Belgian cobbles specialist Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo) showed off great form and cobble-riding skills at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday afternoon, but two flat tyres kept him out of the decisive breakaway move.
Together with Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing), Vanmarcke fought back but failed to close the gap on the lead group of four riders. Vanmarcke concluded a strong race in fifth place at 1:24 from winner Ian Stannard (Team Sky), but the first test in the Spring Classics didn’t provide Vanmarcke with much information.
“I didn’t learn much," Vanmarcke said. "I knew I was good and that’s still the case. We’ll see more tomorrow and during the upcoming weeks. I feel that I was one of the better riders today. I wouldn’t say the strongest. For myself, I was good. The team planned to go full out for the victory with me. My form was certainly good enough. Too bad I wasn’t able to offer the team a victory. I can’t be happy with a fifth place when my legs are this good.”
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A first flat tyre ahead of the Taaienberg didn’t take Vanmarcke out of contention.
“I was back surprisingly fast," he said. "I had an adrenaline boost and Maarten Wynants told me to keep faith. I flew by everybody. At the foot of the Eikenberg my brother shouted to me that the gap was fifteen seconds. I told myself to close it at once. Then I had to take a breather. Bram Tankink responded to all the attacks.
“Then I decided to go for it again and reduced the numbers in the group on the Haaghoek. Then it went wrong again.”
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