Van Keirsbuluck Wins Three Days Of De Panne

04 April 2014 12:24

Guillaume Van Keirsbuluck has won the VDK-Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (Three Days Of De Panne), snatching victory right at the end of a time trial won by Cannondale's Maciej Bodnar.

Stage 3B was a 14.3km individual time trial taking in the sea front at De Panne and saw Seb Rosseler set the very early fastest time of 18:45.

After British rider Scott Thwaites had finished in 19,44, Michel Hepburn, the Australian Time Trial Champion came home in 18.19, some 26 seconds ahead of Rosseler.

That lasted until Orica Green Edge's Sven Tuft finished in 18.18 and Johan Le Bon finished in 18.05.

The FDJ rider had not long finished when Slovenian Kristjian Koren flew home in 18.03 after being quickest at the intermediate checkpoint.

But that was still not the quickest as David Boucher of FDJ came home in 17.57 and then Jan Barta finished in 17.54.

Cannondale's Maciej Bodnar, the Polish Time Trial Champion, came home in 17.51.

Nicky Terpstra had problems at the start with a pedal cleat and this meant that the race was wide open.

At 16.29 local time, Gert Steegmans went down the ramp as the last man on the road.

Luke Durbridge of Orica Green Edge was fastest at the checkpoint after 5.3kms and finished in 17.58. He was followed by Guillame Van Keirsbulck, who went into the stage nine seconds down on GC and he came in on 18.02 to take overall control of the race.

There was two men on the road who could deny him and they were Nicky Terpstra who finished in 18.21, leaving Steegmans needing to beat 18.11 to win the race. The German finished in 18.19 and Bodnar took the stage win and Van Keirsbuluck the race overall with a seven second victory over Luke Durbridge.

Stage Result

1 Maciej Bodnar 17.51

2 Jan Barta +3

3 David Boucher +6

4 Luke Durbridge +7

5 Guilluame Van Keirsbulck +11

6 Marcel Kittel +13

7 Kristjian Koren +14

8 Johan Le Bon +16

General Classification

1 Guilluame Van Keirsbulck

2 Luke Durbridge +7

3 Gert Steegmans +8

4 Nicky Terpstra +15

5 Marcel Kittel +21

Source: DSG