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Early refugee Taco van der Hoorn also lets Intermarché celebrate in Brussels Cycling Classic | Brussels Cycling Classic 2022

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The Dutchman Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) has won the Brussels Cycling Classic from the early break. In the ultimate meters Van der Hoorn passed our compatriot Thimo Willems (Minerva). The peloton with the favorites came too late.

The pans are getting wet

With its renewed (and more difficult) route, the Brussels Cycling Classic hoped to shake off its reputation as a sprinters festival. Remco Evenepoel had already shown last year with a solo that things could be done differently, this year we had to wait and see whether that trend would continue.

The weather gods also wanted a difficult course. From the start in the Cinquantenaire Park in Brussels, the water fell from the sky in buckets, the start of a drizzly day on the bike. However, a group of ten riders were not deterred by the dog weather and set out.

The final started at the first passage in the hill zone, colored by the trio Muur van Geraardsbergen-Bosberg-Congoberg, about 100 kilometers from the finish. However, it was only on the second pass, fifty kilometers further, that the favorites showed their muscles.

Sprinter platoon miscalculates, Van der Hoorn profits

Brabantse Pijl winner Magnus Sheffield and Tim Wellens continued firmly, an elite group including Matthews, Vermeersch (x2) and Turner also separated. But Arkéa, with fast men Hofstetter and McLay, had missed the mark and was in a frenzy to regroup.

Once the merger was completed, the early flight hunt could begin. A formality, everyone thought, but it soon became apparent that the ten in front, with escape king Taco van der Hoorn, still had some surplus. The peloton tried to turn the tide, but would not see the leaders again.

In the streets of Brussels there was a battle of the pendulum in front. Thimo Willems of the modest Minerva Cycling seemed to fire the right arrow from under the rag, but that was not counted on Van der Hoorn. The Dutchman had to double up, but crawled over Willems in the last decameters. Another success for Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert.

VIDEO: Watch the exciting final kilometer

Reactions after the Brussels Cycling Classic:

  • Taco van der Hoorn (1st): “Gosh, I gave up. I really had to come a long way. Willems went fast, he was really damn strong. It’s great that I can finish it. I wasn’t very good today. I wanted to join the team at some point. I told them not to count on me But when the situation behind us wasn’t great I had to try it It turned out well Where did I place this victory My victory in the Giro was the most special I try often and sometimes it works. It’s nice that I can confirm again.”
  • Thimo Willems (2nd): “I wanted to try the same thing as a few weeks ago when I won the GP Vermarc. When I got to Van der Hoorn and Bayer I immediately went full. In the last 50 meters Taco came over. I felt him coming, but I was completely sour. It’s a shame, because I would have loved to win. Did I surprise myself? I think so, last year I doubted whether I would remain a rider, but with Minerva I found my second breath. Hopefully I can again take a step higher.”

  1. 5 pm 14. Van der Hoorn wins after nerve blow! What a final kilometer! Thimo Willems of Minerva seemed to be on his way to a stunt, but in the last decameters Taco van der Hoorn crawled over it. Bayer is third. †
  2. 17 hours 14. Willems attacks! Will Van der Hoorn and Bayer be back? †
  3. Last km. Who will sprint fastest on Houba de Strooperlaan? † 17 h 13.
  4. 17h 13. Van der Hoorn attacks and gets Bayer along! †
  5. 5 pm 12. Another 22 seconds, the lead disappears like snow in the sun. Is it still possible for the peloton? †
  7. 5 pm 12. The winner is at the front, because at 2km from the finish the leaders still have a 25 second lead. We get a surprise winner. †
  8. 5 pm 10. Faith in the leading group grows by the minute. Bram Welten is possibly the fastest of the ten, although there will undoubtedly be more attack attempts. Another three kilometers. †
  9. 17 hours 07. A late desperate attempt by Wellens yields nothing. It looks like the peloton is giving in. †
  10. 5 p.m. It’s actually Ineos that keeps the gang in the pack. For whom or what they are making this effort is a mystery, because with Narvaez, Sheffield and Turner there are only three Grenadiers left in the race with limited sprinter qualities. †
  11. 17 hours 01. Eleven kilometers to go, still 45 seconds behind. Things are starting to look better for the leaders. †
  12. 4 pm 57. Campenaerts just keeps on dragging in the peloton. Are the Lottos up to anything? In a group sprint, the guys from the National Lottery always fall short on paper against the Merliers and Kristoffs of this world. †
  13. 4 pm 57. Laurence and Wallays give in to their knees on Heilige Kruiswegstraat. We expected a little more from the latter in this final. †
  14. Heilige Kruiswegstraat. The leaders turn up the last slope of the day. Is there anything else happening in the peloton? † 4 p.m. 56.
  15. 4 pm 54. In the peloton, the Lottos continue to provide the gears. On the last cobblestone section of the day, Florian Vermeersch puts a “couch” on top of it, namesake Gianni shadows him in the wheel. Soon there will have to be organization in the peloton, if they want to get back at the leaders. †
  16. 4 p.m. 52. Taco van der Hoorn still has a surplus at the front. He kicks a tooth bigger than the rest. Maarten Vangramberen.
  18. 1 minute. With less than 20 kilometers to go, the leaders’ lead remains at one minute. “It will be a dime on his side”, sees our man on the motorcycle. † 4 p.m. 51.
  19. 4 p.m. 49. Which fast men are still in the pack? Merlier, Kristoff, Hofstetter, Nizzolo and Matthews with certainty. Bennett, Groves, Gaviria and Ackermann are still playing hide and seek. †
  20. 4.45 pm Campenaerts gives Robeet a firm push.

    Campenaerts hands out a strong push to Robeet

  21. 4 p.m. 42. Wellens pulls hard once more on an uncategorized cobblestone section. Merlier is attentive, just like Campenaerts, Gilbert, Nizzolo and others. Wellens’ effort brings the peloton 20 seconds closer. †
  22. 16h 37. Lotto-Soudal takes responsibility. Florian Vermeersch has a good sprint, especially in a thinned out group. Karl Vannieuwkerke.
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