The 15th episode of the race saw the winner emerge from a group that attacked from the distance.
Saturday marked the fastest ever edition of the Super 8 Classic, one of the last Belgian races of the month, and this despite the combination of hilly course, rain and wet roads that ended up making for one of the toughest editions in recent memory.
A strong leading group formed moments after the race left behind Brakel, the cue for the teams hoping for a bunch sprint to take over the reins in the peloton. Everything changed around 80 kilometers from the finish, when a couple of attacks that came just before the Moskesstraat split the bunch, leaving a dozen or so riders in pursuit of the breakaway, which they later joined.
That group continued to push on, averaging more than 47km/h, and despite the chasers being initially just 20 seconds behind them, they held on to that gap and even increased it by the time they arrived in Haacht, where the race concluded with the victory of Arnaud De Lie (Lotto). Louis Vervaeke, who pinned on a number for the first time since completing the Vuelta a España, was the first Soudal Quick-Step rider to cross the line, part of a group that finished 50 seconds behind the winner.
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
