Five riders created a gap of more than eight minutes on the peloton. Just after the Molenberg, debutant Olav Kooij managed to cross over to this leading group, and then coloured the race for a while. In the final a big group remained, in which Roosen, Eenkhoorn and Van Hooydonck were represented on behalf of Team Jumbo-Visma.

When the trio had to brake due to a crash, the plan to sprint with Eenkhoorn was no longer successful. According to Roosen, the trio should have been better positioned with regards to the final sprint: “In retrospect, we should have moved earlier. We were now in the middle of the crash and had nowhere to go. Fortunately we did not fall, but this is a missed opportunity. Pascal has fast legs and if you are well placed at the end, something is always possible. He felt good too, so we pulled his card. We should have just been better placed.”

The young debutant Kooij was in the front of the race just before the final by riding in the first group. “I counterattacked with a Movistar rider, after which we made the crossing towards the early breakaway. We passed the Molenberg, after which a group of strong riders joined. On the Berendries the lights went out and my legs no longer wanted to race anymore. I ended up in the chasing group, where I tried to help my teammates towards the Muur van Geraardsbergen. After that my race was actually over. I am happy with my role today and the way in which I fulfilled it.”