Team Ineos' Cobbled Classics campaign got off to a disappointing start at Omloop Het Niusbrod on Saturday.

Despite the absence of Dylan van Baar, a strong lineup of two-time winner Ian Stannard, plus former Tour of Flanders top-five finisher Luke Rowe, Owain Doule, who finished second in last year's Cune Brussel-Cune, and Gianni Moscon The lineup was well rounded.

In the end, Ben Swift, who is new to Flanders, led the pack and was the team's best finisher in 38th place. Stannard and Moscon finished 49th and 54th, nearly 7:30 behind winner Jasper Stuyven.

It was a disappointing result considering that Ineos started the race with no less than five riders in the lead group as the pack split in a severe crosswind. However, shortly after the race resumed, with less than 100 km to go, a number of riders were forced into a dangerous group beyond Lieberg, and they were on the back foot.

"I got off to a pretty good start, and after 60km, five of us were in that group, but we got caught around the feed zone, which slowed us down a bit. We had to pay the price for that," Gabriel Rasch told Ninove's Cycling News.

"The mood was so-so and they were obviously not happy with the result. They relaxed a little bit too much and in the echelon after Rebelg, when that group left, we weren't there. That's the first reason.

Stannard, Lowe, Moscon, and Swift struggled to close the gap, but the chase group could not hold together. At this point Stannard went on the attack, and shortly after he was caught, a decisive seven-man pass was made.

"Stannard had really good legs today. "It's a shame that the group left right after he tried. He had a problem with his bike and had to change it in Berendreis (30km to go).

Other positives for Rasch were Swift's unusual ride over the cobblestones.

"Luke didn't have his best day today," said Lach.

Regarding the team's shift from aggressive defense to scrambling defense, Rasch noted that "things change quickly in cycling." His comments apply to the entire weekend, and Sunday's Kuhne Brussel Kuhne will be the perfect opportunity to right Saturday's wrongs.

"Tomorrow is a different day," he said. We have to look at the positives and move on."