Kenny Dehaes (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) returned to his former sprinting level when he claimed his first win for his new team on the final stage of the 4 Days of Dunkirk. Having hit out from afar, he narrowly held off the fast-finishing Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) to open his 2016 account while Maximilano Richeze (Etixx-QuickStep) crossed the line in third. Coquard could console himself with the overall win as he ended the race with a 30-second advantage over Marco Frapporti (Androni), with Xandro Meurisse (Crelan) one second further adrift in third.

 

We have gathered a few reactions.

 

Bryan Coquard targets stage win at the Tour de France after maiden stage race win in Dunkirk

"It's a great French race that I wanted to add to my palmares,” Bryan Coquard told L’Equipe. “This is not a breakthrough because I'm in my fourth professional year and I always won races, but I am changing. I have grown and I hope it will not stop here. I now go to the Tour of California to prepare for the Tour. The second stage, with an uphill finish in Cherbourg, pleases me. But if I can raise my arms on a stage at the Tour, I would take any of them.

 

"Like yesterday, I must be satisfied with the best place of honor. But I can not complain about my Four Days of Dunkirk. I won the first three stages and am the final winner.

 

"This is actually my first stage race win. Last year I had to settle for second place in the final standings. The team here was excellent throughout the last five days. Today it went a little easier for us because the riders from Cofidis were riding in front of the peloton. They also caught the early break and then we could prepare ourselves for a fourth bunch sprint. Kenny Dehaes was slightly quicker than me but I am very happy that I can conclude this stage race as the final winner.”

 

Kenny Dehaes dedicates first win for Wanty-Groupe Gobert to Antoine Demoitie

The team Wanty-Groupe Gobert won this Sunday its second win of the season on the fifth and final stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk (2.HC). Kenny Dehaes was the fastest in the sprint before Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) and Maximiliano Richeze (Etixx-Quick Step).

 

”I’m happy with this victory. I felt good since the start of the Four Days of Dunkirk. Everything worked well today,” Kenny Dehaes said.

 

On this final stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk, a breakaway of five riders took two minutes lead under control of the peloton. With 9 kilometres to go, it was all back together. The team Wanty-Groupe Gobert prepared the sprint for Kenny Dehaes.

 

“In the last kilometre I had to do it on my own. My teammates put me in the first positions. They did an amazing job and I could directly benefit from they work,” Kenny Dehaes continued.

The Belgian suddenly came flying from the left side of the road. Future overall winner Bryan Coquard came fast from far back but je just ran out of metres.

 

“I felt him behind me but I managed to keep a sufficient gap. »

 

Kenny Dehaes is riding his first season for Wanty-Groupe Gobert and takes the 11th UCI professional win of his career.  

 

“This success is very important for me and for the team. Since the victory of Enrico Gasparotto at the Amstel Gold Race, the team gained confidence. We are riding well at the moment. I hope to go on like this,” he concluded.

 

This victory comes several weeks after Antoine Demoitié’s tragic incident. The peloton rode Sunday not far away from the place where Antoine Demoitié crashed.

 

“It is a symbolic victory. It was an emotional day in the car », sports director Jean-Marc Rossignon said.

 

"In January I became a father to a son,” Dehaes added. “Therefore I dedicate my victory to him but also to my deceased teammate Antoine Demoitié. We had to get through a difficult period. Life goes on now. I know he is still in our minds. We are happy to win again. I was dropped off perfectly by my teammates and could finish it off.”

 

Jérôme Baugnies is the Wanty-Groupe Gobert’s first rider in the general classification with a 16th place.

 

”Our team captain Frederik Backaert suffered yesterday from sunstroke. After difficult weeks, Jérôme Baugnies is coming back. We got great results in the different stages. It was finally a positive race for our team,” Jean-Marc Rossignon concluded.

 

Dion Smith achieves best ever result for ONE Pro Cycling in 2.HC race

A fast pace was set from the beginning as the peloton aimed to keep it together to the first Sprint Classification of the day, which offered vital bonus seconds for the overall GC battle. Dion Smith who was sitting 4th on the General Classification took the opportunity to gain some bonus time but was unfortunately pipped to the post by Fedrigo who was sitting in below him in 5th which meant Smith was bumped down to 5th position overall.

 

ONE Pro Cycling positioned themselves in the peloton with the aim of keeping Dion Smith out of danger, providing him with the opportunity to respond to any moves and keep his Top 5 spot on GC.

 

Dion Smith surfed off the lead out trains happening in front of him to make sure he didn’t lose any time on the finishing line. With the sprint unfolding in frantic style it was Kenny Dehaes of Wanty Groupe Gobert who took the victory, with Dion Smith crossing the line in within the first 25 riders, confirming an impressive 5th place overall, ONE Pro Cycling’s best overall general classification result in a 2.HC since our inception.

 

”Solid week here in Dunkirk, happy to pull off top 5 GC, thanks to the lads and @ONEProCycling staff for their support, it’s been unreal,” he tweeted after the stage.

 

Rasmus Quaade shows huge progress with top 10 in Dunkitk

Rasmus Quaade was protected well by his Team Stölting Service Group teammates and defended his ninth place overall.

 

Team Stölting Service Group protected Rasmus Quaade during the entire stage and positioned him at the very front of the peloton for the final kilometres. The speed was simply too high for a late attack by the Dane, though, and he finished 15th in the sprint.

 

“The team rode well today, supporting Rasmus all the way to the final lap,” said Sports Director Jochen Hahn. “This ninth place is Rasmus’ first top-10 overall in a HC stage race, a promising result for the future.”

 

Rasmus Quaade said: “The whole team worked for me today. I was in a good position for a late attack, but the lead out trains were too strong to get away from them. Instead I was on Bouhanni’s wheel with 800 m to go, but since I’m no sprinter I became nervous and backed off a bit. But I’m really happy to have had the team’s support – they took great care of me.”

 

Etixx-QuickStep wins teams classification in Dunkirk

Once the breakaway came to an end with around 15 kilometers to go, the sprinters came to the front for the much expected bunch gallop, and Maximiliano Richeze nabbed his best result of the week by finishing third, behind Kenny Dehaes (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie), who won the overall rankings. Besides Richeze, Etixx – Quick-Step was in the spotlight on Sunday for winning the team standings. It was for the second time this season that they took the spoils in this classification following March's Tirreno-Adriatico, as this result capped off a solid week for the squad at the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque.

 

Roompot proud of near-perfect week in Dunkirk

Five stages and five times on the attack: Roompot - Orange Peloton was in the spotlight during the race. Only the real reward in form of a stage win was missing for the selection of Michel Cornelisse. 

 

"We had really deserved it after such a strong week," said the sports director.

 

In the opening stage Kai Reus was the first rider from the team to join a break. Thanks to this, the rest of team could support Raymond Kreder perfectly. The sprinter was scond for his fourth podium of the season.

 

After Sjoerd van Ginneken’s long break in the stage to Aniche (Raymond Kreder was 7th) and Kai Reus had to leave the race after suffering a shoulder injury in a crash, Brian Van Goethem was the protagonist on Friday. He was caught just one kilometre from the finish line. 

 

Despite a significant crash in the first stage, Berden de Vries was in the break on Saturday. In this queen stage with the difficult climb around Cassel, Raymond Kreder and Sjoerd van Ginneken defended their GC positions until the penultimate climb. The pair finally finished 22nd and 23rd respectively. 

 

"It was a shame that the race half a lap too long. Otherwise Raymond and Sjoerd would have stayed in the top of the standings and we could have taken even more pride from this almost perfect week," said Cornelisse.

 

In the final stage on Sunday, Van Ginneken made ​​one final attempt to get back among the best in the GC. The native of Heerle managed to be in the break and pick up bonus seconds. That allowed him to finish 22nd overall as the best rider from the team. Kreder was with 5th in the sprint for his 14th top 10 of the season. 

 

Offredo back in form with top 10 in Dunkirk

FDJ had Yoann Offredo in eighth place. This result is not trivial for Offredo who has had a complicated spring.After his top 10 on Satirday, he was on the attack to take bonus seconds in an intermediate sprint and he succeeded.

 

"It was very fast early in the stage, the break could not be formed," explains sports director Franck Pineau. "And he managed to get clear before the sprint. In the end, it did not allow him to win a place overall but his confidence is very important."

 

In the sprint, another rider from the FDJ team has proven to be in very great physical condition. Sébastien Chavanel did a tremendous job to destroy things for Cofidis and even take the lead in the final straight but he did not know that Daniel Hoelgaard for which he worked, had been unable to follow.

 

"Daniel is young but he is really too nervous. He must learn to calm down, to remain calm. On Sunday, he suffered a puncture just before the sprint and it was the fourth puncture of the week, it is not a coincidence," Pineau said.

 

Franck Pineau will lead a part of this team from Friday in the Tour de Picardie.