The race was decided on the last climb of the gruelling Kemmelberg, where Van Avermaet threw his cards on the table. A group of five took the offensive: Van Avermaet, Keukeleire, World Champion Peter Sagan (Slovakia), youngster Sören Kragh Andersen (Denmark) and Niki Terpstra (Netherlands) of the powerful Quick.Step team.

However, when Terpstra tried to skip his turn in the breakaway group and refused to do his part of the work at the head of the group, Sagan tried to force him by waiting for him to move. But the result was that Van Avermaet and Keukeleire swiftly moved away (picture). Sagan called Terpstra’s attitude “a very cheap game” speaking after the race.

Flandersnews.be / Expatica