Kristoff didn't go early, but with 500m to go Carlton Kirby TURNS IT TO 11 AND STARTS SCREAMING AND IT'S THE LONGEST 20 SECONDS OF OUR LIVES TO DESCRIBE A FOREGONE CONCLUSION!!!
Quickstep really messed up in 2015. First Omloop and then Gent-Wevelgem. While Omloop was a tactical tragedy and some of the stupidest bike racing I have ever seen by pro level riders, Gent-Wevelgem also highlights very well this lack of mutual understanding between Terpstra and Vandenbergh, who both failed to take responsibility when Paolini attacked. Apparently, the humiliation in Omloop was not enough of a lesson.
This is probably one of the best cycling races ever. If you don't have time to watch all 3,5 hours, use my guide to catch all the (many) good parts: 8:50 Michel en José see Luca Paolini's dirty outfit and make a joke about dirty Dixi toilets 10:00 Sebastien Chavanel gets ~slightly~ angry when trying to remove his vest 12:44 Sylvain Chavanel's vest removal, epic stuff. (Yes both brothers do not seem to be very good vest removers) 14:25-24:00 Battle with the wind, part 1 15:30 First fall 16:30 Boasson Hagen already dropped; half of the peloton already in trouble (we're 126km from the finish). 19:00 Riders just can't get a hold of the wheel of the rider in front. 22:14 Nice overview of all the groups. 28:43 Some nice slippery cobbles in Kassel. 30:15 Apparantly Boasson Hagen gets blown over by the wind in Kassel (live on radio call from Renaat, no video) 31:15 Some dangerous descending. 32:10 This was back when Oliver Naesen was still called "Olivier Naessens" 36:00 Call from Renaat: Apparantly a car got on to the track and almost crashed into some riders. 36:25 Video of the incident 38:15 Sporza darling Bram Tankink leading the race. 39:46 Haussler (on a flat) suddenly stops on the cobbles and almost causes a crash. 40:40 Shaky but successful descent from Tankink. 42:20 Sudden gust of wind, trees give you an idea of the strength of the wind. 54:00 Two front groups that were separated in "Battle of the wind, part 1" back together. Maarten Tjallingii attack. Still 100km to go. 57:25 Terpstra, Haussler, Bouhanni, Farrar also get back to the front group 1:08:22 Helicopter images for the first time 1:13:20 Fall Paolini 1:17:38 Baneberg: Stijn Vandenbergh masterclass, Tjallingii still 1'09" in front 1:19:04 Sneaky attack from Edward Theuns while everyone is drinking 1:21:55 Tjallingii battles with the wind 1:27:20 José ends Matti Breschel's Gent-Wevelgem 1:27:45 Kemmelberg, Stijn Vandenbergh masterclass #2 Peloton is slowly catching Tjallingii 1:32:00 Mathew Hayman (pre Roubaix win) crash 1:32:40 Lots of tractors 1:33:40 Roelandts attack 1:40:15 RIP Tjallingii's attack. 73km to go. 1:40:30 Small battle with the wind 1:42:10 Stybar technical at a bad time 1:42:50 Vandenbergh inexplicably pulling from the front, with his earphone loose 1:44:20 Waaier time; Stijn Vandenbergh still doesn't get it and attacks, apparantly he feels good today. Geraint Thomas, Oss, Vanmarcke, Debusschere join his attack 1:48:00-1:51:00 Battle with the wind, part 2 1:51:45 best bike toss, ever. 1:52:15 attack Paolini 1:57:45 Paolini joins G2 like a boss 2:01:25 Spectacular crash Geraint Thomas 2:05:20 Attack Terpstra. Roelandts still ahead 2'18" from peloton and 1'35" from G2 2:11:10 Terpstra joins G2, battling the wind 2:24:00 Baneberg 2nd time. Wanna guess who leads G2 to the top? 2:33:00 Kemmelberg 2nd time: Roelandts 2'09" in front of G2. G2 have a nice battle. 2:43:35 Chavanel apparantly got rid of his vest and finally has time to close the gap (which is 6'24" by this point). Spoiler alert: he doesn't win the race. 2:55:55 Magnificent Ieper entrance, G2 closing the gap. 2:58:40-3:01:00 Vandenbergh attacks. Have i mentioned he feels good today? 3:01:15 Terpstra flat 3:02:20 G2 catches Roelandts. 17.5km to go. 3:03:45-3:13:21 Terpstra attack, best 10 mins of the race. 3:13:40 Vandenbergh technical and roundabout masterclass 3:15:10-3:17:00 Paolini attack 3:17:00-3:22:13 Last 5km + finish
Sagan keeping his bottle in the final was very stupid. the teams invest so much money into aerodynamics testing and then their riders are not even doing what is for free.
