"It took 4 or 5 attacks to get in the breakaway. It's not easy after 38km."

Those were the words of Astana's Laurens De Vreese after the final Belgian cobblestone classic one-day race Scheldeprijs in Antwerp. De Vreese escaped with six other riders and rode to a maximum advantage of 3:30.

In the final 6km De Vreese attacked his fellow escapees to ride away from the approaching peloton and reduce pressure on teammate Andrea Guardini for the expected sprint. Guardini crashed inside the final kilometer with dozens of riders and could not ride to the finish where Norwegian rider Alexander Kristoff won.

Guardini did not suffer any physical damage in the crash, and will recover at home in Italy before his next race at the Tour of Turkey.