During the E3 Prijs Harelbeke today in Belgium, Team LottoNL-Jumbo dealt with some bad luck. Leader Lars Boom punctured his tyre just like his team-mate Twan Castelijns. Jos van Emden crashed. At front, though, Belgian Gijs van Hoecke fought in the leading group, which produced winner Greg van Avermaet.

"It is nice to be in the front group but I'm disappointed that I was not rewarded," said van Hoecke.

"It seemed like everyone wanted to be in the leading group, it was 90 kilometres before a group went. I often tried with my team-mates and I finally made the break. It's great to ride in the front on the famous Flemish roads.

"In the final, a group with Van Avermaet and Gilbert joined us, and you know they will stay ahead. When we heard that they were coming, we slowed down to save some energy to hook up. Eventually, they still rode too fast and nobody could follow. It sucks for me that I was also dropped from the chasing group because I could not follow on the final climb of the day. If I had succeeded, I might be able to sprint for a nice place. "

Bad luck for Team LottoNL-Jumbo

"It took a long time before a group rode away," said Sports Director Jan Boven. “It was 80 kilometres of war to get in the escape. If you were there then you spent a lot of energy. Eventually Van Hoecke was there, and that was his goal today. "

Even though Gijs van Hoecke rode in front, the team had much bad luck.

"It was chaotic behind the leading group," said Boven. "Twan Castelijns punctured while he was well-placed in the race. Lars Boom also suffered in a bad moment and Jos van Emden was involved in a crash. The peloton broke up and then 18 men rode away. Jos still came back, but finally suffered on the Paterberg. And then it gets tricky if you are not one of the strongest."