Yauheni Hutarovich sprinted to season win number four in the Sluitingsprijs Putte-Kapellen in Belgium today. The Belarussian of the FDJ team was quicker than Joeri Stallaert (Landbouwkrediet) and Wim Stroetinga (riding for a selection of the Dutch National Team). Kenny van Hummel finished in seventh but was furious with the outcome as he claimed to have been impeded by Hutarovich in the finish. The peloton covered the 183 kilometers in four hours,for an average speed of over 45 km/h.
Hutarovich had started his season with a win in the Etoile de Bessege and now closed it off in style. "I am really happy with this nice victory," he told Sporza after the race. He was also pleased with the work by his teammates. "It was Mickael Delage who launched the sprint. I went in the last 250 meters."
The sprint was a close affair - literally. "I felt that Kenny van Hummel was approaching. I didn't close the door, but thanks to a somewhat strange corner the road narrowed, which trapped the Dutchman." Van Hummel had a different view of the narrowing, voicing his anger in a twitter statement. "Thanks, Goetarovitsj, for taking my victory today..! What a bummer."
Hutarovich understood van Hummel's feelings, but continued to say that it wasn't his fault. "It is logical that he [van Hummel] is furious, but I do want to point out that I am always sprinting fairly. I did not make the road suddenly become smaller."
.
Stallaert is a neopro and came close to victory. "I came maybe ten centimeters short of beating Hutarovich," he told Sporza. "The race went ideally. The pace was high and I could sit in and rest for the bunch sprint." There was no more resting when the peloton hit the finishing straight. "Around 200 meters from the finish, I went all out, but I couldn't manage to win."
The race was dominated by a break of five riders, including Stijn Devolder and Björn Leukemans. The fast pace set by the bunch meant that the break was caught around 30 kilometers from the line. Several counters proved unsuccessful as the sprinters' teams kept the bunch together.
One rider not to make it to the finish was Addy Engels, who not only stepped off his bike for the day, but halted his career altogether.
One rider who didn't make it to the start was Staf Scheirlinckx, who traveled to the town of Putte near Mechelen, rather than Putte near Kapellen.
Results (183km)
1. Yauheni Hutarovich (Française des Jeux) 4:00'34
2. Joeri Stallaert (Landbouwkrediet) st
3. Wim Stroetinga (Dutch National Team)
4. Yoeri Havik (Cycling team De Rijke)
5. Stefan Van Dijck (Veranda Willems)
6. Steve Schets (Donckers Coffee - Jelly-Belly)
7. Kenny Van Hummel (Skil-Shimano)