Niki Terpstra powers to glory at E3 Harelbeke

In a marvelous show of strength Niki Terpstra held on to a 20-second time gap over the last 15km of flat as 11 chasers failed to work together to close him down.

Niki Terpstra won Le Samyn a month ago with help from Philippe Gilbert
Photo credit: velonews.com
Terpstra and Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Floors) attacked and together stayed away for 70km with multiple groups of cobbled specialists in pursuit.

 Lampaert - acting as a super-domestique for Terpstra - did brilliantly to stay with the former Dutch champion over the plethora of sharp inclines over the last 50km, but eventually broke over the final Tiegemberg climb inside 20km to go.

 The chase - Belgium champion Oliver Naesen (AG2R), Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott), Philippe Gilbert and Czech champion Zdenek Stybar (Quick-Step Floors), Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal), Gianni Moscon (Team Sky), Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale) and Greg van Avermaet, Stefan Kung and Jurgen Roelandts (BMC Racing) - looked to be making in-roads into Terpstra's advantage, but couldn't work together sufficiently to close it as Stybar and Gilbert refused to work with their teammate up front. 

 A number of short attacks from Van Avermaet, Trentin and Stuyven promised a close finish. However the chase seemed more interested in keeping an eye on each other than chasing Terpstra and so the Dutchman's lead grew and grew as the bunch slowed to a crawl within the final 2km.

 After looking like his effort had been in vain with the gap tumbling, Terpstra could relax in the final kilometre and even had time to slow up and point to his Quick-Step jersey as he rolled over the line. So exhausted was Terpstra, he could barely walk as he dismounted and embraced Gilbert and Stybar.

 Gilbert won the sprint for second from the chasing group, with Van Avermaet in third.

 Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) was way off the pace and was distanced as the succession of steep cobbled climbs in the last 40km took their toll. The world champion came across the line in 26th, 3'23" down.

E3 Harelbeke 2018 Result

1. Niki Terpstra (Quick-Step Floors) in 5:03:34
2. Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) at 20"
3. Greg van Avermaet (BMC Racing)
4. Oliver Naesen (AG2R)
5. Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal)
6. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo)
7. Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale)
8. Gianni Moscon (Team Sky)
9. Zdenek Stybar (Quick-Step Floors)
10. Stefan Kung (BMC Racing)

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