Viviani – winner at Driedaagse Brugge – De Panne – “It’s my first European victory of the year and it gives me huge joy, as I was disappointed after Milano-Sanremo.
Team News: Elia Viviani wins at Driedaagse
The Italian’s first European victory of the season came after a perfectly executed plan of the team
Photo credit: © Kei Tsuji / Getty Images
Despite the race format being changed, Driedaagse Brugge – De Panne continued to attract many important names at the start for the 42nd edition, which began from the beautiful Grote Markt, where the Ronde van Vlaanderen used to start between 1998 and 2016. The 202.4km-long course packed five climbs, including the infamous Kemmelberg, and three cobbled sectors, all of which featured in the first half of the race.
A breakaway comprising six men – Sean Bennett (Hagens Berman Axeon), David Boucher (Tarteletto-Isorex), Conor Dunne (Aqua Blue Sport), Tanner Putt (UnitedHealthcare), Ylber Safer (Tarteletto-Isorex) and Brian van Goethem (Roompot) – formed soon after the start and built a nine-minute advantage, which prompted a response from Quick-Step Floors, who sent Dwars door West-Vlaanderen winner Rémi Cavagna at the front of the peloton to control the leaders’ gap.
… continued after advert
No splits occurred in the field on the hilly section of the race, but the status quo changed with 66 kilometers to go, as several teams decided to lift the pace in the crosswinds, hoping they will catch some favourites off-guard. Elia Viviani, together with two of his Quick-Step Floors teammates, made the cut, but a lack of collaboration allowed the chasing group to come back, just before entering on the first of the two laps around De Panne.
Ten kilometers from the finish, the pack was down to 50 riders and the escapees close to being reeled in, when a sudden acceleration blew the race apart and left around 15 riders at the front, including three of Quick-Step Floors. Eventually, the race once again came back together in De Panne, where Davide Martinelli, Florian Sénéchal and Maximiliano Richeze controlled the peloton and brought Elia Viviani to the front going into the final bend.
The 29-year-old Italian got himself into the perfect slot, carefully bided his time and waited for his opponents to make the first move, before coming around Pascal Ackermann (Bora-hansgrohe) with 100 meters to go and taking his sixth victory of the year, which makes him one of the few riders to have won at least one race in each month since the start of the season.
Viviani: “It’s my first European victory of the year and it gives me huge joy, as I was disappointed after Milano-Sanremo. When you start as the main favourite, there’s always more pressure, and I’m happy that I finished off my teammates’ fantastic job! It’s also my first Belgian win for a Belgian squad, and that’s also important. This success comes as confirmation of the good form I have been enjoying since the start of the year, in Australia, and then in the Middle East. We proved how strong we are and this bodes really well ahead of our next races”, Elia Viviani explained after netting Quick-Step Floors’ 17th UCI victory of the season.
Cycle Division’s New Shop
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- RR Result: East Cleveland Classic
- Features, Reports, Results
- Crit Result: Thruxton Tuesday Series 2
- Crit Result: CDPP Sport Crit Series 1
- Crit Result: SACA Salt Ayre Series 1
- Crit Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits 4
- Crit Result: Rowe & King Maindy 1
- Q&A: Charlie Abraham (Lee Valley Youth Junior Cycling Team)
- Events: SSSCCRRL Road Race League
- Youth Result: Isle of Man Youth League
- Youth Result: Lawford Youth Series (Curborough) #2
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series #2
- Crit Result: Ride Flux Spring Crit series #2
- Youth Result: Maindy Flyers Freewheel League 1
- Ribble Collective: Ride More in ’24
- Crit Result: Tameside Cycling Development Circuit Races 1
- Crit Result: 2024 West Thames League 1
- Startlist: The Drummond Trophy
- TT Result: VTTA Surrey/Sussex 10 mile TT
- EVENTS: Proper Northern Road Races – Round 2 Oakenclough
- TTT Result: Scorton TTT
- TT Result: Manchester & District TTA 25m TT
- TT Result: Stowmarket & District CC 15m TT
- TT Result: Paceline RT Sporting TT
- TT Result: Hereford & District Wheelers 25m TT
- RR Result: Yorkshire RRL #1
- Crit Result: Scottish Student Cycling Criterium Championships
- Events: Dave Peck Memorial
- TT Result: Blaydon CC Two Up TT
- TT Result: Kent CA 10m TT
- TT Result: Wessex RC 24m TT
- TT Result: Easterley RC 25m TT
- TT Result: Cranbrook CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Penzance Wheelers 12.5m TT
- TT Result: Fife Century RC 25m TT
- TT Result: Bramley Wheelers 10m TT
- TT Result: Mid Shropshire Wheelers 25m TT
- Youth Result: Hog Hill GP (National Youth Series)
- RR Result: Velo Club Venta Spring Road Race
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain
- Crit Result: Ennerdale Season Openers 2
- RR Result: NCRA Handicap RR (week 5)
Other News on VeloUK
- Events: SSSCCRRL Road Race League
- Ribble Collective: Ride More in ’24
- Startlist: The Drummond Trophy
- EVENTS: Proper Northern Road Races – Round 2 Oakenclough
- Events: Dave Peck Memorial
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain
- Startlist: PB Performance Espoirs Road Race
- East Cleveland Classic: Saint Piran Team
- News: New kit for Ribble Rebellion Riders
- Events: Halesowen Friday Track Nights
- Team News: Ribble Rebellion off to the USA
- News: Pedal Club Lunch (March)
- Rider News: Winning start for Billy Ladle
- News: CiCLE Classic 2024
- Startlist: Stars of the SW Men’s U23 RR
- Startlist: Danum Trophy 2024 (Nat B)
- Startlists: London Dynamo Road Races
- Startlist: La Fleche Waltonne Road Races (BMCR)
- Meet Ribble HoloRider
- Startlists: East Cleveland Classic 2024
- Former Winners: Lincoln Grand Prix
- Chris Lawless Joins Saint Piran Team
- Paracycling Track Worlds Day 4
- Para CyclingWorlds Final Day
- Startlist: National Youth Circuit Series Rd 1
- Report/Result: Azets Spring Classic
- Startlists: RCR Fat Creations Road Races
- Startlist: Capernwray Road Race (March 31)
- Team Report: Fensham Howes MAS Design Junior Team
- Team Report: CiCLE Classic Junior Men
- RIDER REPORTS – Zoe Parker (Solihull CC)
- GB News: Two World Titles for GB at Para Worlds
- Team News: Alba Development Road Team
- News: British Road Champs Return to NE
- THIS WEEKEND: Peaks Two Day is Back!
- News: Laura Kenny Retires
- Team News: Lee Valley Youth Cycling Team
- 2024/25 CYCLO-CROSS CALENDAR
- Startlist: Cardiff Ajax CC 10 Mile TT
- Startlists: 16th Gifford Road Races (Scotland)