2018 Grand Prix Cycliste Le Samyn (1.1), Belgium
50th edition: Tuesday, February 27, 2018
GP Le Samyn Podium history | 2017 edition | 2019 edition | Course map & profile | Start list
Quaregnon - Dour, 200 kms
A well-insulated Niki Terpstra becomes the first rider to win Le Samyn twice.
Weather at the finish city of Dour at 2:00 PM, local time: Partly cloudy, -1C (30F), with the wind from the ENE at 27 km/hr (17mph). No rain is forecast.
The race: Here's the report from winner Niki Terpstra's Quick-Step team.
Quick-Step Floors totally owned the 49th edition of Le Samyn (Quaregnon – Dour, 200 kilometers), as Niki Terpstra became the first double-winner of the race since it has been introduced on the UCI Europe Tour calendar, 13 years ago, with 2012 World Champion Philippe Gilbert taking a close second for a remarkable 1-2 of our team on the last race of February.
Seven riders made it into the escape on Tuesday, but the real race began with over 120 kilometers to go, on the first of the four punishing laps in Dour, when Quick-Step Floors amassed the entire team at the front and upped the tempo in the crosswinds, blowing the peloton to pieces and joining the escapees with only three other riders on their wheels. Tim Declercq, Davide Martinelli and Florian Sénéchal sacrificed themselves for the team, trading pulls at the front, extending the gap and shredding the group to just a handful of riders for the final 70 kilometers.
Philippe Gilbert and Niki Terpstra, together with Damien Gaudin (Direct Energie), Alex Kirsch (WB Aqua Protect) and Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto-Soudal), managed to hold off the late charges of the peloton, and despite a mechanical of Philippe, who had to change his bike inside the last 40 kilometers of Le Samyn, the group entered on the penultimate lap in pole-position to fight for the top prize at the Belgian race, which took place in freezing conditions, with the mercury showing -3ºC.
An injection of pace from Niki distanced Kirsch and Van der Sande, a move followed with 20 kilometers to go by a true tactical coup of Quick-Step Floors, as Gilbert and Terpstra set up a perfect 1-2, harassing their opponent with two incisive attacks; first of these was launched by the Ronde van Vlaanderen reigning champion, before the Dutchman came round the Frenchman and went into time trial mode, quickly opening a gap which he then increased as he prepared to tackle the final two cobbled sectors of the race, Cote de la Roquette and Rue de Belle Vue.
Not only that he didn't encounter any problem there, but the 34-year-old further increased his advantage and had plenty of time to celebrate, arms aloft, his success at the finish in Dour, where Philippe Gilbert arrived second. After grabbing his 20th victory of his career and the first since coming out on top at the 2016 Eneco Tour, Niki was obviously delighted at the end of the day.
"I am very happy, but must say we suffered today with every kilometer, because the cold made use spend a lot of energy. It wasn't easy to race in these conditions, but fortunately it worked out well for us at the end of the day. We knew the break was strong and the responsibility was on us, so that's why we attacked in the crosswinds from afar. We went full gas and turned everything into an elimination race, with more and more guys getting tired and dropped. The team rode a textbook race, Philippe was perfect in the finale and we just made use of our numerical advantage, so that I could get away and take this beautiful win."
Philippe Gilbert returned to the podium of Le Samyn a decade after winning the race, and the 35-year-old Belgian was satisfied with his legs after what was arguably the toughest race of the season so far: "Our team made the selection and once we split the peloton we had a dream scenario, with all our riders in the front. I am really proud of the guys, they were incredible and this performance gives us even more confidence for the next races. The race was hard and alert, and Gaudin was very strong, so we knew we had to get rid of him, which we did thanks to a perfect tactc. I am happy for Niki and glad to see the form is there ahead of Strade Bianche, one of my favourite races of the year."
Complete Results:
200 kilometers raced at an average speed of 41.696 km/hr
| 1 | TERPSTRA Niki | Quick-Step Floors | 4hr 47min 48sec |
| 2 | GILBERT Philippe | Quick-Step Floors | @ 4sec |
| 3 | GAUDIN Damien | Direct Energie | @ 46sec |
| 4 | PETIT Adrien | Direct Energie | @ 1min 18sec |
| 5 | BAGDONAS Gediminas | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 6 | KIRSCH Alex | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | 1:21 |
| 7 | JARRIER Benoit | Fortuneo-Samsic | 1:59 |
| 8 | DENZ Nico | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 9 | BACKAERT Frederik | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | s.t. |
| 10 | PICHOT Alexandre | Direct Energie | 2:02 |
| 11 | CAPIOT Amaury | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 2:08 |
| 12 | VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | s.t. |
| 13 | JAKOBSEN Fabio | Quick-Step Floors | 2:19 |
| 14 | MANNAERTS Jelle | Tarteletto-Isorex | s.t. |
| 15 | PUTT Tanner | UnitedHealthcare | s.t. |
| 16 | VAN GENECHTEN Jonas | Vital Concept | s.t. |
| 17 | TAMINIAUX Lionel | AGO-Aqua Service | s.t. |
| 18 | FENN Andrew | Aqua Blue Sport | s.t. |
| 19 | CARDIS Romain | Direct Energie | s.t. |
| 20 | DE BIE Sean | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | s.t. |
| 21 | ARIMONT Charlie | AGO-Aqua Service | s.t. |
| 22 | MAES Nikolas | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 23 | HOFSTETTER Hugo | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 24 | STASSEN Julien | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 25 | DERNIES Tom | Roubaix-Lille Metropole | s.t. |
| 26 | DE WINTER Ludwig | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 27 | ALLEGAERT Piet | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 28 | PETERS Nans | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 29 | DUPONT Timothy | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | s.t. |
| 30 | GERTS Floris | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 31 | LIGTHART Pim | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 32 | VAN MELSEN Kevin | Wanty-Groupe Gobert | s.t. |
| 33 | TURGIS Jimmy | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 34 | NAESEN Lawrence | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 35 | DECLERCQ Benjamin | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 36 | KRUOPIS Aidis | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | 2:26 |
| 37 | DUVAL Julien | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 38 | WELTEN Bram | Fortuneo-Samsic | s.t. |
| 39 | MORICE Julien | Vital Concept | s.t. |
| 40 | HANSEN Lasse Norman | Aqua Blue Sport | 2:37 |
| 41 | VANDENBERGH Stijn | Ag2r La Mondiale | 2:40 |
| 42 | CLAEYS Dimitri | Cofidis | 2:46 |
| 43 | CAMPENAERTS Victor | Lotto-Soudal | 3:13 |
| 44 | DE BONDT Dries | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | 3:42 |
| 45 | VAN DER SANDE Tosh | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 46 | PLANCKAERT Edward | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 3:44 |
| 47 | STEELS Stijn | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | s.t. |
| 48 | GOOLAERTS Michael | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | 4:42 |
| 49 | MONFORT Maxime | Lotto-Soudal | 7:11 |
| 50 | GODON Dorian | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 51 | GERARD Arnaud | Fortuneo-Samsic | s.t. |
| 52 | SPENGLER Lukas | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 53 | LEYSEN Senne | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | 8:07 |
| 54 | VAN BREUSSEGEM Elias | Veranda's Willems-Crelan | 8:28 |
| 55 | VERMELTFOORT Coen | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | 8:31 |
| 56 | MARTINELLI Davide | Quick-Step Floors | 8:52 |
| 57 | IDJOUADIENE Pierre | Roubaix-Lille Metropole | s.t. |
| 58 | DUQUENNOY Jimmy | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 59 | BOUCHER David | Tarteletto-Isorex | s.t. |
| 60 | FARAZIJN Maxime | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 61 | TEUGELS Lennert | Cibel-Cebon | s.t. |
| 62 | VAN GINNEKEN Sjoerd | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 63 | VERMEULEN Emiel | Roubaix-Lille Metropole | s.t. |
2018 Le Samyn map
2018 Le Samyn profile
Start list with back numbers: February 26, 2018
| WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT | |
| DS: Hilaire Van der Schueren | |
| 1 | VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume |
| 2 | BACKAERT Frederik |
| 3 | DEVRIENDT Tom |
| 4 | DUPONT Timothy |
| 5 | MCNALLY Mark |
| 6 | VALLEE Boris |
| 7 | VAN MELSEN Kevin |
| AG2R LA MONDIALE | |
| DS: Nicolas Guille | |
| 11 | BAGDONAS Gediminas |
| 12 | GOUGEARD Alexis |
| 13 | DENZ Nico |
| 14 | DUVAL Julien |
| 15 | JAUREGUI Quentin |
| 16 | PETERS Nans |
| 17 | VANDENBERGH Stijn |
| QUICK-STEP FLOORS | |
| DS: Tom Steels | |
| 21 | GILBERT Philippe |
| 22 | DECLERCQ Tim |
| 23 | JAKOBSEN Fabio |
| 24 | MARTINELLI Davide |
| 25 | SENECHAL Florian |
| 26 | STYBAR Zdenek |
| 27 | TERPSTRA Niki |
| LOTTO-SOUDAL | |
| DS: Frederik Willems | |
| 31 | CAMPENAERTS Victor |
| 32 | DE GENDT Thomas |
| 33 | MONFORT Maxime |
| 34 | MAES Nikolas |
| 35 | NAESEN Lawrence |
| 36 | VAN DER SANDE Tosh |
| AQUA BLUE SPORT | |
| DS: Nicki Sorensen | |
| 41 | BLYTHE Adam |
| 42 | DUNNE Conor |
| 43 | FENN Andrew |
| 44 | HANSEN Lasse Norman |
| 45 | PEDERSEN Casper Phillip |
| 46 | KONING Peter |
| 47 | ARCHBOLD Shane |
| COFIDIS | |
| DS: Alain Deloeuil | |
| 51 | CLAEYS Dimitri |
| 52 | CHETOUT Loïc |
| 53 | HOFSTETTER Hugo |
| 54 | TURGIS Jimmy |
| 55 | VANBILSEN Kenneth |
| 56 | VAN STAEYEN Michael |
| 57 | GODON Dorian |
| DIRECT ENERGIE | |
| DS: Dominique Arnould | |
| 61 | CORNU Jérémy |
| 62 | CARDIS Romain |
| 63 | GAUDIN Damien |
| 64 | GENE Yohann |
| 65 | PETIT Adrien |
| 66 | PICHOT Alexandre |
| 67 | SELLIER Simon |
| FORTUNEO-SAMSIC | |
| DS: Roger Trehin | |
| 71 | DANIEL Maxime |
| 72 | GERARD Arnaud |
| 73 | JARRIER Benoit |
| 74 | LE ROUX Romain |
| 75 | VACHON Florian |
| 76 | SVENDGAARD Michael Carbel |
| 77 | WELTEN Bram |
| ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ | |
| DS: Michael Boogerd | |
| 82 | ARIESEN Tim |
| 83 | GERTS Floris |
| 84 | LIGTHART Pim |
| 86 | VAN GOETHEM Brian |
| 87 | VERMELTFOORT Coen |
| SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE | |
| DS: Wlater Planckaert | |
| 91 | PLANCKAERT Edward |
| 92 | CAPIOT Amaury |
| 93 | ALLEGAERT Piet |
| 94 | DECLERCQ Benjamin |
| 95 | FARAZIJN Maxime |
| 96 | VAN GOMPEL Matthias |
| 97 | VAN ROOY Kenneth |
| UNITEDHEALTHCARE | |
| DS: Hendrik Redant | |
| 101 | MCCABE Travis |
| 102 | PUTT Tanner |
| 103 | EATON Daniel |
| 104 | MARCOTTE Eric |
| 105 | ALZATE Carlos Eduardo |
| 106 | CATAFORD Alexander |
| 107 | NORRIS Lachlan |
| VERANDA'S WILLEMS-CRELAN | |
| DS: Kirstoff De Kegel | |
| 111 | DE BIE Sean |
| 112 | DE BONDT Dries |
| 113 | GOOLAERTS Michael |
| 114 | KRUOPIS Aidis |
| 115 | LEYSEN Senne |
| 116 | STEELS Stijn |
| 117 | VAN BREUSSEGEM Elias |
| VITAL CONCEPT | |
| DS: Gilles Pauchard | |
| 121 | BOECKMANS Kris |
| 122 | CORBEL Erwann |
| 123 | LAMMERTINK Steven |
| 124 | LE BON Johan |
| 125 | LECROQ Jérémy |
| 126 | MORICE Julien |
| 127 | VAN GENECHTEN Jonas |
| WB-AQUA PROTECT-VERANCLASSIC | |
| DS: Thierry Marichal | |
| 131 | KIRSCH Alex |
| 132 | DE WINTER Ludwig |
| 133 | DUQUENNOY Jimmy |
| 134 | ISTA Kevin |
| 135 | SPENGLER Lukas |
| 136 | SIX Franklin |
| 137 | STASSEN Julien |
| AGO-AQUA SERVICE | |
| DS: Christophe Detilloux | |
| 141 | ARIMONT Charlie |
| 142 | BAUDE Arthur |
| 143 | TAMINIAUX Lionel |
| 144 | DEBUY Anthony |
| 145 | FREHEN Jérémy |
| 146 | GOEBEERT Pierre |
| 147 | MOLLY Kenny |
| CIBEL-CEBON | |
| DS: Marcel Omloop | |
| 151 | COENEN Dennis |
| 152 | DIELEMAN Michiel |
| 153 | JANS Roy |
| 154 | JANSSENS Jimmy |
| 155 | RAYMACKERS Cedric |
| 156 | RUYTERS Brecht |
| 157 | STEVENS Timothy |
| DIFFERDANGE-LOSCH | |
| DS: Francis Da Silva | |
| 161 | DONDERS Jelle |
| 162 | PARDINI Olivier |
| 163 | TEASDALE Josh |
| 164 | VERMEER Tom |
| 165 | VERWAEST Kevin |
| 166 | PETELIN Jan |
| 167 | WINTER Laurin |
| SOVAC-NATURA4EVER | |
| DS: Mario Buscema | |
| 171 | BILLE Gaetan |
| 172 | DEGUIDE Louis |
| 173 | DERIAUX Florian |
| 174 | EVRARD Laurent |
| 175 | GEUENS Alexander |
| 176 | LEGLEY Matthias |
| 177 | STENUIT Robin |
| ROUBAIX-LILLE METROPOLE | |
| DS: Michel Dernies | |
| 181 | BARBIER Pierre |
| 182 | VERMEULEN Emiel |
| 183 | LEROUX Samuel |
| 184 | IDJOUADIENNE Pierre |
| 185 | GOUAULT Pierre |
| 186 | DERNIES Tom |
| 187 | SEYNAEVE Lander |
| TARTELETTO-ISOREX | |
| DS: Peter Bauwens | |
| 191 | MAES Alexander |
| 192 | BOUCHER David |
| 193 | MANNAERTS Jelle |
| 194 | DE ROOZE Niels |
| 195 | STOCKMAN Michiel |
| 196 | STOCKMAN Abram |
| 197 | CANT Jelle |
| T.PALM - POLE CONTINENTAL WALLON | |
| DS: Pascal Pieterarens | |
| 201 | D'ANGELO Ugo |
| 202 | DE SY Vincent |
| 203 | LAMB Ross |
| 204 | LEWIS Adam |
| 205 | KORNER Max |
| 206 | PETIT Tomas |
| 207 | WALSH Edward |