“I did a good sprint. I went at the right time and the boy Asbroeck just piped me on the line. I was about fifth wheel and with 200 metres to go I went and hit the front and it was really good. I’m over the moon. Only a month ago I was thinking it would be nice if I could ride my bike let alone race after being off in the winter with a bad knee so it was a good comeback.â€
The team director sportif Julian Winn meanwhile was pleased with his riders getting two on the podium after over 200 started the race. “The team rode very well indeed today. They were beaten by a faster sprinter today but both rode very well, speaking to each other and getting on the podium. I’m dead chuffed with how they rode. It’s good to be on the podium again and with different riders, moving the success around the team.â€
Result
1 Tom Van Asbroeck Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator 04:09:00
2 Ian Wilkinson Endura Racing @ same time
3 Alexandre Blain Endura Racing @ same time
4 Justin Van Hoecke Wallonie Bruxelles РCr̩dit Agricole @ same time
5 Reinier Honig Landbouwkrediet – Euphony @ same time
6 Matthias Allegaert Ovyta – Eijssen Acrog @ same time
7 Mark Mcnally An Post-M. Donnelly-Grant Thornton – S… @ same time
8 Dries Hollanders Metec Cycling Team @ same time
9 Julien Stassen Forem – Actiris @ same time
10 Johan Coenen Team Differdange @ same time
11 Daan Olivier Rabobank Continental Team @ same time
12 Wouter Daniels @ same time
13 Christophe Sleurs Vl Technics Abutriek @ same time
14 Jonathan Breyne Landbouwkrediet – Euphony 00:04
15 Sven Jodts Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator @ same time
16 Danny Van Poppel Rabobank Continental Team 00:05
17 Jonathan Mcevoy Endura Racing @ same time
18 Timothy Dupont Jong Vlaanderen – Bauknecht @ same time
19 Yoeri Havik Cycling Team De Rijke @ same time
20 Nick Van Der Lijke Rabobank Continental Team @ same time
21 Scott Thwaites Endura Racing @ same time
22 Robin Stenuit Wallonie Bruxelles РCr̩dit Agricole @ same time
23 Dylan Groenewegen Cycling Team De Rijke @ same time
24 Boris Vallee Forem – Actiris @ same time
25 Roy Jans Ucs Crabbé Performance VOO @ same time
26 David Skrzypczak Eseg Douai @ same time
27 Kevin Suarez Martinez Ucs Crabbé Performance VOO @ same time
28 Robin Wennekes Metec Cycling Team @ same time
29 Brecht Dhaene Vl Technics Abutriek @ same time
30 Joren Segers An Post-M. Donnelly-Grant Thornton – S… @ same time
31 Kevin Peeters Landbouwkrediet – Euphony @ same time
32 Dimitri Fauville Melbotech – Prorace Cycling Team @ same time
33 Geert Van Der Weijst Cyclingteam Jo Piels @ same time
34 Gediminas Kaupas Team Differdange @ same time
35 Steven Van Vooren Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator @ same time
36 Maarten Van Trijp Lotto – Ridley Espoirs 00:03
37 Olivier Chevalier Wallonie Bruxelles РCr̩dit Agricole @ same time
38 Andrew Ydens Lotto РP̫le Continental Wallon @ same time
39 Sean Patrick Downey An Post-M. Donnelly-Grant Thornton – S… @ same time
40 Yannick Vanbrabant Rock Werchter-chocolade Jacques C.t. @ same time
41 Marco Minnaard Rabobank Continental Team @ same time
42 Nicolas Vereecken Lotto – Ridley Espoirs @ same time
43 Olivier Poppe Ucs Crabbé Performance VOO @ same time
44 Eric Rowsell Endura Racing @ same time
45 Jack Wilson Ucs Crabbé Performance VOO @ same time
46 Jorne Carolus Lotto – Ridley Espoirs @ same time
47 Jerome Kerf Forem – Actiris @ same time
48 Bram Nolten Cyclingteam Jo Piels @ same time
49 Arnauld Geromboux Forem – Actiris @ same time
50 Nick Van Humbeeck Vl Technics Abutriek @ same time
51 Kevin Thome Wallonie Bruxelles РCr̩dit Agricole @ same time
52 Jochen Deweer Vl Technics Abutriek @ same time
53 Joshua Hunt Terra Footwear Bicycle Club @ same time
54 Kevin Verwaest Jong Vlaanderen – Bauknecht @ same time
55 Kenneth Vanbilsen An Post-M. Donnelly-Grant Thornton – S… @ same time
56 Francesco Vancoppernolle Jong Vlaanderen – Bauknecht @ same time
57 Gijs Van Hoecke Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator @ same time
58 Steve Schets Jong Vlaanderen – Bauknecht @ same time
59 Vytautas Kaupas Team Differdange @ same time
60 Jelle Mannaerts Rock Werchter-chocolade Jacques C.t. @ same time
61 Brian Ligneel Terra Footwear Bicycle Club @ same time
62 Sam Lennertz Ucs Crabbé Performance VOO @ same time
63 Aurélien Thilloy Eseg Douai @ same time
64 Kevin Claeys Landbouwkrediet – Euphony @ same time
65 Jonathan Dufrasnes Wallonie Bruxelles РCr̩dit Agricole @ same time
66 Tom Vanbecelaere Colba – Superano Ham @ same time
67 Ian Holt Geox Fuji Test Team @ same time
68 Matti Helminen Landbouwkrediet – Euphony @ same time
69 Jurgen Francois Colba – Superano Ham @ same time
70 Sjors Roosen Cyclingteam Jo Piels @ same time
71 Paavo Paajanen Geox Fuji Test Team @ same time
72 Sebastiaan Pot Cycling Team De Rijke @ same time
73 Frederik Geerts Apk Quality Team @ same time
74 Arthur Vanoverberghe Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator @ same time
75 Rob Partridge Endura Racing @ same time
76 Antoine Leleu Forem – Actiris @ same time
77 Stijn Joseph @ same time
78 Steven Lammertink Cyclingteam Jo Piels @ same time
79 Quentin Van Heuversweijn Forem – Actiris @ same time
80 Tom Dernies Wallonie Bruxelles РCr̩dit Agricole @ same time
81 Fabio Polazzi Wallonie Bruxelles РCr̩dit Agricole @ same time
82 Luc Hagenaars Metec Cycling Team @ same time
83 Ian Vasbinder @ same time
84 Joaquim Durant Jong Vlaanderen – Bauknecht @ same time
85 Thilo Kusenberg Apk Quality Team @ same time
86 Moreno De Pauw @ same time
87 Jens Van Bylen @ same time
88 Ruben Boons Lotto – Ridley Espoirs @ same time
89 Floris Smeyers Ovyta – Eijssen Acrog @ same time
90 Wout Franssen Rock Werchter-chocolade Jacques C.t. @ same time
91 Brian Megens Rabobank Continental Team @ same time
92 Ike Groen Cycling Team De Rijke @ same time
93 Jerome Giaux Profel – Bofrost – Prorace @ same time
94 Amaury Capiot Rock Werchter-chocolade Jacques C.t. @ same time
95 Tom Goovaerts Colba – Superano Ham @ same time
96 Glenn Van De Maele Lotto РP̫le Continental Wallon @ same time
97 Pim De Beer Cyclingteam Jo Piels @ same time
98 Niek Boom Cycling Team De Rijke @ same time
99 Gert Lodewijks Ucs Crabbé Performance VOO @ same time
100 Jan Bluekens Profel – Bofrost – Prorace @ same time
101 Pieter-jan Bollen @ same time
102 Martynas Maniusis Geox Fuji Test Team @ same time
103 Maarten Craeghs Lotto – Ridley Espoirs @ same time
104 Stijn Bruyndonckx Rock Werchter-chocolade Jacques C.t. @ same time
105 Edward Theuns Vl Technics Abutriek @ same time
106 Ruben Zepuntke Rabobank Continental Team @ same time
107 Florent Serry Lotto РP̫le Continental Wallon @ same time
108 Kurt Geysen Ovyta – Eijssen Acrog @ same time
109 Jeffrey Van Thielen United Cycling Team Sint Truiden @ same time
110 Gert Claes Sport & Steun-leopoldsburg @ same time
111 Remco Broers Team Differdange @ same time
112 Geoffrey Venel Eseg Douai @ same time
113 Florian Deriaux Eseg Douai @ same time
114 Antoine Demoitie Forem – Actiris @ same time
115 Dominique Cornu Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator @ same time
116 Jeffrey Wiersma Metec Cycling Team @ same time
117 Paul Moerland Metec Cycling Team @ same time
118 Daniel Mclay Lotto – Ridley Espoirs @ same time
119 Bram Mertens United Cycling Team Sint Truiden @ same time
120 Nicky Cocquyt Rock Werchter-chocolade Jacques C.t. @ same time
121 Jelle Goderis Geox Fuji Test Team @ same time
122 Mark Schreurs Cyclingteam Jo Piels @ same time
123 Thomas Vanhaecke Geox Fuji Test Team @ same time
124 Ronald Winters Profel – Bofrost – Prorace @ same time
125 Sam Bennett An Post-M. Donnelly-Grant Thornton – S… @ same time
126 Michiel Janssen Ovyta – Eijssen Acrog @ same time
127 Wouter Wippert Lotto – Ridley Espoirs 00:46
128 Hophra Gerard Ucs Crabbé Performance VOO 00:52
129 Huub Duyn Cycling Team De Rijke 01:02
130 Kevin Gijsembergt Terra Footwear Bicycle Club 01:10
131 Lennert Jacobs Melbotech – Prorace Cycling Team 01:13
132 Thomas Op Het Eynde Bianchi – Lotto – Nieuwe Hoop Tielen 01:21
133 Dirk Finders Bianchi – Lotto – Nieuwe Hoop Tielen @ same time
134 Maarten Kesteleyn United Cycling Team Sint Truiden 01:30
135 Sven Van Den Houte Colba – Superano Ham 02:25
136 Kevin Grieten Terra Footwear Bicycle Club @ same time
137 Bram De Kort Cyclingteam Jo Piels 02:30
138 Simon Vanroy Profel – Bofrost – Prorace 08:08
139 César Bihel Team Differdange 10:01
140 Antoine Fouldrin Eseg Douai @ same time
141 Wilfried Daumont Eseg Douai @ same time
142 Rob Vangenechten Melbotech – Prorace Cycling Team @ same time
143 Jarno Vanguyse Melbotech – Prorace Cycling Team 11:31
