Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2022 - Breakaway denied in final seconds as Fabio Jakobsen snatches victory

Updated 27/02/2022 at 17:50 GMT

A brilliant Opening Weekend was signed off by a thrilling peloton v breakaway showdown at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne as Fabio Jakobsen swept to victory in the sprint. A three-man charge from Jhonatan Narvaez, Taco van der Hoorn and Christophe Laporte almost resulted in a shock win, but they suffered heartbreak in the closing seconds. Laporte was the highest finisher of the trio in eighth.

'It's heartbreak, oh my word!' - Jakobsen wins amid thrilling peloton v breakaway showdown

Fabio Jakobsen (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl) triumphed in a last-gasp sprint to deny the breakaway in the final seconds of a thrilling Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.

It looked as though the winner would come from a three-man break as the race entered the final straight, but the bunch soared past them with just metres to spare as Jakobsen saw off Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) in the finale.

Hugo Hofstetter (Arkea Samsic) led home British team-mate Daniel McLay in third and fourth.

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A 12-man break was whittled down to three, leaving Jhonatan Narvaez (Ineos), Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert) and Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) with the ominous task of holding off the peloton.

The gap hovered around the 10-second mark as the kilometres ticked away, the trio working together smartly while Jumbo-Visma slowed the pack behind to aid their man Laporte's charge. Soon 16 kilometres had become 1.6km – the dream was alive.

But a moment’s hesitation in the finale allowed the pack back into the fight, with Laporte’s sprint for the line in vain as a flurry of riders swept past. Laporte finished eighth, with Van der Hoorn sneaking inside the top 10, but it will be scant consolation after a brutal day in the saddle.

It was a remarkable finish to a memorable Opening Weekend, that also saw impressive wins for Wout van Aert and Annemiek van Vleuten at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday.

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