2018 Tour de l'Eurométropole (HC), Belgium
Formerly Circuit Franco-Belge
78th edition: Saturday, September 22, 2018
Tour de l'Eurométropole podium history | 2017 edition | 2019 edition | Course map | Start list
La Louvière - Tournai, 206 km
Mads Pedersen just beats Jempy Drucker. Gregory Van Gansen/PN/BettiniPhoto©2018
The race: Here's the report from winner Mads Pedersen's Trek-Segafredo team
Mads Pedersen sprinted to the win from a select leading group in the Tour de l’Eurométropole after superb teamwork and a great leadout from teammate Jasper Stuyven. It was a tactical finale in a wet and chilly race, and with the combination of Stuyven and Pedersen in the leading group of 10, the best recipe for victory.
“Rain is okay for me, I am used to that in Denmark,” answered Pedersen when asked about the horrible conditions. “Yeah, the motivation was not super high in the beginning of the day, but I felt good legs, and Jasper did a really good job, and I needed to support him. And then it changed in the final.”
The race was not looking good for Trek-Segafredo in the first half with the rain wreaking havoc and a crash landing five of the team on the tarmac, including team leader Jasper Stuyven. But it all changed after Trek-Segafredo put the team on the front in the final 30 kilometers to help bring back the breakaway and when Stuyven attacked with 20 kilometers to go.
“After 60kms I think five of the team went down, and I also went down pretty hard, so it took a while to chase back,” explained Stuyven. “At the end, we decided to help FDJ to control the race and bring back the leaders, and then in the final, I attacked. It was a good group, but I was suffering quite a lot from my crash, and I didn’t feel super fresh anymore. And then Mads came from the back; from then on I tried to help him because he was really strong.”
The peloton was never far behind the leaders, and when it looked like they would be caught with eight kilometers remaining, Pedersen exploded out of the bunch.
“I was there with good legs, and the [leading] group was quite close, so I thought if I could jump and help Jasper to keep the group away it would be perfect,” said Pedersen. “And then I came, and I saw Jasper had made a gap to the other four guys in the front.”
Pedersen flew by the fragmented leaders like they were standing still and quickly caught up to Stuyven, who was alone in the front. But two Trek-Segafredo riders in the lead caused an immediate reaction behind, and three riders quickly bridged, while more attacks flew out of the bunch. A tired Stuyven fell off the pace as Pedersen continued ahead as a new leading group formed.
“Steven (de Jonge, sport director) was fast on the radio to say that Jasper was chasing it back and then we just supported each other in the final. It was about who had the legs in the last kilometers,” continued Pedersen, recapping the final kilometers.
Stuyven made it back to the leading group with four kilometers to go and the bunch not far behind. He then went to work and threw everything he had into helping Pedersen, knowing full well who had the better legs at that point.
“With two kilometers to go (Tiesj) Benoot attacked, and I went behind, and I saw that they didn’t immediately follow so that was good for Mads as he could just stay in their wheels,” explained Stuyven. “When they came back, I just kept pulling and pulling. I was a little bit on the limit, but I knew that if I could continue until 250 (meters to go) it would be really good and then Mads just did a great sprint.”
Benoot’s attack would have been successful but for Stuyven, who dug deep for his teammate. “Jasper was impressive… that was really nice,” said Pedersen, heaping praise on his teammate.
Stuyven pulled full gas, drawing back Benoot while giving a leadout for Pedersen, who jumped past the Lotto Soudal rider in the last meters to take the win. “It didn’t look good at the one moment when we were all on the floor and with the weather,” said Stuyven, “so it was really good that we took responsibility and just went for it, and then still win. It was a nice victory.”
With Stuyven taking wins in the GP Wallonie and GP Jef Scherens and Pedersen the Tour de l’Eurométropole, it has been a good run so far for Trek-Segafredo in the fall classics. Stuyven and Pedersen both line up again Sunday for the GP d’Isbergues and will hope to add to Trek-Segafredo’s tally.
“The spring was really good for me,” added Pedersen, who finished second in the Tour of Flanders, “and then I had some bad luck in the BinckBank Tour and in the past few weeks, but now it is looking like a good late season.”
Complete Results:
206 kilometers raced at an average speed of 41.597 km/hr
| 1 | PEDERSEN Mads | Trek-Segafredo | 4hr 57min 8sec |
| 2 | DRUCKER Jempy | BMC | s.t. |
| 3 | NAESEN Oliver | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 4 | PHILIPSEN Jasper | Hagens Berman-Axeon | s.t. |
| 5 | BENOOT Tiesj | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 6 | RICKAERT Jonas | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 7 | VAN RENSBURG Reinardt | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 8 | VAN SCHIP Jan-Willem | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 9 | KIRSCH Alex | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 10 | STUYVEN Jasper | Trek-Segafredo | @ 8sec |
| 11 | GREIPEL André | Lotto-Soudal | 0:11 |
| 12 | DUPONT Timothy | Wanty-Gobert | s.t. |
| 13 | DAINESE Alberto | SEG Racing Academy | s.t. |
| 14 | GROENEWEGEN Dylan | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 15 | MEEUS Jordi | SEG Racing Academy | s.t. |
| 16 | VAN GENECHTEN Jonas | Vital Concept | s.t. |
| 17 | SELIG Rüdiger | Bora-hansgrohe | s.t. |
| 18 | WELTEN Bram | Fortuneo-Samsic | s.t. |
| 19 | ASSELMAN Jesper | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 20 | VERMEULEN Emiel | Roubaix-Lille Metropole | s.t. |
| 21 | DEGENKOLB John | Trek-Segafredo | s.t. |
| 22 | VANBILSEN Kenneth | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 23 | VAN DER LIJKE Nick | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 24 | ŠIŠKEVIČIUS Evaldas | Delko-Marseille Provence | s.t. |
| 25 | REINDERS Elmar | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 26 | GIBBONS Ryan | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 27 | BOHLI Tom | BMC | s.t. |
| 28 | MARTINELLI Davide | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 29 | HONORÉ Mikkel | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 30 | FARAZIJN Maxime | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 31 | VAN VUCHELEN Tom | AGO-Aqua Service | s.t. |
| 32 | GAVIRIA Fernando | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 33 | DE BONDT Dries | Vérandas Willems-Crelan | s.t. |
| 34 | VANDENBERGH Stijn | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 35 | DELTOMBE Kevin | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 36 | VAN LERBERGHE Bert | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 37 | SWIFT Connor | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 38 | ALLEGAERT Piet | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 39 | BARCELÓ Fernando | Euskadi-Murias | s.t. |
| 40 | VERMOTE Julien | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 41 | VAN DER HOORN Taco | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 42 | DEHAES Kenny | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 43 | MAES Nikolas | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 44 | MADOUAS Valentin | Groupama-FDJ | s.t. |
| 45 | PETIT Adrien | Direct Energie | s.t. |
| 46 | VAN GOETHEM Brian | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 47 | KREDER Wesley | Wanty-Gobert | s.t. |
| 48 | BENEDETTI Cesare | Bora-hansgrohe | s.t. |
| 49 | DÉMARE Arnaud | Groupama-FDJ | s.t. |
| 50 | PICHOT Alexandre | Direct Energie | s.t. |
| 51 | RIESEBEEK Oscar | Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | s.t. |
| 52 | KONOVALOVAS Ignatas | Groupama-FDJ | s.t. |
| 53 | PLANCKAERT Edward | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | s.t. |
| 54 | KEUKELEIRE Jens | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 55 | ISTA Kevyn | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 56 | SKAARSETH Anders | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 57 | DE BUYST Jasper | Lotto-Soudal | s.t. |
| 58 | VAN HOECKE Gijs | LottoNL-Jumbo | 0:26 |
| 59 | BACKAERT Frederik | Wanty-Gobert | 0:29 |
| 60 | REX Laurenz | AGO-Aqua Service | 0:32 |
| 61 | KOOISTRA Marten | SEG Racing Academy | 0:41 |
| 62 | DE WINTER Ludwig | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | 0:47 |
| 63 | COMBAUD Romain | Delko-Marseille Provence | s.t. |
| 64 | JONES Brenton | Delko-Marseille Provence | s.t. |
| 65 | MAINARD Jérôme | Roubaix-Lille Metropole | s.t. |
| 66 | BARBIER Pierre | Roubaix-Lille Metropole | s.t. |
| 67 | MARTENS Paul | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 68 | LEROUX Samuel | Roubaix-Lille Metropole | s.t. |
| 69 | VAN HOOYDONCK Nathan | BMC | s.t. |
| 70 | THWAITES Scott | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 71 | BROWN Jonny | Hagens Berman-Axeon | s.t. |
| 72 | MORICE Julien | Vital Concept | s.t. |
| 73 | PRODHOMME Nicolas | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 74 | WYNANTS Maarten | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 75 | GARRISON Ian | Hagens Berman-Axeon | s.t. |
| 76 | OLIVEIRA Rui | Hagens Berman-Axeon | s.t. |
| 77 | KENNAUGH Peter | Bora-hansgrohe | s.t. |
| 78 | CAPIOT Amaury | Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 1:27 |
| 79 | DECLERCQ Tim | Quick-Step Floors | s.t. |
| 80 | SPENGLER Lukas | WB-Aqua Protect-Veranclassic | s.t. |
| 81 | GOLDSTEIN Roy | Israel Cycling Academy | s.t. |
| 82 | WYSS Danilo | BMC | s.t. |
| 83 | DUVAL Julien | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 84 | SELLIER Simon | Direct Energie | s.t. |
| 85 | SINKELDAM Ramon | Groupama-FDJ | s.t. |
| 86 | COQUARD Bryan | Vital Concept | s.t. |
| 87 | JAUREGUI Quentin | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 88 | MARTINEZ Yannick | Delko-Marseille Provence | 3:34 |
| 89 | ANTUNES Tiago | SEG Racing Academy | s.t. |
| 90 | THOMSON Jay Robert | Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 91 | TAMINIAUX Lionel | AGO-Aqua Service | s.t. |
| 92 | VANSPEYBROUCK Pieter | Wanty-Gobert | 5:14 |
| 93 | DERNIES Tom | Roubaix-Lille Metropole | s.t. |
| 94 | DE WINTER Gordon | AGO-Aqua Service | s.t. |
| 95 | ROSSETTO Stéphane | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 96 | DEBUY Anthony | AGO-Aqua Service | s.t. |
| 97 | VAN WINDEN Dennis | Israel Cycling Academy | s.t. |
| 98 | OLIVIER Daan | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 99 | DEVOLDER Stijn | Vérandas Willems-Crelan | s.t. |
| 100 | ARISTI Mikel | Euskadi-Murias | s.t. |
| 101 | VAN MELSEN Kevin | Wanty-Gobert | s.t. |
| 102 | JENSEN August | Israel Cycling Academy | s.t. |
| 103 | DE KORT Koen | Trek-Segafredo | s.t. |
| 104 | MOTTIER Justin | Vital Concept | s.t. |
| 105 | LAUK Karl Patrick | Fortuneo-Samsic | s.t. |
| 106 | CARDIS Romain | Direct Energie | s.t. |
| 107 | EVANS Alexander | BMC | s.t. |
Start list, September 20, 2018:
| FORTUNEO-SAMSIC | |
| DS: Yvon Ledanois | |
| 1 | RUSSO Clement |
| 2 | GERARD Arnaud |
| 3 | JARRIER Benoit |
| 4 | DANIEL Maxime |
| 5 | SVENDGAARD Michael |
| 6 | VACHON Florian |
| 7 | WELTEN Bram |
| AG2R LA MONDIALE | |
| DS: Laurent Biondi | |
| 11 | BARBIER Rudy |
| 12 | DUMOULIN Samuel |
| 13 | DUVAL Julien |
| 14 | JAUREGUI Quentin |
| 15 | NAESEN Oliver |
| 16 | VANDENBERGH Stijn |
| 17 | PRODHOMME Nicolas |
| BMC | |
| DS: Valerio Piva | |
| 21 | BOHLI Tom |
| 22 | DRUCKER Jean Pierre |
| 23 | OVETT Freddy |
| 24 | ROELANDTS Jurgen |
| 25 | VAN HOOYDONCK Nathan |
| 26 | VLIEGEN Loïc |
| 27 | WYSS Danilo |
| BORA-HANSGROHE | |
| DS: Jens Zemke | |
| 31 | ACKERMANN Pascal |
| 32 | BASKA Erik |
| 33 | BENEDETTI Cesare |
| 34 | KENNAUGH Peter |
| 35 | PFINGSTEN Christoph |
| 36 | SCHILLINGER Andreas |
| 37 | SELIG Rüdiger |
| GROUPAMA-FDJ | |
| DS: Frederic Guedon | |
| 41 | DEMARE Arnaud |
| 42 | GUARNIERI Jacopo |
| 43 | HOELGAARD Daniel |
| 44 | KONOVALOVAS Ignatas |
| 45 | LE GAC Olivier |
| 46 | MADOUAS Valentin |
| 47 | SINKELDAM Ramon |
| LOTTO-SOUDAL | |
| DS: Bart Leysen | |
| 51 | LAMBRECHT Bjorg |
| 52 | DE BUYST Jasper |
| 53 | SIEBERG Marcel |
| 54 | GREIPEL André |
| 55 | KEUKELEIRE Jens |
| 56 | BENOOT Tiesj |
| 57 | MAES Nikolas |
| QUICK-STEP FLOORS | |
| DS: Rik van Slycke | |
| 61 | DECLERCQ Tim |
| 62 | GAVIRIA Fernando |
| 63 | HONORÉ Mikkel |
| 64 | KEISSE Iljo |
| 65 | MARTINELLI Davide |
| 66 | RICHEZE Ariel |
| 67 | SENECHAL Florian |
| DIMENSION DATA | |
| DS: Rolf Aldag | |
| 71 | SWIFT Connor |
| 72 | VERMOTE Julien |
| 73 | JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt |
| 74 | THOMSON Jay Robert |
| 75 | THWAITES Scott |
| 76 | GIBBONS Ryan |
| 77 | DOUGALL Nick |
| LOTTO NL-JUMBO | |
| DS: Frans Maassen | |
| 81 | GROENEWEGEN Dylan |
| 82 | VAN HOECKE Gijs |
| 83 | JANSEN Amund |
| 84 | MARTENS Paul |
| 86 | WAGNER Robert |
| 87 | WYNANTS Maarten |
| TREK-SEGAFREDO | |
| DS: Steven de Jongh | |
| 91 | CONCI Nicola |
| 92 | DE KORT Koen |
| 93 | DEGENKOLB John |
| 94 | GUERREIRO Ruben |
| 95 | NIZZOLO Giacomo |
| 96 | PEDERSEN Mads |
| 97 | STUYVEN Jasper |
| COFIDIS | |
| DS: ? | |
| 101 | BOUHANNI Nacer |
| 102 | CHETOUT Loïc |
| 103 | ROSSETTO Stéphane |
| 104 | VANBILSEN Kenneth |
| 105 | VAN LERBERGHE Bert |
| 106 | VAN STAEYEN Michael |
| 107 | SKAARSETH Anders |
| DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE | |
| DS: Andy Flickinger | |
| 111 | COMBAUD Romain |
| 112 | JONES Brenton |
| 113 | LEVEAU Jérémy |
| 114 | MARTINEZ Yannick |
| 115 | SISKEVICIUS Evaldas |
| 116 | SMUKULIS Gatis |
| 117 | TRARIEUX Julien |
| DIRECT ENERGIE | |
| DS: Benoit Genauzeau | |
| 121 | CARDIS Romain |
| 122 | GAUDIN Damien |
| 123 | GENE Yohann |
| 124 | PETIT Adrien |
| 125 | PICHOT Alexandre |
| 126 | SELLIER Simon |
| 127 | TULIK Angelo |
| EUSKADI-MURIAS | |
| DS: David Echavarri | |
| 131 | BARTHE Cyril |
| 132 | ARISTI Mikel |
| 133 | BARCELÓ Fernando |
| 134 | IRIZAR Julen |
| 135 | SAMITIER Sergio |
| 136 | SANZ Enrique |
| 137 | RODRIGUEZ Sergio |
| HAGENS BERMAN-AXEON | |
| DS: Koos Moerenhout | |
| 141 | BROWN Jonny |
| 142 | GARRISON Ian |
| 143 | OLIVEIRA Rui |
| 144 | PHILIPSEN Jasper |
| 145 | RICE Michael |
| 146 | ZIJLAARD Maikel |
| 147 | ALMEIDA João |
| ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY | |
| DS: Eric van Lancker | |
| 151 | BOIVIN Guillaume |
| 152 | GOLDSTEIN Omer |
| 153 | JENSEN August |
| 154 | RÄIM Mihkel |
| 155 | SAGIV Guy |
| 156 | SCHREURS Hamish |
| 157 | VAN WINDEN Dennis |
| ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ | |
| DS: Erik Breukink | |
| 161 | ASSELMAN Jesper |
| 162 | VAN GINNEKEN Sjoerd |
| 163 | VAN SCHIP Jan Willem |
| 164 | REINDERS Elmar |
| 165 | VAN GOETHEM Brian |
| 166 | VAN DER HOORN Taco |
| 167 | VAN DER LIJKE Nick |
| SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE | |
| DS: ? | |
| 171 | ALLEGAERT Piet |
| 172 | CAPIOT Amaury |
| 173 | FARAZIJN Maxime |
| 174 | DELTOMBE Kevin |
| 175 | PLANCKAERT Edward |
| 176 | RICKAERT Jonas |
| 177 | VAN HECKE Preben |
| VERANDA'S WILLEMS-CRELAN | |
| DS: Michiel Elijzen | |
| 181 | DE BIE Sean |
| 182 | DE BONDT Dries |
| 183 | DEVOLDER Stijn |
| 184 | DUYN Huub |
| 185 | LIVYNS Arjen |
| 186 | STEELS Stijn |
| 187 | WAEYTENS Zico |
| VITAL CONCEPT | |
| DS: Gilles Pauchard | |
| 191 | COQUARD Bryan |
| 192 | GAREL Adrien |
| 193 | LAMMERTINK Steven |
| 194 | LECROQ Jérémy |
| 195 | MORICE Julien |
| 196 | MOTTIER Justin |
| 197 | VAN GENECHTEN Jonas |
| WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT | |
| DS: Hilaire Van der Schueren | |
| 201 | BACKAERT Frederik |
| 202 | DEVRIENDT Tom |
| 203 | DUPONT Timothy |
| 204 | KREDER Wesley |
| 205 | VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume |
| 206 | VAN MELSEN Kevin |
| 207 | VANSPEYBROUCK Pieter |
| WB-VERANCLASSIC-AQUA PROTECT | |
| DS: Olivier Kaisen | |
| 211 | DEHAES Kenny |
| 212 | DE WINTER Ludwig |
| 213 | DELFOSSE Sébastien |
| 214 | ISTA Kevin |
| 215 | JULES Justin |
| 216 | KIRSCH Alex |
| 217 | SPENGLER Lukas |
| AGO-AQUA SERVICE | |
| DS: Jean Denis Vandenbroucke | |
| 221 | VAN VUCHELEN Tom |
| 222 | DEBUY Anthony |
| 223 | DE WINTER Gordon |
| 224 | ARIMONT Charlie |
| 225 | FREHEN Jérémy |
| 226 | REX Laurens |
| 227 | TAMINIAUX Lionel |
| ROUBAIX-LILLE METROPOLE | |
| DS: Frederic Delcambre | |
| 231 | BARBIER Pierre |
| 232 | JOLY Thomas |
| 233 | LEROUX Samuel |
| 234 | MAINARD Jérôme |
| 235 | DERNIES Tom |
| 236 | SEYNAEVE Lander |
| 237 | VERMEULEN Emiel |
| SEG RACING ACADEMY | |
| DS: Michel Cornelisse | |
| 241 | BOL Cees |
| 242 | HOOLE Daan |
| 243 | DAINESE Alberto |
| 244 | STAVRAKAKIS Georgios |
| 245 | MEEUS Jordi |
| 246 | ANTUNES Tiago |
| 247 | KOOISTRA Maarten |