During the first classic of the season, Team Jumbo-Visma showed themselves well in the front of the race. Taco van der Hoorn and Mike Teunissen were in a leading group after which Danny van Poppel and Wout van Aert forced the decisive breakaway on the Molenberg. Van Aert then went along with the best for a long time, but had to give in on the Muur van Geraardsbergen.

Mike Teunissen rode a very strong race but ultimately didn’t get rewarded for his efforts due to a crash on the Paddestraat.

Van Aert was not unhappy. “I did not have my best day today, but it certainly was not too bad either in my first race of the season. I still was able to finish in the group that sprinted for sixth place. It is not easy to immediately be at your best in your first race, but the fact that I could hold on to the better classic riders gives me confidence for the coming weeks. I had a difficult moment on the Berendries, but I was able to come back in the front group”, Van Aert said. “The Muur was just too much. The team rode a very strong race. We never rode defensively. It proves that we have a strong team for this kind of races. The crash of Mike is a pity, otherwise we would have had three riders in the front.”