Dwars door Vlaanderen Men Live - Pedersen and Van Aert return to the cobbles

((Image credit: Flanders Classics))

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Race Situation

The peloton have let an 11 man break get up the road after a long battle to get up the road.

Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews’ live coverage of 2024 Dwars door Vlaanderen!

With no world champion Mathieu van der Poel, his Alpecin-Deceuninck team are going to have to look elsewhere for a leader. Who better than Milan-Sanremo winner, Jasper Philipsen. He leads the charge for the Belgian squad.

Mads Pedersen is here on the start line with a very strong Lidl-Trek squad to surround the Gent-Wevelgem winner. Jonathan Milan, Jasper Stuyven and Toms Skujins are the stand-out names for them.

Visma-Lease-a-Bike, on the other hand, have been hit with injuries and illness recently with defending champion, Christophe Laporte, unable to start, They are also missing another former winner in Dylan van Baarle. However, they do have megastar Wout Van Aert with super talent Matteo Jorgenson and Omloop winner, Jan Tratnik, supporting… Could be worse.

The race takes on eight cobbled sections with 12 climbs also on the menu. Of course, some of those cobbles come on the climbs. It should be a brilliant race.

Wout Van Aert being at this race sees a change to his usual Classics build-up to the Tour of Flanders.

Why not have a read on our story about his change of calendar and how it could help him take that second career Monument by clicking the link below…

>>> Wout van Aert tweaks build-up in bid to change Tour of Flanders narrative – Analysis

There is only one former winner at the race this year. That being the two time winner, Yves Lampaert of Soudal-Quickstep.

He has spoken out against the critics of the former Classics superpower to say their days at the top are not over just yet. Click the link below to read more…

>>> Soudal-Quickstep’s Classics identity crisis ‘not disastrous’ says Lampaert

Eritrean talent, Biniam Girmay of Intermarche-Wanty, is also on the start line today as he looks to build on his improving form in what is a changed look to his Classics campaign.

Have a read of how his confidence is improving after a tricky season in 2023 in our latest feature piece by Barry Ryan by clicking the link below…

>>> Back in the game – Biniam Girmay’s fresh approach to the cobbled Classics

The riders have started the neutral zone and will be starting the race in around 10 minutes time.

Last year saw the emergence of a brilliant Classics rider at this very race. This year the Spanish road race champion, Oier Lazkano or Movistar has shown to be up there with the very best. He started the day in a very good mood as he was given a giant bottle of Kwaremont beer at sign-on… Very jealous.

188.6km to go

The flag is waved and we are racing in the 2024 men’s Dwars door Vlaanderen!

No attackers getting away as of yet as the race gets off to a tentative start.

180km to go

Multiple attacks going off the front of the peloton but no break is forming just yet.

Over 10km done and the break has not formed. More attacks come now though.

The peloton aren’t letting an moves go just yet. The big teams won’t be wanting to let a strong group clear. But, the longer the races goes the stronger the riders in the break will be.

170km to go

24 minutes into the race and the riders have covered just under 19km of the race. The average speed currently sits at 46kph.

Interestingly, Jakob Fuglsang of Israel-Premier Tech last raced Dwars door Vlaanderen back in 2006.

The 39 year old is having a full cobbled classics campaign and is set to race the Tour of Flanders for just the second time in his career later this week.

Belgian sprinter Milan Fretin of Cofidis has been announced as today’s first abandon.

One DNS was Arkea-B&B Hotels leader, Arnaud Demare. He has been diagnosed with heavy fatigue and will sit out the rest of the Classics because of it.

160km to go

The pace has dropped dramatically and the break has not gone.

The weather is cool today with an overcast sky. The riders are well wrapped up, though.

((Image credit: Getty Images))

150km to go

The battle for the breakaway is still going on.

One hour of racing and no break. 45km ridden and they are just over 5km from the first climb of the day.

140km to go

Onto the first climb of the day, the Hellestraat

Nine riders have a small gap on the peloton. Will this finally be the forming of the break?

Onto the first cobbles of the day, the Varent. The group still has a very small gap on the peloton.

130km to go

The break has formed! The gap has quickly shot up to over a minute.

Riders said to be in it are:

Dries De Pooter (IWA)

Casper Pedersen (SOQ)

Mathias Norsgaard (MOV)

Dries De Bondt (DAT)

Victor Vercouillie (TFB)

Thomas Gachignard (TEN)

Jonas Abrahamsen (UXM)

Niklas Märkl (DFP)

Pascal Eenkhoorn (LTD)

Amund Grøndahl Jansen (JAY)

Donovan Grondin (ARK)

The first cobbles of the day have come and gone as they head to the next lot on the cobbled climb of the Volkegemberg.

((Image credit: Getty Images))

120km to go

The break have a gap of roughly +1’40” on the peloton.

((Image credit: Getty Images))

Crash!

Elmar Reinders (JAY)

Nils Eekhoff (DFP)

Don’t forget, it isn’t just the men riding Dwars door Vlaanderen today. The women’s race is underway as well and, of course, we have live updates on the race. You can find it by clicking the link below…

>>> Dwars door Vlaanderen Women Live – Classic stars prepare for Flanders

100km to go

The breakaway are well on their way to the next climb that is the Hotond. The gap has drifted out to +2’33” now.

Leading the bunch are Bora-Hansgrohe, Lidl-Trek and Visma-Lease-a-Bike for their leaders.

A new abandon:

Jan Tratnik (TVL)

I was surprised to see that he started after his crash at E3. Hopefully he is okay.

The Knokteberg is up next. We’re on the loops around the hills and cobbles now. The peloton going flat out as they battle for positioning with Lidl-Trek eventually coming out on top with Theuns leading the way. 94km to go, +2’05” up to the break.

90km to go

The gap over the Knokteberg is at +2’27” as the pace was knocked off by the peloton once they made it onto the climb.

Small touch of wheels at the back of the peloton sees a few have to unclip. Over the top there’s a few mechanicals as Groupama-FDJ hit the front and try to split the race for their leader, Laurence Pithie.

Groupama-FDJ hit the front but then we get shown a clip that Pithie has had a mechanical.

Very frustrating for the French team. But the have’t sat up. So, either they haven’t been told yet or they’re working for Stefan Kung.

Finally, Groupama-FDJ sit up as the message that Pithie is out of the back comes through.

The break hit the next climb, the Kortekeer.

Niklas Märkl (DFP) in the break has a rear wheel puncture. He should be able to get back in, though. They’re currently on the cobbled sector of the Marieborestraat.

Lidl-Trek are absolutely hammering it on the flat between the climbs and on the flatter cobbled sections and then blocking the road on the climbs.

Very solid tactics as the American registered squad continue to control the racing for Pedersen, Stuyven and Milan.

80km to go

Gap at +2’21” between the break and the peloton.

Laurence Piithie (GFC) has ridden himself solo to the back of the peloton. Very impressive riding, but how man matches has he burnt?

Ineos Grenadiers take to the front of the peloton now, interestingly. They’re looking after Ben Turner.

Pithie (GFC) trying to skip across the splits that are happening in the peloton like they’re stepping stones.

Berg Ten Houte up next.

Niklas Märkl (DFP) have been caught from the break b the peloton. +1’56” up to the remaining break with 75km to go.

Visma-Lease-a-Bike take over the front of the peloton to take them onto the Berg Ten Houte. Lidl-Trek getting boxed out by the Dutch team along with Groupama-FDJ and Ineos Grenadiers.

Attack!

Magnus Sheffield (IGD)

The American goes and Stefan Kung (GFC) is quick to reaction with Matteo Jorgenson (TVL) but Mads Pedersen (LTK) drags it back.

70km to go

There’s a bit split in the peloton as the bunch snaps in half.

Attacks coming from the bunch:

Victor Campenaerts (LTD)

Josh Tarling (IGD)

Two exceptional time trialists. Unsurprisingly brought back.

The only former winner in this race today, Yves Lampaert (SOQ), has been dropped.

Attack!

Josh Tarling (IGD)

Alex Kirsch (LTK)

Stefan Kung (GFC)

It is actually British champion, Fred Wright (TBV), who closed it down.