Debusschere Wins GP Wallonie

Last updated : 16 September 2015 By Covsupport News Service

Lotto Soudal's Jens Debusschere has won the GP Wallonie in the Ardennes.

A 198km 1.1 race from Chaudfontaine to Namur failed to attact good weather and it was pouring with rain as Bouvry, Jarrier, Prémont, Van Melsen and Wertz. got in a break.

They were 1.16 ahead after forty kilometres on wet road and still about the same time ahead when Pieter Serry of Etixx Quick Step crashed and ended up in a ditch with what looked like a broken collarbone.

That crash came with seventy five kilometres left and two kilometres later there was a massive crash that saw around twenty riders hitting the deck or falling into ditches which forced even more riders out of the race.

With 47kms to go, the break was caught and those left in the race were all together.

Sander Helven, then took over front running duties before a front group oif seven riders formed and they took a fourteen second lead which was down to seven seconds with 26.8kms to go.

Seven kilometres later and Louis Vervaeke and Turgis opened up a gap but were brought back and Bonnamur, Pardini and Laporte took over on the penultimate climb.

On the descent and their group extended to nine riders with Jan Bakelandts of AG2R and Thibaut Pinot part of it.

Heading into Namur, it was looking that those in the front group would be contesting the final Cote De Namur climb.

With 1800m to go, they were 25 seconds ahead of a chasing group and on the climb up to the citadel in Namur.

Rudi Mollard led before Jens Debusschere attacked over the cobbles and got clear. The chasers tried to bring him back but Debusschere won in a time of 4.55.35. follwed by Bakelants, Laporte, Bille and J Vanendert.