Zdenek Stybar wins the 74th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad from late breakaway

Stybar attacked his breakaway companions to solo to the line in the last kilometre to win the 74th edition

How the Race Unfolded

Four riders Roy Jans (Corendon-Circus), Tom Wirtgen (Wallonie-Bruxelles), Alex Howes (EF Education First) and Tom Devriendt (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) established the breakaway, and built up a lead of 14 minutes over the peloton.

With a 100 kms to go, the gap started coming down, Alex Howes lead the escapees up the Katteberg with a lead of 7:30 over the peloton.

Trek-Segafredo and Lotto Soudal joined the pace-making efforts at the head of the bunch.

VIDEO: 2019 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Highlights

With 88 kms to go, the attacks started and five riders went away from the peloton and further groups joined them.

Zdenek Stybar, Oliver Naesen, Stijn Vandenbergh, Jens Keukeleire, Duval, Davide Ballerini, Jurgen Roelandts, Taco van der Hoorn, Chris Lawless, Mike Teunissen, Ian Stannard, Alex Kirsch, Mads Pedersen, Bert Van Lerberghe, Boy van Poppel, Sven Erik Bystrom, Kenneth Vanbilsen, Lionel Taminiaux, Emils Liepins, Baptiste Planckaet and

Frederik Backaert were part of this 21-man group, but they lost some of their momentum when a couple of their numbers came down in a crash.

Some big names missed out in the break including Van Avermaet and Van Aert from the main peloton as the 21 man break built up a 40 second lead as they approach the day's fifth climb, the Rekelberg. Ian Stannard and Christopher Lawless from Team Sky contributing generously at the head of the counter-attack on the road, and their efforts were forcing CCC to try to bring them back.

However with 64 kms to go, the 21 man counter-attack was caught by the chasing peloton on the climb of the Valkenburg. The net result of that counter-attack's effort was a significant reduction in the break's lead.

With 59 kms to go, the favorites came to the front as they prepared for the climb of the Wolvenburg. The breakaway's lead was down to some 20 seconds.

With 51 kms to Philippe Gilbert and Van Avermaet attacked as they started to reel-in the breakaway.

Mitchelton-Scott and Lotto Soudal set the pace in the main peloton on the approach to the Molenberg.

A group went away on the Molenburg including many favorites. Devriendt the final rider from the breakaway was reeled-in, as a 17-man group containing Van Avermaet, Van Aert, Stybar and Lampaert were in front with a lead of 24 seconds over the rest of the peloton.

Yves Lampaert, Zdenek Stybar (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Tiesj Benoot, Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Olvier Naesen (AG23 La Mondiale), Davide Ballerini, Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), Dylan Teuns, Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida), Jempy Drucker, Daniel Oss (Bora-Hansgrohe), Greg Van Avermaet (CCC), Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott), Wout van Aert, Danny van Poppel (Jumbo-Visma), Ian Stannard (Sky), Baptiste Planckaert (Wallonie-Bruxelles) were in this group.

Michael Matthews was among the notable men to miss the move, together with Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First) and QuickStep's Philippe Gilbert and Bob Jungels with 36 kms to go. Sep Vanmarcke (EF Education First) was dropped.

A crash in the breakaway left Van Avermaet, Lutsenko, Stybar, Teuns, Oss and Wellens left up front, as the race hit the Elverenberg. The gaps to the chasers remained small at 17 seconds.

The six leaders hit the Geraardsbergen with a lead of 15 seconds over the pursuers. Van Avemaet led them onto the Muur.

On the Muur, Van Avermaet hit the front as the gradient siffened. Stybar, Lutsenko, Wellens and Teuns followed, while Oss was dropped.

Behind Gilbert and Terpstra came to the front in the chasing group.

After the Muur, it was Van Avermaet, Stybar, Wellens, Teuns, Lutsenko left with 15 kms to go, as they prepared for the final climb of the Bosberg.

Van Avermaet attacked on the Bosberg and only Stybar could hold his wheel, but Wellens, Teuns, Lutsenko stayed in contention with just 10 kms to go.

Behind, Oss and Durbridge led the chasing group on behalf of Drucker and Trentin, respectively, but they are made no inroads into the break's lead.

The five leaders has 32 seonds lead with 3 kms to go, first to attack Tim Wellens and Van Avermaet closed it down, Stybar attacked and again Van Avermaet closed it down.

But Stybar attacked again and Van Avermaet didn't counter and left it to Lutsenko to chase.

Stybar had a gap and held onto it to the line, ahead of Van Avermaet who won the sprint.

2019 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Top 10

1 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep
2 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team
3 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
4 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
5 Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-Merida
6 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Bora-Hansgrohe
7 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
8 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
9 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott
10 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale