The stage from Camaiore to Follonica followed the typical pattern of a sprinter’s stage. It wasn’t until the closing kilometers that the pace in the peloton really picked up. Kooij initially seemed positioned too far back, but thanks in part to excellent work from Daniel McLay, he managed to move up to the front.

Heading into the final straight, Kooij found himself slightly out of position. The 23-year-old from Numansdorp gave it everything he had but ultimately had to settle for fourth place. The victory went to home rider Jonathan Milan.

“As a sprinter, I’m obviously not here for fourth place”, Kooij said bluntly after the finish. “The team controlled the race all day, which was the plan, and they did it well. We knew the final corner would be crucial. In the end, I wasn’t in the position I wanted to be, and from there, it was hard to move up. There are more chances coming up this week, and I’ll grab them with both hands.”

Sports director Marc Reef echoed Kooij’s words. “Of course, we were aiming for the win today, so we can’t be satisfied with fourth place. It was a hectic final, but as a team, we did a lot of things right. Daniel did a great job a few times moving Olav up the bunch. We knew the last corner would be decisive. In the end, Olav wasn’t on Milan’s wheel there. But there are more opportunities ahead this week”, Reef concluded.