2015 Dwars door Vlaanderen

2015 Dwars door Vlaanderen
Race details
Dates March 25, 2015 (2015-03-25)
Stages 1
Distance 200.2 km (124.4 mi)
Results
  Winner  Jelle Wallays (BEL) (Topsport Vlaanderen–Baloise)
  Second  Edward Theuns (BEL) (Topsport Vlaanderen–Baloise})
  Third  Dylan van Baarle (NED) (Cannondale–Garmin)

The 2015 Dwars door Vlaanderen (English: "Across Flanders") was the 70th edition of the Dwars door Vlaanderen cycling one-day classic. It took place on 25 March 2015 and was rated as a 1.HC event as part of the 2015 UCI Europe Tour. The race was 200.2 kilometres (124.4 mi) in length.[1] It was organised as part of the Flanders Classics organisation.[2]

The 2014 winner was Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma–Quick-Step), who won the race in a solo breakaway. He was the favourite for the 2015 race and raced as part of a strong Etixx–Quick-Step team in 2015. The team also included world champion Michał Kwiatkowski, former world champion Mark Cavendish and Iljo Keisse. Other favourites included Lars Boom (Astana), Stijn Devolder, Gert Steegmans (both Trek Factory Racing) and former winners Matti Breschel (Tinkoff–Saxo) and Oscar Gatto (Androni Giocattoli), as well as a large number of other riders. The race was also notable for the presence of Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team), racing on the cobblestones for the first time in his career as part of his preparation for cobbled stages in the 2015 Tour de France.[3]

The first part of the race was generally flat, but it became more hilly towards the end of the race. It included 12 major climbs, five of them cobbled, and three flat sections of cobbled roads.[4] The race included several of the climbs used in the Tour of Flanders, which takes place the following week, such as the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg.[3]

The race was won by Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen–Baloise). He was part of the main breakaway of the day, escaping early on in the race. The breakaway was closed down early, having only 20 seconds' lead with 80 kilometres (50 mi) to race. Wallays attacked, initially alongside Gert Dockx (Lotto–Soudal) and then alone, and built a lead of nearly a minute. On the Taaienberg, with 56 kilometres (35 mi) remaining, Kwiatkowski, Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaanderen–Baloise) and Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale–Garmin) attacked from the first chasing group. They quickly caught Wallays and created a lead group of four riders. They built a lead of 40 seconds thanks to Kwiatkowski's efforts on the Oude Kwaremont; Lars Boom attempted to counterattack, but he crashed into a field. The chase group was unorganised and failed to catch the leading four riders. With 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) remaining, Wallays made another attack. Since Theuns was Wallays's teammate, Kwiatkowski and van Baarle had the task of catching him. They both looked to the other to do the work to catch Wallays and ended up leading out Theuns to give Topsport Vlaanderen–Baloise the first two positions on the podium.[5] After the race, Kwiatkowski and van Baarle blamed each other for their failure to win the race.[6]

Categorised sections

Climbs

Name Distance from start
Nieuwe Kwaremont 88 kilometres (55 mi)
Kettenberg cobbled 107 kilometres (66 mi)
Leberg 116 kilometres (72 mi)
Berendries 120 kilometres (75 mi)
Valkenberg 125 kilometres (78 mi)
Eikenberg 140 kilometres (87 mi)
Taaienberg cobbled 144 kilometres (89 mi)
Oude Kwaremont cobbled 162 kilometres (101 mi)
Paterberg cobbled 165 kilometres (103 mi)
Hellestraat 181 kilometres (112 mi)
Holstraat 185 kilometres (115 mi)
Nokereberg cobbled 192 kilometres (119 mi)

Flat cobbled sections

Name Distance from start
Holleweg 108 kilometres (67 mi)
Haaghoek 113 kilometres (70 mi)
Varentstraat 171 kilometres (106 mi)

Results

Result
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Jelle Wallays (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen–Baloise 4hr 35' 59"
2  Edward Theuns (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen–Baloise +2"
3  Dylan van Baarle (NED) Cannondale–Garmin +2"
4  Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) Etixx–Quick-Step +4"
5  Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (BEL) Etixx–Quick-Step +1' 20"
6  Tiesj Benoot (BEL) Lotto–Soudal +1' 29"
7  Cyril Lemoine (FRA) Cofidis +1' 29"
8  Jens Debusschere (BEL) Lotto–Soudal +1' 29"
9  Nikolas Maes (BEL) Etixx–Quick-Step +1' 29"
10  Alexey Tsatevich (RUS) Team Katusha +1' 29"

References

  1. ↑ "Dwars door Vlaanderen / A travers la Flandre 2015 - Classic". ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "Flanders Classics". Flanders Classics. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  3. 1 2 Ryan, Barry (24 March 2015). "Dwars door Vlaanderen begins countdown to the Tour of Flanders". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "Dwars door Vlaanderen Kaart" (PDF). Flanders Classics. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Frattini, Kirsten (25 March 2015). "Wallays wins Dwars door Vlaanderen". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Decaluwé, Brecht (25 March 2015). "Van Baarle explains breakaway tactics at Dwars door Vlaanderen". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
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