Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Merida) outsprinted defending champion Petr Vakoc (Quick-Step Floors) and Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) to win De Brabantse Pijl.
The Belgian race traditionally marks the switch from the cobbled Classics to the Ardennes Classics and the tough, twisting final circuits usually inspire some aggressive racing.
Five riders animated the day with an early breakaway that got a lead of up to seven minutes on the field. However, by the first of the final 23.5km circuits, the gap was only one minute.
Colbrelli, 26, earned his second win of the season after a number of solid finishes in the spring classics, such as seventh in E3 Harelbeke and 10th at Tour of Flanders. He also won stage 2 at Paris-Nice in March.
“I wanted to win so much after such an aggressive race. I was nervous during the race because I did not want the peloton to caught us and in the sprint I was worried that I’d lost it because Vakoc squeezed me into the barriers, but finally I found the space and managed to win. I’m building confidence from this kind of races. Last year I was close to win and this time I succeeded. Year by year I’m growing. My aim was to do well today and then on Sunday on Amstel Gold Race. Let’s see, how it will go,” said Colbrelli after the race.
?|@sonnycolbrelli @Bahrain_Merida wins De Brabantse Pijl 2017 #BrabantsePijl?? pic.twitter.com/W0EuMDsooR
— CyclingHub (@CyclingHubTV) 12 aprilie 2017
De Brabantse Pijl / Brabant Arrow 2017 results:
| 1 | Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Merida) | 4:44:16 |
| 2 | Petr Vakoc (Quick-Step Floors) | ,, |
| 3 | Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) | ,, |
| 4 | Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) | ,, |
| 5 | Bert-Jan Lindeman (LottoNL-Jumbo) | ,, |
| 6 | Christopher Juul-Jensen (Orica-Scott) | ,, |
| 7 | Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Floors) | ,, |
| 8 | Silvan Dillier (BMC) | ,, |
| 9 | Victor Campenaerts (LottoNL-Jumbo) | ,, |
| 10 | Laurens De Plus (Quick-Step Floors) | ,, |
