Home > News

Jasper Stuyven victorious in Spring Classics opener Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Belgian sprints to win with 1410 watts of power

February 29, 2020
Share on SMS

Trek-Segafredo’s Belgian Jasper Stuyven kicked off the Spring Classics season with the eighth victory of his career at Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Round 4 of the 2020 WorldTour. Stuyven outsprinted compatriot Yves Lampaert of Deceuninck-Quick Step for the win.

The Course
The course ran 200-km from Ghent to Ninove, taking in nine sections of cobbles and 13 hills, several of which were also cobbled. The final seven hills were the crucial ones, and the first of them, the 700-metre, 5.3 percent Wolvenberg, was where the first selection made was last season. The last two ascents were crucial: Muur-Kapelmuur, 500-metres of 8 percent cresting with 12.5-km to go; and the Bosberg, 900-metres of 6.1 percent peaking with 9.5-km remaining.



The Breakaway

Five fugitives dashed away early, but the peloton kept them on a short leash. With 60-km raced, the quintet’s lead was 5:30.

With 120-km to race, echelons saw a group heavy on Trek-Segafredo and INEOS riders go clear. The escapees were delayed by a level rail crossing.

Although the breakaway was absorbed and race regrouped, further echelons caused another split before Wout Van Aert attacked on the cobbles of the Paddestraat with Heinrich Haussler, but headwinds led to another reformation. Greg van Avermaet attacked on the Rekelberg climb, pulling up when no one followed.

The Move

The move of the day came soon after, as an octet containing Matteo Trentin (Italy/CCC), Stuyven and Lampaert shuffled away. Even after losing a man, the group rolled up a significant lead heading into the final 50-km.

A couple of the escapees looked like they were on their limits going over the Molenberg. With the gap up to 2:30 and 40-km remaining, Van Aert and Sep Vanmarcke bolted from the peloton to try to bridge.

The chase group ballooned as up front, Tim DeClercq worked for Lampaert. By the time the break hit the Geerardsbergen, Stuyven and Lampaert were pulling clear. They attacked the Muur together, but Søren Kragh Andersen made it a trio before the Bosberg.

After the Bosberg, the three up front couldn’t muck about and let Trentin back in the picture. Two Belgians and a Dane started to think about a sprint.

Lampaert accelerated with 2-km to go, unhitching Anderson. Stuyven pounced before the line and took the famous win. He adds Omloop Het Nieuwsblad to his Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne victory in 2016; only 10 riders have won both.

Canadians Guillaume Boivin and Hugo Houle were among the 105 riders who didn’t finish.

2020 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
1) Jasper Stuyven (Belgium/Trek-Segafredo) 5:03:24
2) Yves Lampaert (Belgium/Deceuninck-Quick Step) s.t.
3) Søren Kragh Andersen (Denmark/Sunweb) +0:06