Tour of Flanders 2016: Brilliant solo victory Peter Sagan

At 255 kilometres, edition 100 of the Tour of Flanders brings 18 hills. With 13.2 kilometres left, at the last climb up the Paterberg Peter Sagan leaves his companion Sep Vanmarcke alone to go solo. He powers to an impressive win. Cancellara is second, Vanmarcke third. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results Tour of Flanders

1. Peter Sagan (svk)
2. Fabian Cancellara (swi) + 0.25
3. Sep Vanmarcke (bel) + 0.28
4. Alexander Kristoff (nor) + 0.49
5. Luke Rowe (gbr) s.t.
6. Dylan van Baarle (nld) s.t.
7. Imanol Erviti (spa) s.t.
8. Zdenek Sybar (cze) s.t.
9. Dimitry Claeys (bel) s.t.
10. Niki Terpstra (nld) s.t.

Race report
It’s after two hours in the saddle when a group of six riders forms the break of the day. On board are Wesley Kreder, Gijs Van Hoecke, Lukas Pöstlberger, Hugo Houle, Imanol Erviti and Federico Zurlo. They race to a maximum lead of 5 minutes. Pöstlberger and Kreder are dropped after a mechanical.

The lead goes down fast when Etixx pushes hard in the peloton. At Leberg André Greipel attacks and he is accompanied by Nils Politt. They join the dropped rider Houle and race to the last men standing in the front group, Van Hoecke and Erviti. Claeys and Gruzdev hook up as well.

At the second climb up Oude Kwaremont Stijn Vandenbergh and Dylan van Baarle open the chase and they join the front of the race. And with 33 kms to go Michal Kwiatkowski and Peter Sagan jump, while Sep Vanmarcke bridges the gap.

Left in the front group are Greipel, Erviti, Claeys, Vandenbergh and Van Baarle. With 24 kms left Sagan, Kwiat and Vanmarcke join them. A group with other favourites are half a minute adrift.

At the last climb up Oude Kwaremont Sagan and Vanmarcke are the last two riders at the front. At the top Cancellara is 0’12” adrift and Terpstra, Erviti and Claeys join him.

While climbing up Paterberg Sagan goes solo. Cancellara hooks up with Vanmarcke and they open the chase, but to no avail. The World Champion is too strong and he soloes to victory.

During the race Greg Van Avermaet, Arnaud Démare and Tiesj Benoot abandoned after crashes.