The race organisers originally invited 23 teams to take part in the race. Because of the attacks in Belgium and the subsequent travel restrictions, were forced to withdraw, so 22 teams started the race. Of these, 11 were UCI WorldTeams and 11 were UCI Professional Continental teams.
Route
The race started in Roeselare and followed a course to finish in Waregem. It began with a long flat section that took the riders generally east from Roeselare and into Waregem; it then left the town and went south. At Avelgem, the course turned back east again to cross the first climb, the Nieuwe Kwaremont, after. This was followed by the climb of the Kattenberg, then the cobbled flat sectors of the Holleweg and the Haaghoek, then the climbs of the Leberg and the Berendries. After the next climb, the Valkenberg, the course turned back west towards the finish, with remaining. The Eikenberg and the Taaienberg followed soon after, then the combination of the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg. After the final flat cobbled sector, the Varentstraat, the course turned north for the final three climbs: the Vossenhol, Holstraat and Nokereberg. From the summit of Nokereberg, there were around to the finish in Waregem.
Hill
Name
Pavement
Length
Average %
Max %
Km from finish
1
Nieuwe Kwaremont
asphalt
2 000
4,2 %
8%
107,5
2
Kattenberg
asphalt
740
5,9 %
8,2 %
88,1
3
Leberg
asphalt
700
6,1 %
14%
79,5
4
Berendries
asphalt
900
7,2 %
14%
75,3
5
Valkenberg
asphalt
540
8,1 %
12,8 %
70,3
6
Eikenberg
cobbles
1 250
5,8 %
10%
57,5
7
Taaienberg
cobbles
530
6,6 %
15,8 %
51,8
8
Oude Kwaremont
cobbles
1 500
4%
11,6 %
34
9
Paterberg
cobbles
365
12,9 %
20,3 %
30,5
10
Tiegemberg
asphalt
1 400
6,5 %
9%
19,8
11
Holstraat
asphalt
1 000
5,2 %
12%
15,4
12
Nokereberg
cobbles
500
5,7 %
6,7 %
7,9
Race summary
At the start of the race, there were 161 riders in the peloton. Most of these wore black armbands following the previous day's attacks. The breakaway took half an hour's racing to form, with Alexis Gougeard, Jesper Asselman, Alex Kirsch, Phil Bauhaus, Igor Boev, and Kevin Van Melsen forming a six-man breakaway and built a lead of up to eight minutes. Preben van Hecke and Kenneth Vanbilsen made unsuccessful attempts to escape from the peloton, with chasing hard and bringing the breakaway's advantage down to three minutes. Mike Teunissenattacked from the peloton and was joined by Jonas Rickaert and Luke Durbridge. Boev and Gougeard were dropped from the breakaway and joined the chasing group on the Taaienberg, with a group of about eleven riders breaking away from the peloton. Van Melsen then attacked alone on the Oude Kwaremont. The two chasing groups came together shortly afterwards, with a group led by Greg Van Avermaet chasing behind. After more attacks, the lead group was reduced to seven riders with remaining and, later, the front groups came together. Van Avermaet made his own attack on the Nokereberg, gaining a lead of around 15 seconds, but he was chased by and. He was caught with around remaining, leaving a group of 34 riders to sprint for the finish. 'sFernando Gaviria was the first to sprint, but he faded quickly and ended up tenth. Bryan Coquard had a lead and came close to the victory, but his celebration before the finish line allowed Jens Debusschere to take the win in a photo finish.
