Quick-Step took revenge for yesterdays Omloop Het Volk. Steven de Jongh finished a strong team performance. The Dutch
rider outsprinted his fellow escapee Sebastian Langeveld.
Current Road Race World Champion Paolo Bettini was brought to hospital after he crashed and felt dizzy. The rest of the
Quickstep team controlled the race like they did at yesterdays Omloop but today they capitalised their hard work.
On the Kruisberg and the Oude Kwaremont the team demolished the peloton and catched the early breakaway
group.
Only fourteen riders were able to follow the complete Quickstep train. The only Quickstep rider that wasn't
in the front group was Paolo Bettini as he had to abandoen the race after his crash.
In the two local laps before the finish it was rainignattacks but Quickstep always had one rider in
the wheel of the attackers.
The most promising attack came from Silence - Lotto rider Leif Hoste with six kilometres
to go. But Quickstep neutralised Hoste's attack. The next attack came from Rabobank's Sebastian Langeveld. Quickstep sended
Steven De Jongh in Langeveld's wheel and the 34 year old outsprinted Langeveld on the line. It was De Jogh's second Kuurne
- Brussels - Kuurne victory after the Dutch rider had won the race back in 2004.
CSC's Matthew Goss won the sprint of the chasing group. Last years winner Tom Boonen (Quickstep) came
in fourth.
Steven De Jongh told sporza.be: "At the Omloop things didn't work out the way we wanted to. Today we
took revenge. I worked the whole day so it wasn't really planned that I was at the front with Langeveld. Although he asked
me I wasn't able to take over. I also wasn't allowed to."
De Jongh added: "Its not my style to race like that, but Langeveld was riding really fast. I couldn't
risk anything. I dedicate this victory to my little son, he just broke his leg."
Sebastian Langeveld said: "I knew he [De Jongh, editor] was much faster, but I had to choose. Or getting
caught up with and not have a top ranking, or come in second. Still a very nice result."
Langeveld considered for a while to keep his legs still. "When Leif Hoste closed in on us I briefly
had the idea to put the pressure on Steven, but those guys had Tom Boonen in the group behind us so I actually did not have
much of a choice." Langeveld knew that De Jongh was staying in his wheel because his fellow escapee received a team
order. "And I in no way blame him for that. It is part of cycling, you know that. The second place was the best I could do
today," admitted Sébastian.
CSC was satisfied with the performance of the team. Aussie Matthew Goss won the sprint of the first
chasing group and even left Tom Boonen behind him.
"Again we had two riders in the decisive break. Our guys did really well in this race and they were
up front about their form so we managed to focus our energy and strength in the right way. Matthew made a fantastic effort
and a third place here is just what he needs right now," said CSC sports director Lars Michaelsen after the race.
Goss
and Kroon were up front for Team CSC in the decisive phase and that turned out to be a good combo.
"We decided that
Goss should concentrate on the sprint, when we got to the end of the race. Karsten's chance was to ride along if the group
should split, so he was very active for the last 10 kilometers," continued Michaelsen.
De Jongh and Langeveld got a gap to the rest of the front group, when there was about three and a half
kilometers left.
"They attacked at the perfect time. There were other attempts before that, which were actually more
aggressive, but no one would allow them at the time so those two had perfect timing that way," concluded Michaelsen.
Slipstream Chipottle was satisfied with the Belgian weekend. “Steven Cozza was up there in the
right split at the start. But when the group split again, he got caught in second group. Martijn Maaskant came from behind
and joined Cozza but they never got back to the front group again,” said Slipstream sports director Johnny Weltz.
Weltz concluded by saying: “In all, we had a very nice debut on the classic. The riders are very
optimistic as they were not just out there hanging on for dear life, but played key roles in forming the races.”
