In the meantime, the favorites in the peloton also interfered with the race. The lead for Van der Poel & co had meanwhile increased to 1.15 when Kasper Asgreen, John Degenkolb and Jasper Stuyven accelerated. This created an elite group of about fifteen riders in pursuit of the front runners.
Although the lead continued to shrink, the leading group remained ahead. Led by Van der Poel and Narvaez, the leading group narrowed down to five riders with Patrick Gamper and Artyom Zakharov, Jonas Hvideberg as the last riders of the original leading group.
It was the start of a nerve-racking final phase. The group with favorites overtook the leading group at a mile from the finish, after which Pedersen finished the job. Ide Schelling was the best Dutchman in eleventh place.
Afterwards, Van der Poel said in front of the cameras Sporza that he had ‘had a good time’. “I had a good time. The escape was an inspiration. I wanted to make a selection and hoped that a group of favorites would join after the Oude Kwaremont. That didn’t happen. It was certainly not a bad attempt, but we were behind us. still too many couples. “
Recent Comments