Philippe Gilbert wins a dramatic 101st Tour of Flanders

Philippe Gilbert of Quick Step Floors has won a dramatic 101st edition of the Tour of Flanders after launching a solo attack  with 55 kilometres to go and digging deep into his reserves of energy to win by nearly half a minute from his closest pursuers.

Greg van Avermaet of BMC Racing won the sprint for second from Gilbert's team mate Niki Terpstra, with the other member of a three-man chase group, Cannondale-Drapac's Dylan van Baarle, fourth.

A crash on the Oude Kwaremont with about 15km to go when he appeared to hit a crash barrier while trying to avoid the cobbles put paid to the chances of defending champion Peter Sagan of Bora-Hansgrohe, and also brought down van Avermaet.

Tom Boonen of Quick Step Floors, riding  for the last time the race he has won on three occasions, had earlier been ruled out of contention by a mechanical issue that saw him distanced from the group chasing his team mate Gilbert, his frustration evident to see.

Gilbert, who came into the race in a rich vein of form after winning the Three Days of De Panne this week, has now won three of cycling's five Monuments, following victories at Il Lombardia in 2009 and 2010, and Liege-Bastonge-Liege in 2011. He also won the road world championship in 2012.