Circuit Franco-Belge: Jonas Abrahamsen charges from breakaway on uphill finish for victory

The peloton lined up for the Pro Series, Circuit Franco-Belge, to compete in a 206.7km undulating parcours between Tournai and Mont-de-l’Enclus.

The peloton climbed over Col de la Crouis Jubaru and Col du Hortilin on the way to five laps of a shorter circuit. On that shorter circuit, they met with climbs over Col du Hortilin and Knokteberg-Trieu, before the finish in Mont-de-l’Enclus.

A breakaway of five emerged in the opening kilometres of the race that included Ludovic Robeet (Cofidis), Tom Portsmouth (Wagner Bazin WB), Jonathan Vervenne (Soudal Quick-Step Devo), Gianni Marchand (Tarteletto-Isorex), and Mats Omloop (VolkerWessels Cycling).

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Gianni Marchand of Tarteletto-Isorex (left) and Tom Portsmouth of Wagner Bazin WB compete at the front of the five-rider breakaway (Image credit: Getty Images)

The quintet pushed their lead to more than three minutes by the time the race reached the first passage of the circuits and finish line. Marchand picked up full points over the Col de la Crouis Jubaru and Côte du Trieu-Knokteberg. Meanwhile, Portsmouth won the intermediate sprint on offer in Spiere and on the third passage of the finish line.

Alpecin-Deceuninck and Israel-Premier Tech did the lion’s share of the work at the front of the peloton, slashing the gap to just under a minute with 80km remaining.

As the peloton closed in on the breakaway, Alexys Brunel (TotalEnergies) attempted to bridge the gap. The Frenchman successfully made it across, while Samuele Zoccarato (Polti VisitMalta), Fabio Christen (Q36.5 Pro Cycling), Frank van den Broek (Team Picnic PostNL) and Floris Van Tricht (Israel-Premier Tech) were the next to cross the gap.

Solo effort by Jonathan Vervenne of Team Soudal-QuickStep Devo (Image credit: Getty Images)

Vervenne attacked the group and gained a 40-second advantage as the race entered the final 45km. His efforts didn’t last long as all original breakaway riders were reeled in during the last 20km of the race.

A new breakaway of four emerged with Jonas Geens (Team Flanders-Baloise), Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Martin Tjøtta (Arkea-B&B Hotels), Fabio Christen (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno X Mobility).

Two were distanced from the group as the Meurisse, Abrahamsen, and Christen pushed on 18 seconds ahead of a new chase group that included Dylan Teuns (Cofidis), Joseph Blackmore (Israel-Premier Tech), Markus Hoelgaard (Uno-X Mobility) and Rick Pluimers (Tudor Pro Cycling) inside the final three kilometres.

The two groups connected with 800 metres to go, but Abrahamsen was the first to launch his sprint far enough out that he was able to hang on for the victory, even while his breakaway companions were caught at the line by the peloton.