“I’m extremely happy with this win,” Van Kerckhove said with a big smile. “It was an incredibly hot and tough day. As a team we rode attentively and stayed active in the final. I had great legs and felt really strong. It’s very special to win with my family here. I will do everything I can to defend the leader’s jersey in the coming stages.”

In stage five of the Giro Next Gen, the Dutch formation was alert from the start. On the local laps, featuring the climb of Monte di Procida, Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development rode near the front of the peloton.

With 30 kilometres to go, Van Kerckhove launched his attack. The young Belgian managed to bridge from a select group to the race leaders. On the final lap, he made a well-timed move and was joined by Nicolò Arrighetti. The two worked well together before Van Kerckhove sprinted to victory in strong fashion.

Sports director Robby Cobbaert looked back on the day with pride. “It’s a stage we’ve been talking about for weeks, and to come away with the win is fantastic. After the setbacks we’ve had this week, this means a lot. I’m extremely proud of Matisse and the team, and we’ll do everything we can in the coming days to defend the jersey.”