Three Days of DePanne: Win for Chavanel

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Double Victory for Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step) as he wins final stage and the overall

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Sylvain Chavanel came into the final stage just 10″ down on the overall, and he demolished the Driedaagse Van De Panne-Koksijde Stage 3b 14.7km time trial, winning the stage and the overall for the second straight year.

270313 OPQS-3DaysDePanne stage 3B-Chavanelpodium (c) Tim De Waele

Photo: OPQS/Tim de Waele

The victory for Chavanel was a well executed plan of OPQS, putting their GC leaders Niki Terpstra and Chavanel in the best position for the overall, while also going for stage wins with Mark Cavendish.

Chavanel put on a show despite a technical course, passing the mid stage split 9.57″ faster than his closest rival. He won with a time of 18’02”, which was fastest by 19 seconds.

It was not just individual success for OPQS on Thursday. Terpstra also finished 3rd on the GC, and OPQS riders Guillaume Van Keirsbulck and Mark Cavendish were 9th and 10th overall. Furthermore, OPQS won the team classification.

Chavanel added the 19th and 20th win, in three disciplines, for OPQS in 2013 by taking the stage and overall. Chavanel achieved three of those 20 victories.

270313 OPQS-3 DaysDePanne stage 3B (c) Tim DeWaele

Photo: OPQS/Tim de Waele

“I like to race, it doesn’t matter which race,” Chavanel said afterwards. “I like this race a lot, however. Now I have 48 hours to recover after this double victory and be ready for the race on Sunday (Tour of Flanders). Last year I had a few little problems with my health during Paris-Nice. This year everything went good and normal so far. I’m in good condition.”

“My objective is to maintain this form until Paris-Roubaix. As for the Ronde, I’m not one of the favorites. Sagan is strong and also Cancellara, but we have a strong, united team. We are experienced in these kind of races and also with great specialists such as Tom and Niki. The strategy will also be important. Maybe there are also a few underdogs for the race on Sunday that can surprise everyone. We will do our best as a team and we will see!”

Stage 3A – Kristoff repeats the win – Russell Downing finds his legs on stage 3A in long break

Alexander Kristoff won a tough sprint to win stage 3A after Russell Downing featured in the stage’s break. After the break was shut down with 20k to go as the big teams tried to split the race in the cross winds, Kristoff positioned himself well in the peloton and got the run in perfect to hold off Sasha Modolo and Elia Viviani.

2013_KristoffWins_Katusha

Photo: Katusha/Tim de Waele

It was Alexander Kristoff’s first victory this season and he said afterwards “I wanted this victory and I managed to get it thanks to my team. Katusha did a perfect race today! I thank all my teammates and especially, Rudiger Selig, who was really superb in the final.”

“It was important to stay in front after the last corner, I got a good gap over my rivals and I managed to keep it even if I started my rush quite early. But it worked out! I knew the stage, because I won it last year, so together with the team, we could get the best strategy to win. I am very happy – all the best sprinters are here, so it is a huge satisfaction.”

2013_Rus_Downing_01_Joolze#

Photo: Joolze Dymond/Endura

Downing meanwhile has in his words had been feeling pretty crap on the first two days of the race, something he put down to a cleat having shifted in his crash in his last race. Today he was at the sharp end at the start of the stage and went with the break which yoyoed out front and survived being stopped at a train crossing. It wasn’t until the teams such as Orica Greenedge decided to put the hammer down to reduce the size of the peloton that the break was swallowed up.

FINAL OVERALL
1. CHAVANEL Sylvain Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 12:34:28
2. KRISTOFF Alexander Katusha Team 00:22
3. TERPSTRA Niki Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 00:31
4. LE BON Johan Equipe Cycliste FDJ 00:32
5. WESTRA Lieuwe Vacansoleil – DCM 00:38
6. DUMOULIN Tom Team Argos – Shimano 00:51
7. DURBRIDGE Luke Orica GreenEDGE 00:52
8. BOUCHER David Equipe Cycliste FDJ 00:57
9. VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 00:58
10. CAVENDISH Mark Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 01:06

69. DEMPSTER Zakkari Team NetApp – Endura 12:32
89. BRAMMEIER Matthew Champion System Pro Cycling Team 17:32
105. DOWNING Russell Team NetApp – Endura 20:55

STAGE 3A
1 KRISTOFF Alexander Katusha Team 02:29:02
2 MODOLO Sacha Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox @ st
3 VIVIANI Elia Cannondale Pro Cycling Team @ st
4 COLBRELLI Sonny Bardiani Valvole – CSF Inox @ st
5 PLANCKAERT Baptiste Crelan-Euphony @ st
6 CIMOLAI Davide Lampre – Merida @ st
7 DEHAES Kenny Lotto Belisol Team @ st
8 CAVENDISH Mark Omega Pharma – Quick-Step @ st
9 VAN HUMMEL Kenny Vacansoleil – DCM @ st
10 BAZZANA Alessandro UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis @ st
11 CHICCHI Francesco Vini Fantini @ st

113 BRAMMEIER Matthew Champion System Pro Cycling Team @ 37
123 DOWNING Russell Team NetApp – Endura @ 55
128 DEMPSTER Zakkari Team NetApp – Endura @ st
133 O’GRADY Stuart Orica GreenEDGE 01:34

DNS GREIPEL Andre Lotto Belisol Team
DNS SAGAN Peter Cannondale Pro Cycling Team
DNS BOONEN Tom Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
DNS VOSS Paul Team NetApp – Endura

STAGE 3B
1 CHAVANEL Sylvain Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 18:02
2 VOROBYEV Anton Katusha Team 00:19
3 WESTRA Lieuwe Vacansoleil – DCM 00:21
4 LE BON Johan Equipe Cycliste FDJ 00:24
5 TERPSTRA Niki Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 00:31
6 KRISTOFF Alexander Katusha Team 00:32
7 DUMOULIN Tom Team Argos – Shimano 00:34
8 MOURIS Jens Orica GreenEDGE 00:35
9 DURBRIDGE Luke Orica GreenEDGE @ st
10 VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume Omega Pharma – Quick-Step 00:41

18 CAVENDISH Mark Omega Pharma – Quick-Step @1.07
59 BRAMMEIER Matthew Champion System Pro Cycling Team 01:54
69 DOWNING Russell Team NetApp – Endura @2.08

 

 

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