Sep Vanmarcke beats Tiesj Benoot to Bretagne Classic 2019 victory

The Belgian left it until a kilometre to go to make his move and secure the win

Sep Vanmarcke wins the Bretagne Classic 2019 (Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sep Vanmarcke launched a blistering attack in the final kilometre of the Bretagne Classic 2019 to secure victory.

The EF Education First rider was off the front of the race alongside Tiesj Benoot (Lotto-Soudal) and Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) before making his move, leaving the other two in his wake.

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The trio had attacked with 21km to go, working together until Benoot tried to avoid the race being decided by a sprint finish, attacking with less than 2km until the finish line.

This move was marked by the other two, with Benoot trying once again in vain, before Vanmarcke unleashed a furious burst of pace. Benoot and Haig's big mistake was taking a second to look at each other, figuring out who would take up the chase, but by that time Vanmarcke was gone.

Resigned to settling for podium places, Benoot tailed Haig before coming round him to win the sprint for second place.

Michael Valgren (Dimension Data) won the sprint of the next group to arrive at the finish, with Amund Grøndahl Jansen (Jumbo-Visma) behind in fifth and Greg Van Avermaet (CCC) fifth.

Result

Bretagne Classic 2019: Plouay to Plouay (248.1km)

1. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First, in 6-12-23

2. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at three seconds

3. Jack Haig (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at same time

4. Michael Valgren (Den) Dimension Data, at 20s

5. Amund Grøndahl Jansen (Nor) Jumbo-Visma

6. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC

7. Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, all at same time

8. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 22s

9. Florian Sénéchal (Fra) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 28s

10. Eduard Prades (Esp) Movistar, at same time

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Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.


Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).


I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.