Luka Mezgec Wins The Handzame

Last updated : 21 March 2014 By Covsupport News Service

Giant Shimano's Luka Mezgec won the 12th Handzame Classic race

A gruelling 198.3kms from Bredene from Handzame in West Flanders in Belgium, saw some big teams enter and the riders altogether for the first forty kilometres.

DeClercq, Cordeel, Claeys and Riesebeek did get away and took a twelve second lead after 45kms. They were quickly caught as the peloton split into four groups on the road. with a first group of sixty riders having 37 seconds on a second group of sixty riders, 1.17 on a third group and 1.40 on a fourth group. 

Three of the groups got back together before there was a crash involving riders such as Barta, Stenuit, and Van Ginneken and the peloton split again with 83kms to go.

With the front two groups back together, Tim Declercq, Alphonse Vermote and Dennis Coenen, took this as their cue to attack and got away taking a lead of fourteen seconds going into the final sixty kilometres.

The break was finally caught with ten kilometres to go. BMC took to the front seven kilometres later and Van Keirsbulck attacked but it was Luka Mezgec, who won the race and gave Giant Shimano, their tenth victory this season. 

Second was Theo Bos of Belkin with Edward Theuns taking the final place on the podium.