Niki Terpstra took his second career Monument at the Tour of Flanders today, following his emphatic Paris-Roubaix triumph of 2014. In doing so, the 33-year-old Quick-Step Floors rider became the first Dutchman in over three decades to conquer the Belgian race.
“It’s incredible! Winning De Ronde and Paris-Roubaix was a dream I had since I was a kid and watched these two races on television. That’s when I fell in love with them and now, having won both, it gives me huge joy. I can’t tell you how happy I am! To be victorious in these races you need very good legs, but also luck. Today, everything went perfect for me”, a happy Terpstra said after netting Quick-Step Floors’ 21st victory of the season.
Numerous attackers tried to go clear after the start in Antwerp but it took until the 70-kilometre mark before eleven riders managed to get clear. Even then, their gap never went much above five minutes before the first climb of the day, the 2200m-long Oude Kwaremont.
Despite a series of accelerations on the iconic Muur-Kapelmuur and Koppenberg, the race didn’t break and the favourites stayed together. Quick-Step Floors had the numbers in the group, with Philippe Gilbert, Yves Lampaert, Zdenek Stybar and Niki Terpstra. Stybar, one of the most consistent riders of this spring campaign, with three consecutive top-10 placings, was the one to counter an attack of Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) on the Taaienberg, before trying a move of his own after cresting the Kruisberg.
Soon after they were caught, Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) powered ahead and was joined by Niki Terpstra, who then took the front and dropped the Milano-Sanremo winner as the Oude Kwaremont was looming on the horizon for the third time. At the moment of his attack, the Dutchman was 40 seconds behind a leading trio, but using his time trial skills he reduced the gap by the time he hit the bottom of the climb, while behind his teammates disrupted the rhythm of the chasers.
A two-time podium finisher at Ronde van Vlaanderen (2015 and 2017), Terpstra rode strongly on the long Oude Kwaremont, making contact with three riders in the front and dispatching them before putting some distance by the top of the berg and continuing his solo action. Not even the Paterberg, with its gruelling cobbles and gradients, could stop Terpstra, who extended his lead before going into time trial mode for the 12km-run in to Oudenaarde.
Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe) went clear near the top of the Paterberg but after chasing for a few kilometres, realised he was making no inroads on Terpstra’s lead and sat up waiting for the group behind.
Crouched over his bars and without looking behind, Terpstra sat up to relax only inside the final 100 metres of the race, when overwhelmed by emotion and happiness, he crossed the line arms aloft for a win that cements his status as one of the best Classics riders of the current peloton.
Defending champion Philippe Gilbert claimed third place, behind runner-up Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), following a canny attack with one kilometre to go.
“We showed again that amazing team spirit, we showed that we are there for our teammates, ready to give everything so that the win lands in the team. The entire squad knew what they had to do and made a perfect race. The strongest rider won today and I’m happy for Niki, he rode a strong and smart race. Last year, I won and he came third, this time around, we arrived at the finish in reverse order. We are enjoying a fantastic run of success and hopefully we won’t stop here”, said Gilbert.
Terpstra – only the third Dutch rider in history to win both the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix and the first since 1986 to score the victory in Flanders – spoke about the final hour of racing and showed his praise for his teammates.
“When I attacked and set in pursuit of the leaders it wasn’t easy due to the wind, but I kept riding hard. Then, when I saw the three, I knew I could catch them, so I kept pushing. In a race like this, you need to make the right attack, and that’s what I did. It’s a great year for me, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the team. The guys were extraordinary, they displayed once again their immense quality and I will repay them for their work and effort, be it in Paris-Roubaix or another race. Being part of such a great team means a lot and makes me very proud!”
