Fabio Jakobson continued Quick-Step Floors' incredible start to the season with a surprise win in Scheldeprijs on Wednesday, in reduced bunch sprint victory over Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Chris Lawless (Team Sky).
The race appeared to be heading towards a Marcel Kittel procession, with the German looking for his sixth title, but a string of incidents in the race - including a late puncture for the German - saw a number of high-profile candidates ruled out.
The main talking point came earlier in the race when a near 30-strong group containing Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) was disqualified after ignoring UCI rules at a level crossing. At that point, the bunch had split into several echelons, with both riders caught out in a second group. They tried to ride over the crossing too late and were disqualified as a result.
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With Katusha and Kittel making the split it looked as though the German would take the win but his late puncture turned the race on its head. There were several late attacks, with none of the remaining sprint teams willing or able enough to control affairs.
Step forward Jakobson and Quick-Step, who wrestled control at the front of the field inside the closing kilometres. Lawless, already a victor in Team Sky colours this season, opened the sprint and looked to be heading for another win but his Quick-Step rival was simply too strong, with Ackermann coming around the British rider to steal second.
Jakobson, still just 21, but a winner of Nokere Koerse earlier this year, was asked to explain his team's dominance this season.
Cross-winds come into play
Groenewegen and Démare disqualified
Finale
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Race Results http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/scheldeprijs-2018/results
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