As It Happened: Godon wins De Brabantse Pijl in two-up sprint

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2023 Brabantse Pijl.

The riders are currently in the neutralised section of the 205.1 kilometre race.

205 kilometres to go

And the race has now got underway

The race started in the town of Leuven and the first key point of the race is the Chaussée d'Alsemberg (1.6 km, gradient 2.5%) climb, 62 kilometres further on. After that, there's another 24 climbs on today's program.

This is the 63rd edition of De Brabantse Pijl - La Flèche Brabançonne, to give the 1.Pro race its full name. Given the mixture of cobbles and climbs, it pivots the racing narrative away from the pavés of the northern Classics of the first half of the spring, towards the Ardennes Classics of the second, final part.

The final climb, the S-Bocht Overijse, is usually the decisive point of the whole race and it's tackled four times at the end of a finishing circuit, 22 kilometres in length.

Five climbs feature on that final finishing circuit: the Hagaard (0.3 km,  8.6 percent gradient), the Hertstraat (0.7 km, 3.9 percent), the Moskesstraat (0.5 km, 6.7 percent), the Holstheide (1km, 5.2 percent) and the final S-Bocht Overijse (1.3 km,  3.7%). None of them too long then, or overly steep barring the Hagaard, but in a 200 kilometre race, the pain quickly adds up.

A small attack, the first of the day, goes up the road. Names through soon.

We have no previous winners in today's line up for Brabantse Pijl, by the way, as defending champion Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) is not present. However, last year's runner Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R-Citroën), also third in 2020, is taking part.

Another key name to watch in the 133 starters in this year's race could well be Warren Barguil (Arkea-Samsic), third last year and fifth in his previous participation, in 2020.

188 kilometres to go

And here are the names for the four riders up the road:  Johan Meens (Bingoal-WB), Sander de Pestel (Flanders-Baloise), Rory Townsend (Bolton Equities Black Spoke) and Tord Gudmestad (Uno-X Pro Cycling). The four have roughly a minute's advantage.

The gap is rising steadily. It looks like the race has its early break of the day.

The gap is now over two minutes for the four riders out front.

180 kilometres to go

The gap continues to soar for our four breakaways: it's now standing at four minutes and rising after 25 kilometres of racing

In terms of wins, Rory Townsend (Bolton Equities Black Spoke) is the most successful of the four breakaways to date. The 22-year-old is currently Ireland's national road champion and has also already won the concisely-named (not)  La Roue Tourangelle Centre Val de Loire -  Trophée Groupama one day race in France this March.

Ineos Grenadiers aren't fielding their defending champion, Magnus Sheffield, but they've got a very solid line-up led by former Amstel Gold Race winner and World Champion Michal Kwiatkowski. Josh Tarling, who recently became the youngest Paris-Roubaix participant in 86 years, is taking part. You can read about his exploits in Paris-Roubaix here:
'You have to finish. It's worth it' – teenager Tarling battles Paris-Roubaix time cut

Also taking part for Ineos Grenadiers is Cameron Wurf, who ran the equivalent of half a marathon after completing Paris-Roubaix on Sunday and is now back in the saddle here at Brabantse Pijl. You can read about his combining these two activities here:
Cameron Wurf runs equivalent of half-marathon after Paris-Roubaix

160 kilometres to go

The gap for our four breakaways seemingly has no upper limit, at least for now, and passes the six-minute marker and is still rising. AG2R-Citroen, riding for last year's runner-up Benoît Cosnefroy, are in control at the front of the bunch.

Another rider to watch out for is Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny), whose reputation as a fast finisher, uphill and on the flat, is well consolidated. Here's a photo of him at today's start. He recently finished 50th in his debut at Paris-Roubaix.

The weather is a chilly 10 degrees, by the way, and overcast.

Unconfirmed reports of a crash in the peloton for Martin Svrcek (Soudal-QuickStep).

141 kilometres to go

6:12 for the four riders ahead.

The lead group passes over the first climb of the day, the Chaussée d'Alsemberg. (KM 62.2). And it starts to rain.

Martin Svrcek (Soudal-QuickStep), who crashed earlier, becomes the first confirmed abandon of this year's race.

The race tackles the second climb of the day, the Sollenberg (0.5 kilometres at 7 percent average) and there's a big acceleration in the bunch. The gap for our four leaders begins to ebb seriously, and is now just over 5 minutes.

The first part of the route of Brabantse Pijl is a curious one and no mistake: starting in  the university town of Leuven east of Brussels, it then runs in a long, curling loop round the south-eastern corner of the Belgian capital. It then does a circuit past the town of Waterloo and the site of the 1815 battle that saw Napoleon definitively defeated. However the route then turns back on itself, retracing its steps on the same road it took out and past the western edge of the site of the Battle of Waterloo for a second time. After that, it heads onto town of Overisje, some 50 kilometres south-east of Brussels, for the laps of the finishing circuit.

The women's edition of Brabantse Pijl race has just finished, incidentally. There'll be a report coming up shortly on the site.

No previous winners in today's peloton, so there'll be no chance of anybody threatening the record for victories in the Brabantse Pijl, held by Edwig van Hooydonck (whose nephew Nathan races for Jumbo-Visma) since 1995. The last repeat winner, incidentally, was Spain's multiple World Champion Oscar Freire, who took three wins in 2005,2006 and 2007. Not to mention a second place in 2003 and again in 2012, one of his last podium finishes before retiring. 

Brabantse Pijl women: Silvia Persico wins in the rain

105 kilometres to go

4:50 the gap

The rain continues to teem down in Belgium as the gap decreases to 4:30

The race heads past one of the multiple monuments to the Battle of Waterloo and is closing in fast on the final circuit of Overijse.

The four riders ahead on the Rue François Dubois climb, the sixth of the 25 on today's route.

85 kilometres to go

The gap between the four riders ahead and the bunch dips below the 4:00 mark. Ineos Grenadiers, winners of the last two editions with Magnus Sheffield (2022) and Tom Pidcock (2021), head the chase.

The riders in the break turn on to the Hertstraat (0.7 km, 3.9 percent), the first of the climbs on the finishing circuit. 

Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) fights his way back to the peloton after a puncture. The bunch heads onto the Hertstraat climb and the front riders dive for the smooth gutter on the left-hand side.

Crash for an AG2R-Citroen rider, but he's back up and standing again.

79 kilometres to go

Almost immediately afterwards, there's another crash in a dropped group. with an Alpecin-Deceuninck rider somersaulting over another, and Nick Schultz (Israel-Premier Tech) on the ground receiving medical assistance.

The bunch is lining out and the gap for the four ahead, currently tackling the difficult cobbled climb of the Moskesstraat, has plummetted to 2:28

One piece of good news: it's stopped raining. But the watersoaked roads are not at all easy to handle, as this small spate of crashes shows.

Ineos Grenadiers and Alpecin-Deceuninck give it a lot of pressure on the Moskesstraat's relentlessly rising ascent, but the bunch doesn't shatter completely. Time for that yet.

A Bahrain Victorious rider, face grimy from the earlier racefall, sheers clear from the bunch to try and bridge across to the four ahead on the Holstheide climb. It doesn't work out, but he won't be the last to try.

Reports that one of Belgian cycling's youngest stars Arnaud De Lie (Soudal-Dstny) and one of the most veteran, Greg Van Avermaet (AG2R-Citroen), have both been dropped and are in a second group.

A puncture for Michael Valgren (EF Education-EasyPost) in just his second race of the season, after his horrendous accident last summer. Read more about his comeback here: Michael Valgren returns from 2022 crash at Region Pays de la Loire Tour

70 kilometres to go

The gap dips under two minutes as Tord Gudmestad (Uno-X Pro Cycling) takes a long turn on the front.

There's a slight drop in pace, and after Bahrain Victorious and Ineos Grenadiers and a series of crashes combined to split the pack, the bunch has regrouped. De Lie and Van Avermaet, also Oliver Naesen (AG2R-Citroen) take advantage to get back on.

Through the finish for the first time, three laps to go. The four breakaways of the day continue to lead as they pass under the gantries, but they're looking seriously weary. 

The gap is now down to just over 90 seconds. Lots of race officials blasting away on  whistles to warn the peloton as it negotiates a sharp left hand bend just after the finish.

The rain returns as the four ahead tackle the steep, well-surfaced Hagaard, a climb with a maximum segment of 13 percent. Sander De Pestel (Flanders-Baloise) is struggling in the break.

63 kilometres to go

Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R-Citroen) launches an attack from the peloton as the rain pelts down on the Hagaard climb.

That's a strong group that's gone clear with Cosnefroy, last year's runner-up and third in 2020. De Lie is also there, as well as a couple of EF riders. But the gap is minimal.

Cosnefroy's group is brought back to the front group of 30 but as a statement of intent, that was quite something.

60 kilometres to go

The gap for the day's four leaders has dropped to under a minute.

Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers) is in difficulties.

Shortly after the second ascent of the Hertstraat, another group goes clear.

56 kilometres to go

Remi Cavagna (Soudal-QuickStep) puts down a blistering acceleration and is trying to bridge across to the four breakaways on a solo run.

Cavagna's lengthy acceleration is making serious inroads into the break's advantage, while behind the peloton, which had fragmented, regroups into a bunch of around 50 riders.

The four race leaders rattle onto the cobbles of the Moskesstraat and once again,  Sander De Pestel (Flanders-Baloise) is in difficulties. Cavagna shoots past him on the hunt for the three remaining breakaways.

 Sander De Pestel (Flanders-Baloise) is swept up by the front elements of the bunch and at the same time, Cavagna joins the three riders ahead. But the gap is only 12 seconds now between break and (what's left of) the bunch.

51 kilometres to go

Another acceleration from Cavagna leaves the Frenchman and Tord Gudmestad (Uno-X Pro Cycling) the only two riders ahead, but they are well within sight of the peloton behind.

Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), Andreas Kron (Lotto-Dstny), Dorian Gaudon AG2R-Citröen,  and Lucas Eriksson (Tudor Pro Cycling) try to bridge across to the break.

Very little collaboration in the bunch to try and pull back the break of four trying to reach the two leaders, whose gap has stretched to 40 seconds.

Cavagna is not opting to wait for the four riders chasing and he drags daylong breakaway Tord Gudmestad (Uno-X Pro Cycling) along in his wake.

45 kilometres to go

Finally, after a four kilometre chase and as they approach the finish line for the third last time, the six breakaways fuse into a single group:  Tord Gudmestad (Uno-X Pro Cycling), Remi Cavagna (Soudal-QuickStep), Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), Andreas Kron (Lotto-Dstny), Dorian Gaudon AG2R-Citröen,  and Lucas Eriksson (Tudor Pro Cycling).

35 seconds the gap as the bunch powers through the finish line. Alpecin-Deceuninck head the chase.

The six are collaborating ahead as they ride up one of the steepest climbs, the Hagaard. The gap is stretching to 40 seconds and this is beginning to perhaps look like the decisive move of the day.

The weather, incidentally, is best described as seriously variable. One moment there's sunshine, the next moment it's raining cats and dogs.

Perhaps realising that the race is slipping out of their grasp, Bahrain Victorious put down a furious acceleration in the chasing peloton of roughly 40 riders.

38 kilometres to go

Ben Healy makes a grinding attack out of the break ahead.

Cavagna is furiously chasing behind the Irishman, with Kron coming through to take a turn. There's only 100 metres between Healy and the rest of the break and a long way to the finish yet.

35 kilometres

Healy has seven seconds margin on the chasing group of five, while Kim Heiduk (Ineos Grenadiers) briefly tries a counter attack from the bunch. The gap is now up to 1:03 between Healy and the peloton. Not quite game over, but things are getting touch and go for the bunch if they want a shout at winning.

Healy is brought back by the five so we've got a group of six riders ahead again. It'll be interesting to see how much collaboration there is after the Irishman's solo bid. 

A pronounced acceleration from Dorian Godon (AG2R-Citröen) and only Healy can answer. But once again Cavagna and Kron work to bring the two back within striking distance.

30 kilometres to go

1:06 the gap

This is another good move for Healy in what's been an excellent season for the Irishman so far, with a stage win in the Coppi e Bartali and a solo win in the GP Industria & Artigianato, another 1.HC race, as well as the Best Young Rider's win in the recently completed Region Pays de la Loire. Curiously enough after Rory Townsend (Bolton Equities Black Spoke),  current Irish National Road Champion, was up the road in the first half of the race, it's now the  current Irish National TT Champion who's in the mix.

22 kilometres to go

Dorian Godon  (AG2R-Citroen) makes a brief dig on the second last time through the finish, and the six are not collaborating. 45 seconds the gap.

Immediately after the finish, Cavagna puts in another solo move in front, bringing his well-known time trialling skills into play.

Healy, also a skilled time triallist of course, is draggin the front group back up to Cavagna. Meanwhile, one of the six, day-long breakaway Tord Gudmestad (Uno-X Pro Cycling), looks to have cracked.

Kron is also in difficulties, and Lotto-Dstny are trying to organise a chase behind.

The front group is down to three: Cavagna, Healy and Godon. 

Kron and Eriksson are trying to reach the three riders ahead, but the gap is widening.

Cavagna, for all his strength for so many kilometres, is cracking, and leaving Godon and Healy ahead. 

15 kilometres to go

Godon and Healy have 13 seconds on Cavagna, and 1:05 on a bunch led by Lotto-Dstny, who sweep up Tord Gudmestad (Uno-X Pro Cycling), the last survivor from the early break.

Maddeningly for Cavagna, he can see the two breakaways ahead of him on one of the few straight sections of the race, but the gap between them is remaining stubbornly around the 15 second mark. 

Assuming the fight for victory goes down to these two,  Healy may be doing well this year, but Godon is also a skilled one-day racer. Winless since 2021, he's taken Paris-Camembert twice, as well as the Tour du Doubs in his time, and now he's on the hunt for a first triumph in Belgium.

11 kilometres to go

The two riders battle their way up another climb, almost parallel, but Godon is looking marginally strongly and leads over the top.

10 kilometres to go

The two ahead have 24 seconds on their closest chaser, Cavagna, who is struggling badly on the climb.

Godon and Healy press on. Barring major, major surprises, victory in the 63rd edition of De Brabantse Pijl-La Flèche Brabançonne will be going home with one of these two riders this evening.

In terms of previous winners of De Brabantse Pijl from their respective countries, if successful Godon would be following the wheeltracks of Julian Alaphilippe in 2021, while there has never been an Irish winner of this race before.

4.5 kilometres to go

Godon ploughs on at the head of the two-up break. The leading duo are collaborating for now, but they won't be collaborating for long.

Now it's Healy's turn on the front, leading Godon as Kron is swept up by the bunch.

Two kilometres to go

Still no change in the front as the race approaches the final climb for the last time, and 40 seconds the duo's gap on Cavagna. 

The cat and mouse games begin and Healy is sitting on behind Godon a little. Some gesticulating by the Frenchman, but Healy ignores him.

Onto the climb as it starts to rise, and Healy is shadowing Godon come what may.

One kilometre to go

Godon leads on under the final kilometre. 

They both know this climb, of course, from multiple ascents from before.

Healy stays behind Godon as the Frenchman keeps going, but not at full strength. 

Godon keeps on looking back and opens up the sprint.

Godon is stretching open the gap and he's going to get the win.

Dorian Godon (AG2R-Citröen) wins the 63rd edition of De Brabantse Pijl-La Flèche Brabançonne.

Healy gets second, while Godon's teammate Benoît Cosnefroy sweeps up third place to add to his two previous podium finishes, including second last year, and give AG2R-Citroen two of the top three places in the 2023 edition.

And here's a first picture of the day's winner

Godon did a great ride there, he kept his nerve despite Healy trying a solo move and Cavagna charging away.

Some words from Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) second in the 2023 Brabantse Pijl:  "It was nice, i could feel the legs were good and I gave it a good go but there was a guy [Godon] just as strong as me today. The gallop to the line  - I always knew how it was going to go, but I still gave it a really good try and tried to play the game the best I could but it wasn't to be today."
"I knew I had to give it a good go so I laid it all out there. I know I don't have the best sprint in the world, so I had try and  sit on and save the legs as best as possible, but when he [Godon] opened up I had nothing to give, so that was that."
"For sure I've made a good step up over the winter and I'll try and keep the ball rolling and I feel a lot more confident which is super-nice."
"I'll do the rest of the Ardennes, a big goal for the team, and hopefully  it'll be onto the Giro after that."

And here's a shot of Healy crossing the line. He was soundly beaten at the end there by Godon, but it was another powerful performance by the young Irishman this year.

And while we're at it, here's a picture of the winning break of the day

Some words from Dorian Godon (AG2R-Citröen), winner of the 2023 De Brabantse Pijl- La Flèche Brabançonne.
"It's like a first win of my career for me, if you look at the palmares of this race there's only really big names in there, and with the weather we had it was really tough all day long."
"We were up there all day as a team, and I was up there in the first moves of the day, but even after all those efforts, I felt better and better in the break and I knew I could be good in the sprint."
"I wasn't sure about the sprint, it'd been such a long day, and in cycling there are lots more bad moments than good ones, so I just went for it and hoped. Getting a podium with Benoît [Cosnefroy, teammate] in third place is a great result for the team and  shows he's in great shape for the Ardennes."

The link to our main report on the 2023 men's Brabantse Pijl is here.
Brabantse Pijl: Dorian Godon seizes victory in Overijse

Here's a podium shot of the top three finishers.

That wraps things up for today from Brabantse Pijl. Check back later in the week for more Ardennes Classics live coverage.