Norwegian prodigy outsprints defending champion to take Dutch semi-classic
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) won the Dutch Food Valley Classic in Veenendaal. Netherlands. The 23-year-old Norwegian beat last year’s winner Kenny Van Hummel (Skil-Shimano) and Stefan Van Dijk (Verandas Willems) into second and third place at the end of the 209km race.
The Team Sky rider took victory in his first race since last month’s tour de France as he builds up for the defence of his Eneco Tour crown next week.
The race, formerly known as Veenendaal-Veenendaal was doinated by a breakaway of five riders, which escaped after just 25km. Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands), Martin Pedersen (Footon-Servetto), Dennis van Winden (Rabobank), Frederik Veuchelen (Vacansoleil) and Steven Van Vooren (Topsport Vlaanderen) managed to get more than five minutes ahead of the peloton.
The sprinters’ teams always had the race under control though, and Skil-Shimano, Team Sky, Rabobank and OmegaPharma-Lotto all worked together to bring back the five riders with 30km remaining.
Three riders tried to escape on a small climb with 5km to go but the sprinters’ teams managed to get the race under control once more. Team Sky led out Boasson Hagen and the Norwegian took the victory by more than a bike length.
Result Dutch Food Valley Classic
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky
2. Kenny Van Hummel (Ned) Skil-Shimano
3. Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Verandas Willems
4. Manuel Belletti (Ita) Colnago-CSF
5. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step
6. Pieter Vanspeybroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
7. Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago-CSF
8. Roy Sentjens (Bel) Team Milram
9. Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank
10. Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Vacansoleil