Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) won the 58th edition of the Brabantse Pijl after launching a late solo attack to beat defending champion Sonny Colbrelli.
A minute’s silence was observed before the start of the race in Leuven in memory of Michael Goolaerts, the 23-year-old Belgian cyclist who died following a heart attack during Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix.
Wellens attacked eight kilometres from the finish and held off what was left of the chasing peloton before raising his right index finger towards the sky, in honour of his fallen compatriot Goolaerts.
It was the fourth victory of the year for Wellens, following two stage wins at the Vuelta a Andalucia and his triumph at the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana in Mallorca.
The 26-year-old will try to add to that list at the upcoming Ardennes classics, starting with Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race and then followed by Fleche Wallonne on April 18 and Liege-Bastogne-Liege four days later.
De Brabantse Pijl / La Flèche Brabançonne 2018 results:
| 1 | Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) | 4:42:48 |
| 2 | Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) | +09” |
| 3 | Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) | ,, |
| 4 | Pieter Serry (Quick-Step Floors) | ,, |
| 5 | Jan Tratnik (CCC Sprandi Polkowice) | ,, |
| 6 | Andrea Pasqualon (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) | ,, |
| 7 | Dylan Teuns (BMC) | ,, |
| 8 | Huub Duijn (Veranda’s Willems Crelan) | +12” |
| 9 | Thomas Sprengers (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) | +14” |
| 10 | Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) | ,, |
