The race was won by Belgian national champion Philippe Gilbert from the Quick-Step Floors team,[1] after a solo attack on the Oude Kwaremont and holding off the rest of the field over the remaining 55 kilometres (34 mi).
The Koppenberg was immediately followed by the flat cobbled sector of the Mariaborrestraat, leading to the Steenbeekdries and Taaienberg climbs.
[6] The second pairing of Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg represented the end game of the race, preceding the 13.2-kilometre (8.2 mi) run-in to the finish.
The 18 UCI WorldTeams were automatically invited and obliged to participate in the race,[8] while an additional seven Professional Continental teams were given wildcard entries, when these were announced on 28 February 2017.
[9] Jens Keukeleire of Orica–Scott pulled out of the race on the morning of the start,[10] making a total peloton of 199 riders.