Team Jumbo-Visma took the initiative in the Moeren. As a result, the peloton split into several groups. With Van Aert, Teunissen, Van der Hoorn, Van Poppel and Wynants the team had five guys in the first group of twenty riders. Due to a mechanical problem, Van Poppel and Van der Hoorn dropped out in the front.

Van Aert was very strong in the hills and attacked several times. Eventually, a leading group with Teunissen, Sagan, Trentin, Rowe and Theuns got a gap, but on the way back to Wevelgem they were caught by the peloton as well. A late attempt by Amund Jansen, among others, stranded in the last kilometre.

“We have proved that we are a very good team”, Van Aert said. “We showed initiative and we constantly were in the line of fire. That was very good to see. When we created the echelons, we were represented by five riders. It was a pity that Danny and Taco dropped out, due to bad luck. We tried again as a team in the hill zone, but the long stretch from the Kemmel to the finish was tough due to a strong headwind. The team was very strong, rode as a collective. It is a pity that we did not get rewarded for it. However, this gives confidence to the Tour of Flanders next week.”

“What we showed today as a team was very beautiful”, Teunissen said. “We really animated the race. Fifth is perhaps not the result we had hoped for. But the way we showed ourselves as a team gives us confidence for the future. We were in the front all day long. When I was in the breakaway with Sagan and others, I hoped that we would stay away. Because of the headwind in the final, I knew it would be difficult.”

Sports director Addy Engels agreed with Van Aert and Teunissen. “The way we have ridden today is just fantastic. Gent-Wevelgem is a difficult race to win. It was difficult to play out the advantage of having the majority of the riders in the front. The goal today was to show ourselves in the race, being present in brekaways, covering attacks and, if necessary, control the race. We did that perfectly. We can build on this towards the classics that are yet to come.”