Robbe Ghys has won the first stage in the Baloise Belgium Tour. The Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise rider was the fastest of a leading group of three. Remco Evenepoel, who made a great impression, came in second. He is immediately the first leader in the Belgian stage race.
It was attacking at the start of the Baloise Belgium Tour. First they were five, then eight. The names: Julien Van den Brande, Gianni Marchand (Tarteletto – Isorex), Jan-Willem van Schip, Yoeri Havik (BEAT Cycling), Tom Wirtgen (Bingoal – Pauwels Sauces – WB), Robbe Ghys, Arne Marit (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise ) and Thijs Aerts (Baloise – Trek Lions). In the peloton they quietly enjoyed the sun. The gap with the leaders quickly amounted to two minutes.
The peloton was already thinking of the Flemish Ardennes, where a lap was waiting with the Berg ten Houte. This firm spot is known from Dwars door Vlaanderen. In the first hour, just over 43 kilometers were covered. sturdy. The guys from Deceuninck – Quick-Step, Qhubeka-ASSOS and Alpecin-Fenix set the pace along the way. A badly battered Zdenek Stybar led the troops. The Czech was well packed after his heavy fall in Dwars door het Hageland.
After a lunch break, the lead grew to more than three minutes, but then the peloton started popping again. Philippe Gilbert then shook the infamous tree just before Berg Ten Houte. Yves Lampaert sensed the danger, but Jonas Rickaert got the two men back. Calm before the storm on the executioner of the day.
Train Remco
Then Remco Evenepoel’s moment had come. As Nikki Terpstra parked, the winner of the 2019 edition accelerated. The first attempt failed, but then Evenepoel went again. Victor Campenaerts hit the wheel of the man from Schepdaal. The two went full steam ahead and quickly came to the head of the course. Only Marchand and Ghys could follow there.
Literally, because Evenepoel turned it into a real time trial on Flemish roads. For miles he led the way, while an attack from Gilbert broke the peloton to pieces. The sprinters dropped out one by one. But the gap could not be bridged by the ex-world champion.
Under the impulse of Evenepoel, the lead steadily increased to half a minute. It went so fast that Campenaerts just couldn’t take over either. That frustrated young Evenepoel, who made a noise towards his fellow refugees at just under a kilometer from the finish.
It was waiting for the pimples of the Flemish Ardennes. Evenepoel danced up as if it were nothing. Campenaerts’ face betrayed other things. The world record holder got cramps and parked completely. He even got off the bike. The sign for Evenepoel to really flatten itself towards the Berg ten Houte. But there Ghys and Marchand, after some hanging and strangling, stuck to it and so it became a sprint with three.
Evenepoel went, how could it be otherwise, from the front but was passed by the fast Robbe Ghys. He took a fantastic victory, ahead of Evenepoel and Marchand. The leader of Deceuninck – Quick-Step is the first leader due to the collected bonus seconds. Jasper Philipsen won the sprint for fourth place in 28 seconds.
Ghys: “Don’t dare to dream”
“It was the plan to join us today, I really wanted to be in the flight”, stage winner Robbe Ghys said afterwards. “I never dreamed that it would end like this. There was a good relationship in the leading group with all smart guys, we all did long innings. Suddenly I saw Remco coming, I really didn’t expect that. I was told to just hold the wheel and keep fighting to stay ahead. I knew I could finish it in the sprint and I got confidence that I could finish it. Evenepoel was going really fast, but I was instructed to stay in the wheel. It might not have been the nicest way, but I had to do it or I wouldn’t have won. The classification is not a goal, I have not worked at all on the time trial bike. It’s definitely one of the best moments I’ve ever experienced in my career.”
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