Team LottoNL-Jumbo again suffered a blow. Tom Van Asbroeck went down on Wednesday in the final two kilometres of the Scheldepijs one-day race in Schoten, Belgium.
 
Alexander Kristoff of Katusha claimed another first place after his victory in the Ronde van Vlaanderen on Sunday.
 
The 24-year-old Van Asbroeck moved up to the front just before his crash.
 
“I was in Kristoff's wheel when Andrea Guardini passed me on the left side. Someone else overtook me on the other side, on the right afterwards. I got boxed in and couldn’t get out. Guardini was the first who went down and he took me down with him.
 
“Hopefully, it’s not as bad as last time. We will see how it goes the next few days.”
 
Van Asbroeck fell in March during the Three Days of West Flanders. He suffered a hip and back injury in that crash.
 
Vanmarcke avoids crash
Sep Vanmarcke managed to avoid the crash. “During the last laps I was constantly near Tom. I wanted to help him, as he always helps me. In the last lap, I opted to keep safe as every year there are crashes on the final straight. With Paris-Roubaix coming up, I didn’t want to take any chances.”
 
Team spirit
Sports Director Merijn Zeeman was left with a bitter aftertaste. “I’m pleased with how we did along the way, but in the Scheldeprijs it’s all about the final kilometre,” said Zeeman. “Tom sat perfectly in Kristoff’s wheel. A top result would have been possible had he not crashed.
 
“The men who will ride Roubaix did their work perfectly. It’s nice to see Sep Vanmarcke use this race to help his teammates. That says everything about the spirit within the team.”