2017 Tour of Flanders

The 2017 Tour of Flanders (Dutch: Ronde van Vlaanderen 2017) was the 101st edition of the Tour of Flanders, a one-day cycling classic, that took place on 2 April 2017. It was the second monument race of the 2017 cycling season and the thirteenth event of the 2017 UCI World Tour.[2][3] The race marked the pinnacle of the Flemish Cycling Week.

2017 Tour of Flanders
2017 UCI World Tour, race 13 of 37
Race details
Dates2 April 2017
Stages1
Distance260.8 km (162.1 mi)
Winning time6h 23' 45"[1]
Results
  Winner  Philippe Gilbert (BEL) (Quick-Step Floors)
  Second  Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) (BMC Racing Team)
  Third  Niki Terpstra (NED) (Quick-Step Floors)

The race was won by Belgian national champion Philippe Gilbert from the Quick-Step Floors team,[1] after a solo attack on the Oude Kwaremont and holding off the rest of the field over the remaining 55 kilometres (34 mi).[4] Second place went to another Belgian, Greg Van Avermaet of the BMC Racing Team, beating Dutch riders Niki Terpstra (Quick-Step Floors) and Dylan van Baarle from Cannondale–Drapac in a three-up sprint finish for the podium placings.

Route
Antwerp hosted the start of the race on its central Market Square for the first time.
The first lap of the circuit (in red) and transition to the second lap (in green).
The second lap of the circuit (in red) and the final 16.1-kilometre (10.0 mi) element of the race (in green).

The city of Antwerp staged the start of the event for the first time, after 19 starts in Bruges, marking the first time the Tour of Flanders addressed the province of Antwerp.[5] The race finished in Oudenaarde for a total distance of 260.8 kilometres (162.1 mi) and saw the renewed inclusion of the Muur van Geraardsbergen, one of the emblematic climbs of the race.[5][6]

The first 116 kilometres (72 mi) of the race are on all-flat roads from Antwerp via Sint-Niklaas, Dendermonde, Aalst and Zottegem towards Oudenaarde, where the race passes for the first time after 101 kilometres (63 mi); before addressing the first of 18 climbs, the Oude Kwaremont after 116 kilometres (72 mi).[6] The Oude Kwaremont, which has been the focal point of the Ronde in the last few years, appears three times on the route and its last two appearances are paired with the Paterberg three kilometres later.[7] The Muur van Geraardsbergen is the ninth categorised climb at 95 kilometres (59 mi) from the finish.

The final 75 kilometres (47 mi) were identical to previous editions.[7] Of the final nine climbs, first was the Kanarieberg, then the first combination of Oude Kwaremont–Paterberg, followed just 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) later by the roughly-cobbled Koppenberg, the steepest climb of the race. The Koppenberg was immediately followed by the flat cobbled sector of the Mariaborrestraat, leading to the Steenbeekdries and Taaienberg climbs. The Kruisberg in Ronse came at 26 kilometres (16 mi) from the finish, before heading to the final two climbs.[6] The second pairing of Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg represented the end game of the race, preceding the 13.2-kilometre (8.2 mi) run-in to the finish.

Categorised climbs and cobbles
The Muur van Geraardsbergen, with gradients touching 20%, is re-included in the course after a five-year absence.
The Paterberg in Kluisbergen is the last climb of the race with just a 13.2-kilometre (8.2 mi) run-in remaining to Oudenaarde.
The Haaghoek road is the penultimate flat cobbled sector of the race, 117.4 kilometres (72.9 miles) from the finish.

Eighteen categorised climbs are programmed, of which 12 are cobbled. In addition to the climbs, five sectors of flat cobbled roads are included.

Climbs and cobbled sections in the 2017 Tour of Flanders
No. Name Distance from Surface Length
(metres)		 Gradient (%)
Start
(km)		 Finish
(km)		 (ave.) (max.)
– Lippenhovestraat 85.2 175.6 cobbles 1300 —
– Paddestraat 86.6 174.2 cobbles 1500 —
1 Oude Kwaremont 116.3 144.5 cobbles 2200 4% 11.6%
2 Kortekeer 126.8 134.0 asphalt 1000 6.4% 17.1%
3 Eikenberg 134.5 126.3 cobbles 1200 5.2% 10%
4 Wolvenberg 137.6 123.2 asphalt 645 7.9% 17.3%
– Holleweg 137.7 123.1 cobbles 1500 —
– Haaghoek 143.4 117.4 cobbles 2000 —
5 Leberg 146.4 114.4 asphalt 950 4.2% 13.8%
6 Berendries 150.5 110.3 asphalt 940 7% 12.3%
7 Tenbosse 155.5 105.3 asphalt 450 6.9% 8.7%
8 Muur van Geraardsbergen 165.8 95.0 cobbles 1075 9.3% 19.8%
9 La Houppe 184.5 76.3 cobbles 2800 3.3% 10%
10 Kanarieberg 190.3 70.5 asphalt 1000 7.7% 14%
11 Oude Kwaremont 206.2 54.6 cobbles 2200 4% 11.6%
12 Paterberg 209.6 51.2 cobbles 360 12.9% 20.3%
13 Koppenberg 216.2 44.6 cobbles 600 11.6% 22%
– Mariaborrestraat 220.3 40.5 cobbles 2000 —
14 Steenbeekdries 221.6 39.2 asphalt 700 5.3% 6.7%
15 Taaienberg 224.1 36.7 cobbles 530 6.6% 15.8%
16 Kruisberg 234.3 26.5 asphalt 2500 5% 9%
17 Oude Kwaremont 244.1 16.7 cobbles 2200 4% 11.6%
18 Paterberg 247.6 13.2 cobbles 360 12.9% 20.3%

Participating teams

25 teams competed in the race. The 18 UCI WorldTeams were automatically invited and obliged to participate in the race,[8] while an additional seven Professional Continental teams were given wildcard entries, when these were announced on 28 February 2017.[9] Jens Keukeleire of Orica–Scott pulled out of the race on the morning of the start,[10] making a total peloton of 199 riders.[11]

UCI WorldTeams

UCI Professional Continental teams

Result
Result[1]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Quick-Step Floors 6h 23' 45"
2  Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) BMC Racing Team + 29"
3  Niki Terpstra (NED) Quick-Step Floors + 29"
4  Dylan van Baarle (NED) Cannondale–Drapac + 29"
5  Alexander Kristoff (NOR) Team Katusha–Alpecin + 53"
6  Sacha Modolo (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 53"
7  John Degenkolb (GER) Trek–Segafredo + 53"
8  Filippo Pozzato (ITA) Wilier Triestina–Selle Italia + 53"
9  Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Direct Énergie + 53"
10  Sonny Colbrelli (ITA) Bahrain–Merida + 53"

References
  1. "Uitslag - Résultat - Result" (PDF). KBWB-RVLB.com. Royal Belgian Cycling League. 2 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  2. "UCI expands WorldTour to 37 events". Cycling News. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  3. "The UCI reveals expanded UCI WorldTour calendar for 2017". UCI. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  4. "Philippe Gilbert wins Tour of Flanders after epic solo break". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 2 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  5. "Muur van Geraardsbergen returns for 2017 Tour of Flanders". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  6. "101° Ronde van Vlaanderen" [101st Tour of Flanders] (PDF). Tour of Flanders (in Dutch). Flanders Classics. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  7. Fletcher, Patrick (31 March 2017). "Tour of Flanders 2017 preview". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  8. "UCI Cycling Regulations: Part 2: Road Races page 110 article 2.15.127" (PDF). Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  9. "Tour of Flanders announces seven wildcard teams for 2017". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  10. Dirkx, Niels (2 April 2017). "Keukeleire komt niet aan de start van de Ronde" [Keukeleire does not start the Ronde]. Sport.be (in Dutch). Golazo Media NV. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  11. "Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour des Flandres: List of participants" (PDF). Tour of Flanders. Flanders Classics. 31 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
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