Kenny Dehaes won the GP Denain race.
A 197.9km 1HC race which started and finished in Denain in the Nord department in France saw all the cobbled sectors except the five-kilometre Abscon sector in the final loop due to the bad weather, reducing the race to 170kms.
A break did form and got 25 seconds ahead after forty kilometres but they were brought back and everyone was together as they went over the finish line for the first time on a cold afternoon.
Three riders in Jonas Koch, Preben Van Hecke & Nikolay Trusov then got clear taking a lead of a minute which went out to 1.05 as they crossed the finish line again.
Sylvain Chavanel, the rider’s go to man for the race and Backaert went after the trip up front and eventually joined them with fifty-two kilometres to go.
Ten kilometres later and the peloton were 45 seconds behind the break which extended to nine riders who led by thirty seconds with twenty-eight kilometres remaining.
This group were still ahead by twenty seconds going into the final twelve kilometres.
On the Abscon pave, Direct Energie’s Adrian Petit went away and stayed away, showing every facial expression possible until he was caught with two kilometres to go by three riders.
There was a sprint. Kenny Dehaes of WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic went early and won in 4.33.30.
Kev Monks for Digital Sports Group
Source: DSG
