This Wednesday, Lewis Askey secured his fifth consecutive top-20 finish. Consistent since the Classics campaign started on the opening weekend, the British rider was once again up there in the Danilith Nokere Koerse. After proving attentive when the race became more intense between the favourites, the 23-year-old ultimately snatched seventh place in an uphill sprint. A good return to business ahead of Thursday’s Grand Prix de Denain.
Before Milan-Sanremo captured all the fans’ attention, the spotlight was pointing north this midweek, with the Nokere Koerse-Grand Prix de Denain sequence, between Belgium and France. It was therefore on Flemish soil that the peloton was first expected this Wednesday, for nearly 190 kilometres of racing around Nokere and its famous “berg” which, for once, didn’t host the finish. At least, not from its cobbled side. Although the course featured quite a few sectors, the finish line was drawn after a long, uphill asphalt road. “There were a lot of sprinters at the start, so we set off with this in mind, even if we had to be careful on the circuit,” explained Frédéric Guesdon. “We only had one card: Lewis. This is also the type of race where the weather is important. It was nice today, but there was still a bit of wind, which made the race harder, especially on the cobblestones.” Four riders led the race for a long time thanks to the early breakaway, but the peloton became active as it entered the second half of the course. After some initial attacks, the race truly got underway for the favorites with 45 kilometers to go. “We knew there would be some moves and that not everyone would wait for the sprint,” said Frédéric. “We had riders designated to follow the attacks, but since it was the favorites who attacked, Lewis went for it, even though it wasn’t his initial role.”
“We’ll have to step up as a team on Thursday,” Frédéric Guesdon
Following a sharp acceleration from Jasper Philipsen, nine riders found themselves in the lead after the Doorn and Huisepontweg sectors. The British leader was one of them, even though the attempt was caught after about ten kilometres of chasing within the peloton. “I followed the wheels because I was in a good position, and I found myself in a small group off the front,” he said. “I think that also put me a little in the red. This is why when a group broke away on the last lap, I wasn’t really scared that it would stay away. I saw how much harder it was out the front than in the peloton, so I stayed next to my teammates who put me in a good position for the final.” Although some ten men broke away in the same sequence of sectors during the final lap, everything came back together with four kilometres to go, after Groupama-FDJ also took part in the chase. “The team did a really good job,” Lewis said. “Each and everyone did exactly what was asked of them during the briefing, which meant that I was really well protected into the final kilometres”. The 23-year-old even entered the last kilometre, uphill, in third position.
Cyril Barthe kept on leading him out for a few moments, then the English rider found himself right up front. “I wasn’t feeling the best and found myself maybe waiting for someone to start the sprint. However everyone wanted to leave it as late as possible as it was very long until the finish with this climb,” he described afterwards. He eventually opened up with 300 metres to go, in the lead, but was forced to let six riders pass. “There were stronger guys today,” said Frédéric. “He was really in a good position, maybe a little too much, but we don’t have many regrets. Seventh is still a good result.” Lewis Askey anyway secured his third top-10 in Belgium this year after the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (10th) and the Samyn (5th). “I didn’t feel so good today, probably because of my little break after the Strade Bianche,” he said at the finish. “But I think that after the efforts of today, I should feel a lot better tomorrow.” “If we want to aim for victory in the Grand Prix de Denain on Thursday, we’ll have to step up as a team,” added Frédéric. “There will be good competition and some nice cobbled sectors. We can expect good things from Lewis, given his current form, but we also expect riders like Clément or Eddy to perform on this type of terrain.”
