Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Christopher Juul-Jensen took an active part of the long-lasting breakaway during today’s 203 kilometer long Belgian one-day race, GP de Wallonie where the peloton was going on both ordinary wet asphalt and slippery classic Belgian cobblestone sections.
AG2R picked up the pace significantly in the finale and just as the front group was caught, several counter-attacks were launched from the field and the cross wind caused havoc in the peloton. But Saxo-Tinkoff’s Christopher Juul-Jensen kept pushing and stayed in the front group. However, Jan Bakelandts (Belgium) and Mathias Frank (BMC) waved goodbye to the peloton with 22 kilometers and a few kilometers later, Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) joined them to form the new front group.
Saxo-Tinkoff Italian, Manuele Boaro tried to bridge the gap with 14 kilometers to go but as Omega-Pharma Quick Step went to the front of the chase group, Boaro was soon swept up.
Bakelandts and Voeckler managed to drop Frank on the final climb and Bakelandts was the boldest of the duo going very fast in to the final bedn before the finish line and won the race well ahead of the Frenchman.