Chicchi triumphs at Handzame Classic
Italian sprinter takes fifth victory of season
Francesco Chicchi (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) took his second sprint victory of the week, winning the Handzame Classic in Belgium. The 31-year-old Italian won the mass sprint ahead of Marcel Kittel (Project 1t4i) and Adam Blythe (BMC Racing Team).
It was the 18th win this season for the Belgian ProTeam, and Chicchi's fifth. His most recent win was only two days earlier, at the Nokere Koerse.
"The magic state I'm in continues," said Chicchi. "I'm very happy with this victory. We rode strong all day long. Fortunately, Keisse was in the 15-man break that marked the race, and he allowed us to sit on tires and save energy. In the final we all had perfect legs. The team did a fantastic job and I managed to clinch the double just a few days off my victory in Nokere.
"I want to dedicate this success to all the families of the victims of the disaster at Sierre, a terrible tragedy which we will never forget. All my teammates join me in this dedication."
A 15-man group got away early on the race comprised of Walt De Winter, Francesco Van Coppernolle (Jong Vlaanderen), Iljo Keisse (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto-Belisol), Wouter Mol (Vacansoleil-DCM), Pieter Serry (Topsport Vlaanderen), Wim De Vocht (Accent Jobs-Verandas Willems), Mart Ojavee (Champion System), Tobias Ludvigsson (Project 1t4i), Victor Manakov (RusVelo), Rony Martias (Saur-Sojasun), Will Routley (Spidertech), Blaz Jarc (NetApp) and Niko Eeckhout (An Post-Sean Kelly).
Their lead never exceeded a minute and a half, and the group slowly fell apart as the sprinters' teams put the pressure on.
With 11km to go the last of the escapees were caught again, setting up the expected mass sprint finale.
1 | Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | 4:10:00 |
2 | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Project 1T4i | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Adam Blythe (GBr) BMC Racing Team | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Guillaume Boivin (Can) Spidertech Powered By C10 | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Boy Van Poppel (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Kenny De Haes (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) RusVelo | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | André Schulze (Ger) Team NetApp | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Team Cykelcity.se | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Yoeri Havik (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Hugo Houle (Can) Spidertech Powered By C10 | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Roy Jans (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Steve Schets (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen Cycling Team | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Sven Jodts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Remco Te Brake (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Frederique Robert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Leopard - Trek Continental Team | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Jean-Lou Paiani (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Christophe Laborie (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Jacobe Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team NetApp | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Aaron Kemps (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Henrik Abom (Swe) Team Cykelcity.se | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Kevin Verwaest (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen Cycling Team | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Philippe Legrand (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Benjamin Verraes (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen Cycling Team | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Baptiste Plackaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Alexander Mironov (Rus) RusVelo | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Fabio Polazzi (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Kevin Ista (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Sean Patrick Downey (Irl) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Rob Goris (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Nikita Eskov (Rus) RusVelo | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Quentin Bertholet (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Caleb Fairly (USA) Spidertech Powered By C10 | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Jens Vandenbogaerde (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen Cycling Team | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Project 1T4i | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Rikke Dijkxhoorn (Ned) Geofco - Ville D'alger | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Olivier Chevalier (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Sjef De Wilde (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Dmitry Kozontchuk (Rus) RusVelo | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Philip Vandaele (Bel) Colba - Superano Ham | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Martin Gilbert (Can) Spidertech Powered By C10 | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Mark Christian (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Sjoerd Kouwenhoven (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Markus Eichler (Ger) Team NetApp | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Jeroem Lepla (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen Cycling Team | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Dominic Klemme (Ger) Project 1T4i | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Arthur Van Overberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | 0:00:10 |
74 | Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Andy Cappelle (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Sander Cordeel (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Pit Schlechter (Lux) Leopard - Trek Continental Team | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Project 1T4i | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Ryan Anderson (Can) Spidertech Powered By C10 | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Johan Landstrom (Swe) Team Cykelcity.se | 0:00:14 |
81 | Michael Olsson (Swe) Team Cykelcity.se | 0:00:16 |
82 | Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:22 |
83 | Timon Seubert (Ger) Team NetApp | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | 0:00:24 |
85 | Marcello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | 0:00:38 |
87 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team NetApp | 0:00:49 |
88 | Simon Lambert-Lemay (Can) Spidertech Powered By C10 | 0:00:50 |
89 | Sven Vandousselaere (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:01:09 |
90 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Mats Boeve (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | 0:01:25 |
92 | Christian Bertilsson (Swe) Team Cykelcity.se | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Bradley White (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team | 0:01:45 |
94 | Henryk Cardoen (Bel) Geofco - Ville D'alger | 0:03:28 |
95 | Matvey Zubov (Rus) RusVelo | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Jonathan Breyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Jacek Morajko (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Will Routley (Can) Spidertech Powered By C10 | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Kun Jiang (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Etienne Tortelier (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Sven Van Den Houte (Bel) Colba - Superano Ham | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Jurgen Francois (Bel) Colba - Superano Ham | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Alexandr Pliuschin (Mda) Leopard - Trek Continental Team | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Joel Zangerle (Lux) Leopard - Trek Continental Team | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Bob Jungels (Lux) Leopard - Trek Continental Team | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Marco Bandiera (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Blaz Jarc (Slo) Team NetApp | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Laurent Evrard (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Project 1T4i | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Team NetApp | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Pengda Jiao (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Project 1T4i | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Ronan Van Zandbeek (Ned) Project 1T4i | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Huub Duyn (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Philip Lindau (Swe) Team Cykelcity.se | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
123 | Dion Beukeboom (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
124 | Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
125 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Cyclingteam De Rijke | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
127 | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
128 | Maarten Neyens (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
129 | William Clarke (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
130 | Bas Stamsnijder (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
131 | Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
132 | Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
133 | Kin San Wu (HKg) Champion System Pro Cycling Team | 0:05:11 |
134 | Robert Pölder (Swe) Team Cykelcity.se | 0:05:52 |
135 | Giorgio Brambilla (Ita) Leopard - Trek Continental Team | 0:06:34 |
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