Czech champion Petr Vakoc turned around Etixx-QuickStep's bad luck in the classics, winning the Brabantse Pijl ahead of Enrico Gasparotto (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal).
Vakoc broke clear with teammate Julian Alaphilppe on the penultimate climb, and the Frenchman pushed the pace all the way to the final ascent to Schavei where Vakoc was then able to make the winning move.
Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) beat Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge) in the sprint from the peloton.
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"It was an amazing day and I'm really grateful to the team, they did an absolutely amazing job," Vakoc said. "In the final Julian was pulling the five of us, and I had this attack in my mind.
"Normally I would like to go a little later, but then everyone was hesitating a little in the final corner. I just went full gas - the steep climbs really suit me well. I went really hard to make the gap but it was still really long to the finish. When I looked back and saw the gap was getting bigger, it gave me more power and I couldn't stop. I left everything out there."
The win was Vakoc's third one-day victory of the season in addition to two best young rider titles in the Tour du Haut-Var and Tour La Provence, where he was also second overall. In February he won the Classic Sud Ardèche - Souvenir Francis Delpech, and the Drôme Classic before coming fifth in Strade Bianche.
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