The 105th edition of the race with start and finish in Koolskamp consisted of thirteen rounds of fifteen kilometres each. On the almost flat course seven riders got away early in the race. Team Jumbo-Visma took the initiative in the peloton and, together with the other sprinters teams, made sure the leaders stayed within reach. At a good ten kilometres from the line, the aspirations of the escapees were dashed.

In the hectic final, Nathan Van Hooydonck, Timo Roosen and Olav Kooij ensured that Groenewegen was in good position to start the sprint. In the last few hundred metres, Groenewegen developed a high speed, but the former winner of the Championship of Flanders lost out against Philipsen.

“I’m happy with this second place”, Groenewegen acknowledged. “The last four weeks I have felt very weak. In the Benelux Tour it didn’t work out. The past week the good feeling came back on the training. Today’s second place is a confirmation of that. I enjoyed my sprint against Jasper. He is the deserved winner of today. It’s a shame that I’m not one step higher on the podium, but there can only be one winner. In the end, I was just a little too far behind, so I fell short at the end. I’m glad the good legs are back. With these I can move forward to the next races”, a motivated Groenewegen concluded.