Report & Result – RideLondon Classic

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Jean Pierre Drucker of BMC has won the 2015 Edition of the Ride London Classic on the Mall in London in bright sunshine, Ben Swift is 3rd

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Report & Result – RideLondon Classic

Jean-Pierre Drucker (BMC) produced the sprint of his life to win the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic today beating Britain’s Ben Swift (Team Sky)  and Dutchman Mike Teunissen (Lotto Jumbo) on The Mall in central London to claim the first victory of his professional career. The 28-year-old was part of an eight-strong group of cyclists that burst clear of the peloton with a quarter of the 200-kilometre race to go before four riders hared up Whitehall and under Admiralty Arch in pursuit of glory.

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Photo: Prudential RideLondon

Swift led them up The Mall with the Finish Line in sight and Buckingham Palace visible in the distance, the Team Sky sprinter desperate to make amends for last year when he lost by a hair’s width to Adam Blythe.

But Drucker had been tailing him home and the Luxembourg rider launched his attack with 50 metres to go, surprising the Briton and Lotto NL-Jumbo’s Teunissen to take a hard-earned victory built on brilliant teamwork by his experienced BMC Racing Team. Drucker threw his arm in the air as he crossed the line to thunderous roars, a huge grin breaking out on his bearded face.

“To get my first professional win in front of Buckingham Palace is so special,” said Drucker. “The crowd here is so crazy about cycling, it’s fantastic to get my first win here. I am a fast guy, so I was pretty confident,” Drucker said after winning his first race of the season. I was feeling good all day and at the end I just kept my eye on Swift,” said Drucker. “I could see he was very motivated and really wanted victory in front of his own crowd. I knew he would go for the win, but I worked hard as well.

“I love it when it’s hard and that was our plan. We tried to make it a hard race by moving guys to the front. It always feels so good when a plan works out.”

The Race

The race followed the usual format of lots of attacking at the start before five man group escaped, Erick Rowsell (Madison Genesis), Lander Seynaeve, Riccardo Stacchiotti, Peter Williams (One Pro Cycling) & Sander Helven. Once a lead was established, Etixx Quickstep took over in the peloton with IIljo Keisse doing a lot of work, helped also by Alex Peters of Team Sky.

As is the norm with a break, one of the riders, Erick Rowsell of Madison Genesis targeted the King of the Hills prize whilst Pete Williams (One Pro Cycling) was doing what he did in the Tour of Britain a few years ago and was going for the sprints. Williams though was being kept busy with a puncture and a dropped chain giving him two energy sapping chases whilst also working in the break for it to stay away on the loops in Surrey.

As the break continued to hold their lead on the loops of the Surrey hills and Rowsell made a habit of taking maximum points in the KoM competition, behind in the peloton they brought the gap right down before then letting it go out a little but keeping the gap small enough for when they wanted to reel them in. Not too soon because that would just create a situation where there would be a lot of attacking but not too big especially as the teams only had six man teams.

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Photo: Prudential RideLondon – Erick Rowsell (Madison Genesis) and Pete Williams  (One Pro Cycling)

It is unusual though when a team has control of the peloton for a rider to break that control but Gerts Floris, a stagiaire for BMC, escaped from the peloton in a bid to make contact with the breakaway and had a long lone chase before he joined Rowsell, Williams and company. Most of the action was in the mid race sprints at this time and Williams was being challenged by Stacchiotti who was racking up the wins from Williams.

A crash at 73k to go saw a number of riders from the British teams crash whilst at the front, Etixx Quickstep and Sky were across the road blocking it to prevent any more attacks. Not long after go though the attacks started in earnest and from then on the race was never the same. Lotto Jumbo were very active and soon three riders caught the leaders with one of them being Raleigh’s Karol Domagalski.

The gap though to the peloton was small and once it was organised, the leaders were caught and it was down to the climb of Box Hill to see the race light up which it did with BMC’s Rohan Dennis and Philippe Gilbert very active indeed. The good news for British fans was that Ben Swift was in great shape after his enforced rest and was getting in the main moves. The peloton split big time and a group got away but Etixx Quickstep, even with only five riders, closed it down before Cavendish himself attacked!

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Photo: Prudential RideLondon

That move with Dennis didn’t stick though and soon an eight man group did escape and the riders from the WorldTour teams dominated it. Riders in it were Drucker, Swift, Teunissen, Vanmarcke, Sbaragli, Howard, Van Rooy and the very dangerous sprinter Gaviria. That was it for the rest as despite a chase from Scott Thwaites team of Bora Argon 18, the break was not coming back.

The break continued to work well most of the time until Swifty attacked hard and was brought back. That signalled more attacks to come and soon Sep Vanmarcke was off the front solo. It took a long time for the chase to get together but in the nick of time, three riders, Swift, Teunissen, and Drucker were away although it took Swift a while to get up to it. They caught Vanmarcke with only a handful of kilometres to go and Teunissen tried a late move in the final K but that wasn’t going anywhere.

The result was going to be a sprint and with Swifty being put on the front, Drucker had the perfect run and he made the most of it, winning from Teunissen with Swifty third. The King of the Hills was Erick Rowsell (Madison Genesis) and Sprints prize went to Pete Williams (One Pro Cycling).

Ben Swift (Team Sky): “I had to go really hard in the last few kilometres and I started to cramp up a little bit from the effort of chasing,” said Swift. “Even though I’d have loved to have won, I’m really, really happy. I had three months out of competition so this is a really nice way to come back to racing and get a good result straight away. It was good to be on the podium.”

“I couldn’t see any metres-to-go boards so I got caught on the front, trying to get the others to come round me, but you could see the guys coming from behind so you couldn’t play too much cat-and-mouse.”

Erick Rowsell (Madison Genesis), King of the Hills)   - Erick Rowsell bagged the King of the Mountains contest on the rolling hills he’s been riding since he was 14. “They are all local roads to me,” said the 25-year-old. “I grew up riding around here and have been up Box Hill and Leith Hill hundreds of times. I knew no one in the race would know these hills as well as me. So to win King of the Mountains here made it a perfect day.”

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Photo: Prudential RideLondon – Pete Williams, One Pro Cycling

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Iljo Keisse works at the front of the peloton chasing the break in the Surrey Hills. Photo: Prudential RideLondon

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Matt Cronshaw (Madison Genesis) drives the race out of London. Photo: Prudential RideLondon

Result

1 DRUCKER, Jean Pierre (LUX) BMC Racing Team 04:47:47
2 TEUNISSEN, Mike (NED) Team Lotto NL-Jumbo 04:47:47
3 SWIFT, Ben (GBR) Team Sky 04:47:47
4 VANMARCKE, Sep (BEL) Team Lotto NL-Jumbo 04:47:49
5 SBARAGLI, Kristian (ITA) MTN – Qhubeka 04:47:50
6 HOWARD, Leigh (AUS) Orica GreenEDGE 04:47:51
7 VAN ROOY, Kenneth (BEL) Lotto Soudal 04:48:15
8 GAVIRIA RENDON, Fernando (COL) Etixx-Quick Step 04:48:36
9 HOFLAND, Moreno (NED) Team Lotto NL-Jumbo 04:48:47
10 LAMPAERT, Yves (BEL) Etixx-Quick Step 04:48:48
11 VLIEGEN, Loic (BEL) BMC Racing Team 04:48:48
12 RATTO, Daniele (ITA) Unitedhealthcare Professi… 04:48:48
13 VAN GESTEL, Dries (BEL) Lotto Soudal 04:48:48
14 DE GENDT, Thomas (BEL) Lotto Soudal 04:48:48
15 BRIGGS, Graham (GBR) JLT Condor 04:48:48
16 GILBERT, Philippe (BEL) BMC Racing Team 04:48:49
17 JACOBS, Pieter (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen – Bal… 04:48:49
18 CASTELIJNS, Twan (NED) Team Lotto NL-Jumbo 04:48:49
19 CAMPENAERTS, Victor (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen – Bal… 04:48:49
20 SPRENGERS, Thomas (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen – Bal… 04:48:49
21 DUNBAR, Eddie (IRL) NFTO 04:48:50
22 BAUHAUS, Phil (GER) BORA-ARGON 18 04:50:51
23 ZURLO, Federico (ITA) Unitedhealthcare Professi… 04:50:51
24 WEGMANN, Fabian (GER) Cult Energy Pro Cycling 04:50:52
25 MCNALLY, Mark (GBR) Madison Genesis 04:50:52
26 MATYSIAK, Bartlomiej (POL) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 04:50:52
27 APPLEBY, Dale (GBR) NFTO 04:50:53
28 VIVIANI, Elia (ITA) Team Sky 04:50:53
29 KACZMAREK, Jakub (POL) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 04:50:53
30 SCHWARZMANN, Michael (GER) BORA-ARGON 18 04:50:53
31 ROOSEN, Timo (NED) Team Lotto NL-Jumbo 04:50:53
32 MATZKA, Ralf (GER) BORA-ARGON 18 04:50:54
33 BEWLEY, Sam (NZL) Orica GreenEDGE 04:50:54
34 PFINGSTEN, Christoph (GER) BORA-ARGON 18 04:50:54
35 MEUEISSE, Xandro (BEL) AN Post Chainreaction 04:50:54
36 FLORIS, Gerts (NED) BMC Racing Team 04:50:54
37 CIOLEK, Gerald (GER) MTN – Qhubeka 04:50:54
38 PETERS, Alex (GBR) Team Sky 04:50:54
39 DOWNING, Russell (GBR) Cult Energy Pro Cycling 04:50:54
40 FENN, Andrew (GBR) Team Sky 04:50:54
41 DUIJN, Huub (NED) Roompot Oranje Peloton 04:50:54
42 DOMAGALSKI, Karol (POL) Team Raleigh GAC 04:50:55
43 SCULLY, Tom (NZL) Madison Genesis 04:50:55
44 CAVENDISH, Mark (GBR) Etixx-Quick Step 04:50:55
45 SLATER, Alistair (GBR) AN Post Chainreaction 04:50:55
46 SABATINI, Fabio (ITA) Etixx-Quick Step 04:50:55
47 FARRAR, Tyler (USA) MTN – Qhubeka 04:50:55
48 MOSES, Tom (GBR) JLT Condor 04:50:55
49 BROZYNA, Piotr (POL) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 04:50:55
50 ASSELMAN, Jesper (NED) Roompot Oranje Peloton 04:50:55
51 HEPBURN, Michael (AUS) Orica GreenEDGE 04:50:55
52 DAVIES, Scott (GBR) Great Britain Cycling Team 04:50:55
53 KREDER, Wesley (NED) Roompot Oranje Peloton 04:50:55
54 JONES, Brenton (AUS) Drapac Professional Cycling 04:50:55
55 DOULL, Owain (GBR) Team Wiggins 04:50:55
56 TENNANT, Andrew (GBR) Team Wiggins 04:50:55
57 LAWLESS, Christopher (GBR) Team Wiggins 04:50:55
58 CLARKE, William (AUS) Drapac Professional Cycling 04:50:55
59 NIELSEN, Magnus Cort (DEN) Orica GreenEDGE 04:50:55
60 GIRDLESTONE, Dylan (RSA) Drapac Professional Cycling 04:50:56
61 KERKHOF, Tim (NED) Roompot Oranje Peloton 04:50:56
62 ROWSELL, Erick (GBR) Madison Genesis 04:50:56
63 THWAITES, Scott (GBR) BORA-ARGON 18 04:50:56
64 CUMING, Michael (GBR) JLT Condor 04:50:56
65 DENNIS, Rohan (AUS) BMC Racing Team 04:50:56
66 DEBUSSCHERE, Jens (BEL) Lotto Soudal 04:50:56
67 EISEL, Bernard (AUT) Team Sky 04:51:06
68 BERLATO, Giacomo (ITA) Nippo – Vini Fantini 04:54:29
69 BARKER, Yanto (GBR) One Pro Cycling 04:56:41
70 THEUNS, Edward (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen – Bal… 04:56:41
71 VANLANDSCHOOT, James (BEL) Wanty – Group Gobert 04:56:41
72 LARSSON, Gustav (SWE) Cult Energy Pro Cycling 04:56:41
73 STENUIT, Robin (BEL) Wanty – Group Gobert 04:56:41
74 VAN LERBERGHE, Bert (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen – Bal… 04:56:41
75 PYM, George (GBR) Team Raleigh GAC 04:56:42
76 DUNNE, Conor (IRL) AN Post Chainreaction 04:56:42
77 DEVRIENDT, Tom (BEL) Wanty – Group Gobert 04:56:42
78 KONING, Peter (NED) Drapac Professional Cycling 04:56:43
79 GIBSON, Matthew (GBR) Great Britain Cycling Team 04:56:43
80 PALUTA, Michal (POL) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 04:56:43
81 LOWE, Samual (GBR) Team Raleigh GAC 04:56:44
82 MOURIS, Jens (NED) Orica GreenEDGE 04:56:44
83 KEISSE, Iljo (BEL) Etixx-Quick Step 04:56:44
84 WIGGINS, Bradley (GBR) Team Wiggins 04:56:44
85 FRATTINI, Davide (ITA) Unitedhealthcare Professi… 04:56:44
86 HOUSE, Kristian (GBR) JLT Condor 04:56:44
87 MALAGUTI, Alessandro (ITA) Nippo – Vini Fantini 04:56:44
88 ZANGERLE, Joel (LUX) Cult Energy Pro Cycling 04:56:44
89 SUTTON, Christopher (AUS) Team Sky 04:56:45
90 VON HOFF, Steele (AUS) NFTO 04:56:45
91 JANS, Roy (BEL) Wanty – Group Gobert 04:56:45
92 DOUGALL, Nicolas (RSA) MTN – Qhubeka 04:56:45
93 DIBBEN, Jonathan (GBR) Team Wiggins 04:56:45
94 OLIPHANT, Evan (GBR) Team Raleigh GAC 04:56:45
95 KNEISKY, Morgan (FRA) Team Raleigh GAC 04:56:45
96 HELVEN, Sander (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen – Bal… 04:56:46
97 LAMPIER, Steven (GBR) Team Raleigh GAC 04:56:53
98 STEWART, Tom (GBR) Madison Genesis 05:00:52
99 HNIK, Karel (CZE) Cult Energy Pro Cycling 05:00:52
100 PARTRIDGE, Robert (GBR) NFTO 05:00:52
101 DE VRIES, Berden (NED) Roompot Oranje Peloton 05:00:52
102 WILLIAMS, Peter (GBR) One Pro Cycling 05:00:52
103 BOHLI, Tom (SUI) BMC Racing Team 05:00:52
104 BURTON, Germain (GBR) Great Britain Cycling Team 05:00:52
105 NORTHEY, Mike (NZL) Madison Genesis 05:00:53
106 BIBBY, Ian (GBR) NFTO 05:00:53
107 GROSU, Eduard (ROU) Nippo – Vini Fantini 05:00:53
108 MCEVOY, Johnny (GBR) NFTO 05:00:53
109 TACIAK, Mateusz (POL) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 05:00:53
110 MAES, Alexander (BEL) AN Post Chainreaction 05:00:54
111 ROELANDTS, Jurgen (BEL) Lotto Soudal 05:04:48
112 STAUFF, Andreas (GER) MTN – Qhubeka 05:07:15
113 BAZZANA, Alessandro (ITA) Unitedhealthcare Professi… 05:07:15
114 KRUOPIS, Aidis (LTU) AN Post Chainreaction 05:07:15
115 MULLEN, Ryan (IRL) AN Post Chainreaction 05:07:15
116 WOOD, Oliver (GBR) Great Britain Cycling Team 05:07:16
117 ARCHBOLD, Shane (NZL) BORA-ARGON 18 05:07:16
118 HARPER, George (GBR) One Pro Cycling 05:07:16
119 KELLY, Jake (GBR) Great Britain Cycling Team 05:07:16
120 ROBERT, Frederique (BEL) Wanty – Group Gobert 05:07:16
121 BARRY, Markus (NED) Team Lotto NL-Jumbo 05:07:16
122 CRONSHAW, Matthew (GBR) Madison Genesis 05:07:16
123 CLANCY, Edward (GBR) JLT Condor 05:07:17
124 SULZBERGER, Bernard (AUS) Drapac Professional Cycling 05:07:17
125 KOHLER, Martin (SUI) Drapac Professional Cycling 05:07:17
126 STACCHIOTTI, Riccardo (ITA) Nippo – Vini Fantini 05:10:05

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