Cycling news - Dimitri Claeys claims Famenne Ardenne Classic victory with thrilling late burst

ByJames Gray

Updated 06/10/2019 at 22:27 GMT

Dimitri Claeys produced a tireless late sprint to shake off the break away and claim his second major race win in as many years at the Famenne Ardenne Classic.

The Cofidis rider had been part of the breakaway for much of the 180-kilometre route but it appeared a sprint finish would be required to separate the five riders.

However, Claeys broke the back of it on the three-lap finish around the town of Marche-en-Famenne and ended up pulling out a five-second gap on fellow Belgian Baptiste Planckaert with Timo Roosen finishing third.

Dimitri Claeys powers to Famenne Ardenne Classic win

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"I attacked several times in the last few kilometres because I knew that my only chance of winning was to arrive alone," Claeys, 32, said afterwards.

The 2018 Four Days of Dunkirk winner followed in the footsteps of Moreno Hofland and Guillaume Boivin by winning the one-day race, now in its third edition, although he is the first Belgian rider to win it on home tarmac.

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