After a fast start, five riders broke away from the peloton. Team Jumbo-Visma was involved in the chase and helped to catch the lead group. On the narrow roads around Ardooie, Kooij was brought to the front by his teammates just in time, but a crash just in front of him seemed to throw a spanner in the works. Kooij had to start his sprint in a beaten position but still worked his way up to third place.

"The crash happened just before a crucial corner, and unfortunately, I was behind it”, Kooij said. "Then you know it's going to be tough. But there was a slight headwind, so I was still hoping to get to the front from further back. Luckily, I had enough space, but winning was out of the question. My feeling in the sprint was good. There will probably be another chance in the fourth stage. In any case, it's nice to sprint in such a strong field.”