Katusha's Alexander Kristoff solidified his status as a pre-race favourite for the Tour of Flanders with a commanding victory on stage 1 of the Driedaagse De Panne in Zottegem.
The Norwegian jumped clear of the peloton on the Berendries and linked up with a lead group that included teammate Sven Erik Bystrom. Jens Debusschere (Lotto-Soudal), Stijn Devolder (Trek Factory Racing), Sean De Bie (Lotto Soudal) and Lars Ytting Bak (Lotto Soudal) before unleashing a measured but ultimately unstoppable sprint to beat Debusschere to the line.
“I told the guys to keep it close and that I could bridge up the Berendries. We worked full gas all the way until the finish and we kept the gap but I was never totally sure because Debusschere is a fast guy but he wasn’t really pulling. I didn’t know how fresh he was but in the end I could take it,” Kristoff said as he made his way to the podium to pick up the first leader’s jersey of this year’s race.
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The win marked Kristoff’s sixth victory of what has been a successful season - only Richie Porte has picked up more – and gives Katusha their second win in three days on Belgian soil after Luca Paolini claimed Gent-Wevelgem. Asked if his confidence had improved with today’s win the 27-year-old from Oslo pointed to his 2015 track-record but acknowledged that his team have greatly improved during this campaign. The improvements were evident at the start of the year at the Tour of Qatar and six weeks on they could help land Kristoff a place on the Tour of Flanders podium.
“I’ve won a lot already this year and I’m quite confident but it doesn’t hurt to take another victory,” he told reporters.
“We’ve had a really good Classics campaign so far and that continues today with the whole team. We were always near the front and this is perhaps the best team effort we’ve had so far this season.
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