Christophe Laporte also won Dwars door Vlaanderen 2023 three days after Gent-Wevelgem. After a race of 183.7 kilometers, which broke open early, the Frenchman from Jumbo-Visma was the first to finish in Waregem. He won solo, after breaking away from an elite group of ten with three kilometers to go.
The leading group of the day emerged in two slides. First, Yevgeniy Gidich (Astana Qazaqstan), Oier Lazkano (Movistar), Nickolas Zukowsky (Q36.5) and Ward Vanhoof (Team Flanders-Baloise) broke away. They later got Leon Heinschke (Team DSM) and the experienced Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) with them.
The six got a maximum lead of four minutes from the peloton, which did not let the gap get too big. At 100 kilometers from the finish the difference was only two minutes, after which Trek-Segafredo took control on the Côte de Trieu (Knokteberg). The pace was reduced on the climb itself, but at the top the team of Mads Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven already opened the final.
A very strong Oier Lazkano in the leading group – photo: Cor Vos
The peloton was pulled on a ribbon and tore into pieces, after which Trek-Segafredo stopped again on the Kortekeer and then did the same trick again. On the Steenbeekdries, the first favorites already showed themselves on the offensive, including Pedersen, Tim Wellens, Arnaud De Lie and Filippo Ganna. None of them got out of there.
Peloton breaks, given by Tim Merlier and Olav Kooij
At Berg Ten Houte, the peloton was startled by a crash by Tim Merlier. The Belgian champion sat on the ground for a long time and had to watch how the wheat was separated from the chaff in the peloton. A large elite group entered the last 70 kilometers. Notable absentee there: Olav Kooij, who was on the sidelines at Berg Ten Houte.
Nevertheless, Jumbo-Visma took control. The Dutch team chased the leading group, where Kristoff, Lazkano, Heinschke and a fighting Vanhoof remained the longest. Tiesj Benoot opened the attack on the Kanarieberg. He could only be followed by Christophe Laporte, Quinten Hermans and Jasper Philipsen. Since there was no collaboration, the favorites group was able to return.
Tiesj Benoot was the instigator of the elite group – photo: Cor Vos
Elite group with Benoot, Laporte, Küng and Hermans
A new period of pinpricks followed, including one from Krists Neilands in the run-up to the last time Côte de Trieu. Jumbo-Visma brought it back, after which Benoot was launched by Tosh Van der Sande. The Belgian accelerated and left everyone behind. Shortly after the top, Hermans and Neilson Powless found the connection, after which Laporte, Valentin Madouas, Stefan Küng, Mikkel Honoré and Jhonatan Narváez made the jump.
That group was then faced with the Hotond, Ladeuze and twice Nokereberg. They followed about 45 seconds behind the four early breakaways and had half a minute on the thinned peloton, where Lotto Dstny had to work. That was difficult, which increased the difference with the Laporte group.
At 30 kilometers from the finish Kristoff, Lazkano and Heinschke still had half a minute ahead of the elite group with Laporte, Benoot and Küng. Half a minute later, the remaining peloton followed, which was getting closer and closer. Tim Wellens tried to make the jump on his own on a cobblestone section, while in the leading group Heinschke was thrown overboard by his fellow escapees.
Alexander Kristoff made an impression – photo: Cor Vos
Seconds game in the final
Wellens came to within 12 seconds, but then had to abandon the fight and fell back into the peloton-De Lie. The winner seemed to be riding in one of the two front groups at the time. Kristoff and Lazkano did not stop, because they even ran somewhat ahead of the pursuers in the direction of Waregem.
But 10 kilometers before the finish the race situation suddenly changed. The Laporte group was eight seconds behind the front runners and the peloton followed at more than 25 seconds. In short, everything slid together. At 5.9 kilometers from the finish, Kristoff and Lazkano were caught, but the peloton followed there at less than 20 seconds. Shortly after the merger, the first breakaways in the leading group already follow.
Laporte took full advantage of the game being played. All sneaky he shoved along with a foursome, after which he managed to drive away from the rest with a firm effort. Immediately the winner of Gent-Wevelgem made a gap. A gap that could not be closed in the last three kilometers.
Powless and Lazkano managed to stay out of the hands of the onrushing peloton in the final kilometer. The Spaniard surprised by taking second place in the ‘sprint’ after a whole day in the attack, ahead of Powless. Jasper Philipsen was behind that the fastest in the battle for fourth place.
