After Timo Kielich animated the opening stage of the Belgian stage race, Behrens went on the attack today. The German was part of a breakaway alongside Mikkel Bjerg and Michiel Lambrecht, but the gap never grew beyond a minute and a half. The strong winds played a major role, keeping the pace high in the peloton and everyone alert to the possibility of echelons.

With around 80 kilometers to go, Behrens and his breakaway companions were caught, and a nervous peloton entered the finale. Filippo Fiorelli picked up a bonus second at the Green Kilometer and was guided toward the front by his teammates in the closing stages. The Italian was boxed in, however, and ultimately finished eleventh.

"It was a chaotic day", sports director Marc Reef reflected. "Because of a slippery railroad crossing on the course, the race was temporarily neutralized. Shortly after the official restart, Niklas rode away together with Mikkel Bjerg and Michiel Lambrecht. They were caught on the local circuits as the pressure in the peloton increased because of the wind."

"In the finale, the guys tried to position Filippo for the sprint, but it didn’t quite work out. Unfortunately, Filippo got boxed in and wasn’t able to compete for the top spots", Reef said. He was nevertheless pleased to see an aggressive team. "We tried to get involved in the race in several ways and made sure we were represented at the front. Tomorrow, the toughest stage awaits through the Flemish Ardennes. We hope to go for a strong result with Owain and Filippo."