An Post’s Eeckhout takes the victory just ahead of a delighted Bagdonas
An Post-Sean Kelly has enjoyed its first win of the season with Niko Eeckhout and Gediminas Bagdonas riding away from the rest of the field in a rain soaked and bitterly cold Belgian pro kermesse today, Wednesday.
The duo, and four other members of the Irish-Belgian squad including Connor McConvey and Ronan McLaughlin, were among a breakaway of over 20 riders that got clear at the midway point in the 17-lap 170km Pro Wanzele (1.2) in Belgium.
Some attacking riding in the wet and cold conditions split the group with around 40kms remaining, with Eeckhout and Bagdonas going clear with Topsport Vlaanderen riders Pieter Jacobs and Lauren De Vreese.
However, the An Post-Sean Kelly pair managed to get away from their fellow escapees and worked together to reach the finish alone, where Eeckhout took the honours for the team’s first win of the season.
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Manager Kurt Bogaerts said he was thrilled that the team had opened its 2012 account in such style after an unlucky couple of weeks.
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“We didn’t have much luck last week with crashes and punctures and Niko was unfortunate not to win the final stage of the Driedaagse van-Vlaandren when he hit a bump in the sprint, so it’s great to get the first win of the season. The team rode well today in cold conditions so I’m delighted for them all.”
Eeckhout and Bagdonas came home alone with a gap of almost three minutes on the third placed rider.
McConvey and McLaughlin eventually finished 23rd and 27th respectively.
Irish rider Peter Hawkins (IG Sigma Sport) also lined out for the race after claiming double victories on the home scene last weekend. With only 38 finishers of the 181 starting line up,
Hawkins was one of the many riders who abandoned in the cold conditions once he had fallen out of contention.
Result for An Post-Sean Kelly at Wanzele Koerse
1 Niko Eeckhout
2 Gediminas Bagdonas
9 Joren Segers @5:00
23 Connor McConvey @5:00
27 Ronan McLaughlin @5:00
DNF Pieter Ghyllebert
DNF Niels Wytinck
DNF Stijn Ennekens
DNF Jonathan Bellis
DNF Mark Christian
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