Ryan Mullen's Trek-Segafredo team was narrowly denied a stage win today on the opening day of racing at BinckBank Tour, with the Irishman to the fore in the finale at the end of 132km into Ardooie.
Jasper Philipsen (UAE-Team Emirates) took the victory from Mullen's team mate and former world champion Mads Pedersen, with Pascal Ackermann (Bora-hansgrohe) in 3rd.
A huge crash with just over 4km remaining marred the stage end; a rider at the front of the peloton rubbing his front wheel against the rear wheel of a rider coming off the front after doing a turn.
As the peloton was going so fast at the time, a large number of riders piled into the initial fallers and within seconds a pile-up had occurred that was so large it blocked the road.
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About 50 riders managed to avoid the crash, or being held up by it, and coming towards the finish Irish international Mullen did a huge pull on the front to keep the speed high and set Pedersen up for the sprint.
Mullen will have a chance to target a result for himself on tomorrow's stage 2, which is a pan flat 10.9km TT in Vlissingen that should suit him and the other power TT riders in the field.
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