The sixth stage of the BinckBank Tour between Riemst and Houffalize was the longest of this year’s edition and probably one of the most important for the general classification. The hilly 203.7 kilometre course took the riders through the Ardennes before arriving on the local circuit in Houffalize.
Windy and rainy conditions as well as the high tempo of the peloton made it very difficult to go clear in the first part of the race. A group of six riders finally managed to form the breakaway after fifty-three kilometres of racing.
Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin), Tao Geoghegan Hart (Team Sky), Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale-Drapac), Rory Sutherland (Movistar), Alexis Gougeard (AG2R La Mondiale) and Pieter Weening (Roompot Nederlandse Loterij) rode well together and they gained a maximum advantage of five minutes and ten seconds.
Tim Wellens and Tiesj Benoot accelerated on the Côte de Saint Roch with thirty kilometres to go, catching the breakaway and creating an elite group at the front. Sagan attacked a few kilometres later with Tim Wellens but the World Champion suffered a mechanical issue and had to stop his effort.
Tim Wellens went solo, but he was later joined by Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb). The duo quickly opened a twenty-five second lead on Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing), Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Oliver Naesen(Ag2R), and Tiesj Benoot but the chasing group was never able to close the gap.
Wellens and Dumoulin went head-to-head in the last uphill sprint and the Belgian took a well-deserved win in Houffalize. Tiesj Benoot crossed the line a few seconds later in a fine fifth place. Tim Wellens also took the second place overall, four seconds behind new race leader Tom Dumoulin.
Tim Wellens: “I felt really good yesterday and this was the case today as well. Today was rainy and windy and I love racing in these conditions. As a team we had the plan to open the debates from the last thirty-kilometer lap. The team rode very strongly to position our leaders as good as possible and to thin the peloton a little.
“I went with Peter Sagan with twenty-five kilometres to go and I heard that he had just punctured. When I saw Tom Dumoulin coming, I decided to work with him because I knew it would be easier to hold the chasing group back. At one point they came very close, but Tom and I worked really well together to stay away and we are now first and second overall. The GC battle will therefore be settled tomorrow in the Flemish Ardennes. »
“My father did a recon of the course last week, so I was very well informed of what the final looked like. I intended to come out of the last corner in first place and then sprint as fast as possible to the line. I knew Tom did not feel too good in the last kilometres so I hoped that I could beat him in the sprint.
“I am very happy with this victory, especially after a difficult period and after the disappointment of the Tour. In my residence in Monaco it was also very warm and I had to train at six o’clock sometimes, but if it leads to a good result in this BinckBank Tour, then it was worth it.
“I have to thank my teammates today, and especially Tiesj Benoot, who rode brilliantly after two crashes this week. I’m now four seconds behind Tom Dumoulin, that’s a lot and not so much at the same time. It is not easy to get a rider like him out of the wheel and there are also the golden kilometre and the bonus seconds on the line that can influence the outcome of the race. Tom and I are no cobbles specialists.
“If the final opens up early, other riders may also be a threat for the final classification, but I’m sure our team will ride as hard as today to get at least the second place in this BinckBank Tour, but the victory would really be a great reward for this good week.”
