Dwars door Vlaanderen 2018: Yves Lampaert takes back-to-back win

Wet cobbles and dito hills are on the menu in Dwars door Vlaanderen. In pouring rain title defender Yves Lampaert wins the race after a late attack. Mike Teunissen sprints to second place, Sep Vanmarcke comes in third. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 2018 Dwars door Vlaanderen

1. Yves Lampaert (bel)
2. Mike Teunissen (nld) +0.02
3. Sep Vanmarcke (bel) s.t.
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen (nor) s.t.
5. Mads Pedersen (den) s.t.
6. Zdenek Stybar (cze) +0.29
7. Tiesj Benoot (bel) +0.30
8. Greg Van Avermaet (bel) +0.59
9. Niki Terpstra (nld) s.t.
10. Jasper Stuyven (bel) s.t.

Race report
Despite a number af attacks, the pack remains bunched for a long time. But with 100 kms to go the peloton splits, just to regroup on the first time Knokteberg. Then Luke Rowe jumps clear to race to a 1 minute lead before he is brought back with 67 kms remaining. A little later the peloton splits again. Around 70 riders left at the front of the race at this point.

Tony Martin heads out on his own at Kortekeer, but a crash ends his solo.

John Degenkolb strikes on Kruisberg. Alejandro Valverde, Tiesj Benoot, Gianni Moscon, Sep Vanmarcke, Greg Van Avermaet, Yves Lampaert, Zdenek Stybar, Mads Pedersen, Tony Martin and Edvald Boasson Hagen hook on. LottoNL tracks them down just before the last climb up Knokteberg, but at that very moment Benoot accelerates. Van Avermaet jumps to his wheel.

With 25 kms the two are reeled in. Vanmarcke speeds and Lampaert jumps to his wheel. Teunissen, Pedersen and Boasson Hagen close the gap and the five race to a comfortable lead.

After the last cobbles with 5 kilometres to go the front group start to play cat-and-mouse games. The repeated attacks and lulls come to a halt in the last km. Following a sur place Lampaert charges to solo to his second consecutive win in Dwars door Vlaanderen. Mike Teunissen and Sep Vanmarcke round out the podium.