The Groupama-FDJ United cycling team tried everything this Wednesday at Dwars door Vlaanderen to secure the big result they were aiming for. First active in the early moves, the French team then gained an advantage thanks to Romain Grégoire, who broke away from the peloton more than fifty kilometres from the finish. The Frenchman, later joined by Wout Van Aert, was however caught fifteen kilometres from the line. In a thrilling final, Filippo Ganna eventually took victory, just ahead of a reduced peloton in which Axel Huens (16th) and Thibaud Gruel (20th) secured top-20 finishes.
The last stop before the Ronde on Sunday, Dwars door Vlaanderen was not only a final full-scale rehearsal but also another opportunity to achieve a strong result on Flemish roads. In any case, Groupama-FDJ United started in Roeselare with an attacking mindset for the 185-kilometre race featuring eighteen climbs and nineteen cobbled sectors. “We noticed that the group was strong in recent races,” explained Frédéric Guesdon. “So we wanted to take advantage of that today. The goal was to be proactive and not ride conservatively. It was the penultimate race in Flanders, and we didn’t want any regrets: we had to be involved in the moves and try to get the best possible result.” So when the race reached its first key point, after 75 kilometres and the first ascent of the Berg ten Houte, Thibaud Gruel was right there. “There was a lot of racing early on, but without a real breakaway,” Frédéric explained. “The approach to Berg ten Houte was technical, Lidl-Trek forced the pace, and about fifteen riders got clear, including Thibaud. However, some big teams were missing at the front, so the peloton worked to bring it back.”
“Romain got a bit caught out” – Frédéric Guesdon
After twenty-five kilometres of chasing, the peloton regrouped, and everything had to be done again before the second ascent of Berg ten Houte. Wout Van Aert launched a first attack, Axel Huens held on, then Romain Grégoire and Valentin Madouas followed or initiated further moves. “Clément, Cyril, and Jacobs were responsible for positioning, then it was up to the others to try things, on or between the climbs,” Frédéric said. With the repeated accelerations, the peloton was reduced to around sixty riders, but it was still relatively compact heading into the final ascent of Trieu, 55 kilometres from the finish. Romain Grégoire, Valentin Madouas, Thibaud Gruel, and Axel Huens were still well placed at the top, and on the approach to Hotond, Romain launched a well-timed attack. “After that, only one major climb remained, the Eikenberg,” Frédéric added. “So it was the ideal moment to anticipate the moves of the main favorites.” The Groupama-FDJ United rider was joined by Niklas Larsen and Thomas Gachignard, and the trio took advantage of a lull in the peloton to build a maximum lead of forty seconds. “Once Romain was away, the others had to cover moves and disrupt the chase,” Frédéric said.
At the foot of the Eikenberg, 40 kilometres from the finish, the leaders still had a twenty-second advantage. At the top, only Romain Grégoire and Larsen remained ahead before Wout Van Aert bridged across. With the Belgian, the new trio extended their gap again, even pushing the peloton back to forty-five seconds with 25 kilometers to go. However, a few kilometers later, the rider from Besançon was dropped from the leading group on the Nokereberg.“ He paid for a slight lack of course knowledge, as he found himself positioned too early at the front,” Frédéric explained. “On that climb, it’s best to come from behind with speed, and unfortunately he got caught out there. That said, I didn’t really understand why Van Aert decided to push the pace at that moment. He probably would have been better off staying with the two others and going further. It was obviously a shame for us.” From then on, Romain Grégoire was caught first by a chasing group and then by the peloton 15 kilometers from the finish. “From that point, the others had to keep being active, because the attacks continued, and Valentin was up there,” Frédéric added.
“We’re left wanting more” – Frédéric Guesdon
On the non-cobbled climb of Nokere, nine kilometers from the finish, the former French champion tried to force a move but couldn’t get away. At the front, Wout Van Aert went solo but had the peloton chasing in the final five kilometers. “We wanted to keep Thibaud and Axel for the sprint,” Frédéric added. “They were a bit too far back in the final corner, then it went very fast to the finish, and they couldn’t move up.” Filippo Ganna took victory as a finisher, catching Wout Van Aert in the final straight, while Axel Huens finished 16th and Thibaud Gruel 20th a few bike lengths behind. “Once again, the result doesn’t reflect our day,” Frédéric insisted. “We’re left wanting more from these Classics. The team is strong, we’re active, but the results aren’t coming. Hopefully it will come on Sunday. The Tour of Flanders is certainly a level above, but that might actually suit us. If we race well, we have what it takes to get a result.”