Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) wins 2018 Gent Wevelgem.

World Road race uci champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) sprints to his third Gent Wevelgem title with an impressive fashion off well calculated comprehensive sprint win ahead if of Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) and Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ).

The World Champion rode a composed race and waited patiently for the final sprint as Quick-Step Floors set about controlling the race after the final ascent of the Kemmelberg. With strength in numbers Viviani came into the sprint as the favourite but the Italian was left boxed in after choosing to follow Matteo Trentin’s (Mitchelton-Scott) wheel. Sagan, meanwhile use his experience to drift onto Jasper Stuyven’s (Trek-Segaredo) left shoulder.

How it Happened

The 174 starters rolled out of Deinze with the sun on their backs and relatively warm conditions for this time of the year. It took a while before a breakaway received space from the peloton but after half an hour of racing Brian van Goethem (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij) and José Gonçalves (Katusha-Alpecin) took off. They were joined by Frederik Frison (Lotto-Soudal), and later also Filippo Ganna (UAE Team Emirates), Jimmy Duquennoy (WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic) and Jan-Willem van Schip (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij).

At first, the peloton didn't relent, with the first hour of racing completed at 48 km/h. From there the lead for the six breakaway riders increased and topped nine minutes after 70 kilometres.

Top Ten General results

1, Peter Sagan (Slovakia) Bora-Hansgrohe,
2, Elia Viviani (Italy) Quick-Step Floors,
3, Arnaud Demare (France) FDJ,
4, Christophe Laporte (France) Cofidis, Solutions Credits,
5, Jens Debusschere (Belgium) Lotto Soudal,
6, Oliver Naesen (Belgium) AG2R La Mondiale,
7, Matteo Trentin (Italy) Mitchelton-Scott,
8, Zdenek Stybar (Czech) Quick-Step Floors,
9, Jasper Stuyven (Belgium) Trek-Segafredo,
10, Wout Van Aert (Belgium) Veranda's Willems Crelan

Niki Terpstra (Quick Step Floors) solo's to E3 Harelbelke victory 2018

Niki Terpstra (Quick-Step Floors) solo's to Record Bank E3 Harelbeke one day classic race, Belgium.


Terpstra soloed to victory after initially getting away on the Taaienberg with Lampaert with more than 70 kilometres remaining.

While Onto the N60 highway, the duo ahead now have less of an advantage. 38 seconds to Van Avermaet, 55 seconds to Sagan's group, but the peloton behind is reforming on the wide, smooth highway.

This is a big psychological win for Quick-Step Floors as the holy week of the cobbled Classics begins.


They again showed their strength in depth and now everyone else will be under pressure to win Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday and of course the Tour of Flanders on Easter Sunday.

Thank you for

keeping with us from the commentary office. See you again on Sunday for Gent - Wevelgem.

Bye bye!!!

Top Ten General Classification Result.

1, Niki Terpstra (Netherland) Quick-Step Floors 5:04:18,
2 Philippe Gilbert (Belgium) Quick-Step Floors,
3 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team,
4, Oliver Naesen (Belgium) AG2R La Mondiale,
5, Tiesj Benoot (Belgium) Lotto Soudal,
6, Jasper Stuyven (Belgium) Trek-Segafredo,
7, Sep Vanmarcke (Belgium) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale,
8, Gianni Moscon (Italy) Team Sky,
9, Zdenek Stybar (Czech) Quick-Step Floors,
10, Stefan Küng (Switzerland) BMC Racing Team

Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) wins Milan San Remo 2018

Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) attack atop Poggio to win 2018 Milan San Remo.

In a nail-biting finish the Italian attacked on the Poggio and managed to hold off the peloton to win by just a few meters, as Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) and Arnaud Demare rounded out the podium.

The riders woke up to heavy rain in Milan, and it continued to pour as they arrived at the start in the shadow of the Castello Sforzesco in central Milan to sign on and prepare for seven hours in the saddle, bellies full from the morning's feast of carbohydrates.

Despite the conditions, the riders seemed happy to be racing and excited to contest the first Monument of the season. Teams signed on together, with Bora-Hansgrohe and Team Sky the last on stage, reflecting their importance and success in 2017. UCI President David Lappartient was also at the start and posed for photographs with Sagan.

Top Ten finisher

1,Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 7:18:43
2, Caleb Ewan (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
3,Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
4, Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
5, Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) BMC Racing Team
6, Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
7, Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
8, Magnus Cort (Den) Astana Pro Team
9, Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
10, Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo

Rohan Dennis (BMC) wins final stage 2018

Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) wins final stage 7 Tirreno Adriatico individual time trial in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy. But the most overrall victory will to (Team Sky) Michal Kwiatkowski who took the overall victory at Tirreno-Adriatico after extending his race lead in a wet time trial.

 Kwiatkowski went into the final stage with a three-second advantage over Damiano Caruso (BMC Racing), but put time into the Italian over the 10-kilometre course.
  Damiano Caruso, Michal Kwiatkowski and Geraint Thomas on the final Tirreno-Adriatico podium

Top Ten Final general classification

 1, Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) Team Sky 25:32:56,
 2, Damiano Caruso (Italy) BMC Racing Team 0:00:24,  
3, Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:32,
  4, Tiesj Benoot (Belgium) Lotto Soudal 0:01:06,
  5, Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 0:01:10,
 6, Mikel Landa (Spain) Movistar Team 0:01:13,  
7, Davide Formolo (Italy) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:01:15,
 8, Jaime Roson (Spain) Movistar Team,
 9, George Bennett (NZl) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:01:16,
10, Rigoberto Uran (Colombia) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale.

Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin) wins crash marred stage 6 Tirreno Adriatico, Italy.

Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin) beats Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) to claimed his second victory in the 2018 Tirreno-Adriatico to win a crash marred stage 5 in Fano on the Adriatic coast.

 The 153-kilometre penultimate stage from Numana to Fano represented a stall in hostilities in the battle for the overall title, and indeed there was no change in the general classification.

 No change atop the overall standings, where Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) - another big Milan-San Remo favourite - carries a 3-second lead into tomorrow's final time trial.

 Top Ten General classification from stage 6

 1, Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) Team Sky 25:21:22,
2, Damiano Caruso (Italy) BMC Racing Team 0:00:03,
3, Mikel Landa (Spain) Movistar Team 0:00:23,
4, Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:29,
5, Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 0:00:34 ,
6, Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:36,
7, Davide Formolo (Italy) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:37,
 8, Tiesj Benoot (Belgium) Lotto Soudal 0:00:39,
9, George Bennett (NZl) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:00:41,
10, Jaime Roson (Spain) Movistar Team 0:00:47.

Marc Soler (Movistar) wins overrall 2018 Paris Nice, France.

David de la Cruz (Team Sky) beats Omar Fraile (Team Astana) to win stage 8 in Paris-Nice.

 Marc Soler (Movistar) seals overrall 2018 Paris Nice victory in Nice, France. He's been Long touted as the natural successor to Miguel Indurain and Alberto Contador, Marc Soler (Movistar), winner of the 2015 Tour de L'Avenir, snatched a dramatic overall win in Paris-Nice, wrecking Simon Yates' best-laid plans with an attack a la Contador on the rain soaked roads of the Cote d'Azur. Soler is the first rider since Contador in 2007 to win both the yellow and the best young rider jerseys in the 'Race to the Sun.

Top three best

 Simon Yates (Mitchelto-Scott), Marc Soler (Movistar) and Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) on the final Paris-Nice podium

 Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) takes green at Paris-Nice.

Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) takes polka dots jersey in Paris-Nice.

The weather on the Promenade des Anglais could hardly have been worse this morning, as driving rain and high winds lashed the start area and swept across the hills inland from Nice.

There were four non starters for the 110 kilometre final stage: Dries Devenyns (Quick Step), Nils Politt (Katusha), Christophe Laporte and Cyril Lemoine (both Cofidis). They would later be joined by a lengthy list of abandons.

 2018 Paris Nice Final General Classificatio

 1, Marc Soler (Spain) Movistar Team 30:22:41,
 2, Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:04,
 3, Gorka Izagirre (Spain) Bahrain-Merida 0:00:14,  
4, Ion Izagirre (Spain) Bahrain-Merida 0:00:16,
 5, Tim Wellens (Belgium) Lotto Soudal,
6, Dylan Teuns (Belgium) BMC Racing Team 0:00:32,  
7, Patrick Konrad (Austra) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:44,  
8, Alexis Vuillermoz (France) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:54,
 9, David De La Cruz (Spain) Team Sky 0:02:15,
10, Felix Grossschartner (Austra) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:35

Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) wins stage Tirrreno adriatico, Italy.

Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) attacks to nap his first win of the season in a memorial stage 5 of Filottrano, Tirreno Adriatico. Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) came second while (Team Sky) Michal Kwiatkowski wrap up third and move into race leaders blue jersey. Seven seconds later.

The Polish man taking over the race lead. Yates' solo victory is the second in two days for the family, with his twin brother Simon having won in Paris-Nice on Saturday before falling just short of overall victory earlier today.

             How stage 5 happen

A tribute to Michele Scarponi, the Astana rider who was killed while out training last April, stage 5 was another hilly one - this time ending with a hilltop finish in Scarponi's home town of Filot-trano. Four classified climbs - all third category - dotted the stage before the finale.

First up was Mon-telupone at 49.9km, then Ossimo at 117.8km, before two initial climbs of Filottrano at 142.7km and 158.8km. At the finish came another ride up the Muro di Filottrano (a 1.8km climb featuring gradients of up to 16 per cent) before a short descent and another ramp to the line. The day's intermediate sprints came at Morrovalle (58.5km) and Porto Recanati (84.9km).

 Top Ten General Classification from stage 5

 1, Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) Team Sky 21:31:28,  
2, Damiano Caruso (Italy) BMC Racing Team 0:00:03,   3, Mikel Landa (Spain) Movistar Team 0:00:23,
4, Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:29,
5, Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 0:00:34,
6, Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:36,
7, Davide Formolo (Italy) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:37,
8, Tiesj Benoot (Belgium) Lotto Soudal 0:00:39,
9, George Bennett (NZl) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:00:41,
10, Jaime Roson (Spain) Movistar Team

Simon Yates (Mictchelton-Scott) wins stage 7 Paris Nice

Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) attacks to win Paris-Nice stage 7 takes over race lead from a cold and torrid stage of climbing and descending in the Alpes Maritimes saw him solo to a lone stage win at La Colmiane.

                  How It Unfolded
 As a chilly rain fell on the Nice seafront this morning, there was talk of possible snow falling at the ski station finish. In the end, that didn’t materialise but cold weather and heavy showers made for a tough and gruelling stage for the peloton.

 There were four non-starters, including former race leader and stage 1 winner, Arnaud Demare, and also Ian Boswell of Katusha. By the end of the day, after a further 13 riders abandoned, there were just 114 of the original peloton of 154 remaining.

 Top Ten General Classification result

 1, Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 27:29:02,
 2, Ion Izagirre (Spain) Bahrain-Merida 0:00:11,
3, Gorka Izagirre (Spain) Bahrain-Merida 0:00:12,
 4, Tim Wellens (Belgium) Lotto Soudal 0:00:13,
5, Dylan Teuns (Belgium) BMC Racing Team 0:00:27,
6, Marc Soler (Spain) Movistar Team 0:00:37,
7, Patrick Konrad (Austra) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:39,
8, Sergio Henao (Colombia) Team Sky 0:00:57,
 9, Julian Alaphilippe (France) Quick-Step Floors 0:01:48,
10, Alexis Vuillermoz (France) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:49

Mikel Landa (Movistar) wins tirreno Adriatico stage 4

Mikel Landa (Movistar) wins Tirreno-Adriatico stage 4 in summit finish at Sarnano Sassotetto.

The Spaniard outsprinted (Bora-Hansgrohe) Rafal Majka in the final sprint. Overnight race leader (Team Sky) Geraint Thomas suffered Late mechanical problems and his lead Damiano Caruso (BMC) takes over the lead.

 The result leaves Caruso just one second ahead of Michal Kwiatkowski, 11 in front of Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb), and 20 ahead of Landa in fourth overall, with three stages left to run including tomorrow’s hilltop finish in Filottrano and Tuesday’s closing time trial in San Benedetto del Tronto. 

                        How stage 4 Panned out

happened After Friday’s mammoth 234km stage, Tirreno-Adriatico’s queen stage was another long one at 219km. Three classified climbs dotted the sawtooth profile, each a cat three - San Ginesio at 137.6km, Gualdo at 151.3km, and Penna San Giovanni at 170.9km. Intermediate sprints came at Colmurano at 114.3km and Sarnano at 205.8km.

The day was primed for a big GC fight on the final climb of the day, however - a 13.2km ride to the finish at Sassotetto with an average gradient of 7.2 per cent and a maximum of 13 per cent.

 Top Ten General Classification Result

 1, Damiano Caruso (Italy) BMC Racing Team 17:14:49,
2, Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) Team Sky 0:00:01,
3, Wilco Kelderman (Netherland) Team Sunweb 0:00:11,
4, Mikel Landa (Spain) Movistar Team 0:00:20,
5, Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:26,
6, Rigoberto Uran (Colombia) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 0:00:31,
7, George Bennett (NZl) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:00:33,
8, Davide Formolo (Italy) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:34,
9, Tiesj Benoot (Belgium) Lotto Soudal 0:00:36,
10, Domenico Pozzovivo (Italy) Bahrain-Merida 0:00:41