Kenny Dehaes has took his second victory of the season today by winning Nokere Koerse. Dehaes was just a tad faster than Tom Van Asbroeck and Nacer Bouhanni on the cobbles of Nokereberg.

 

After winning the Ronde van Drenthe past weekend, Dehaes continues to show his good condition. It's already the eighth victory of the year for Lotto Belisol.

 

The 69th edition of Nokere Koerse was animated by seventeen riders, among them Tosh Van der Sande and Dennis Vanendert. The big front group got up to two and a half minutes lead on a chasing peloton and was reduced bit by bit. Before entering the last lap Van der Sande raised the tempo together with Alaphilippe, but they couldn't create a sufficient gap.

 

Steegmans, who was also part of the front group, tried to take off in the last kilometers. Six riders that were left, with Tosh Van der Sande, were only caught in the last kilometer. For Steegmans it was over at 100 meters of the finish line.

 

It was a bunch sprint once again. Last week Dehaes showed he was in a super shape and today he's proven it again. He won in a millimeter sprint before Tom Van Asbroeck and Nacer Bouhanni.

 

"When that big group took off, I didn't expect we would see them back," Dehaes said. "After all, many teams were represented in the front. But I was in a comfortable position because Tosh and Dennis were part of that breakaway.

 

"Before the race we had agreed to set up a sprint train. Because of the nervousness in Nokere it wasn't easy to keep the wheel of a teammate, but Jonas Van Genechten dropped me off perfectly in the wheel of Napolitano.

 

"It was an exciting finish. My front wheel bounced just before the finish line. Afterwards there was some doubt about who had won, but the photo finish made that clear.

 

"We had the early break with Tosh Van Der Sande and Dennis Vanendert. For me, the race could not have gone any better. "The young men in the team did their work in the finale. Sometimes I still have to shout to correct their mistakes, but it becomes less necessary.

 

"Also here in the finishing straight when we started the sprint in the middle of the road. The rivals can pass you on both sides but ultimately it went very well and I was delivered perfectly. I had to go all the way to the finish line because it was so close.

 

"The season has been good until now. I already won the Tour of Drenthe and now I was the best in Nokere Koerse. Again today I didn't let my team down.

 

"If I can measure myself against the top sprinters? If I had participated in Tirreno-Adriatico or Paris-Nice no doubt I would always have finished on the fifth or sixth place. I know for myself that I just haven't got enough power in the legs to play along with the world top. When you see that Bouhanni is third here, that proves I definitely have my place in the sub top.  This isn't a WorldTour race but Nokere Koerse is, and remains a nice race to win.

 

"Next week I start in Waregem and Harelbeke as a helper. Then I have to assist Debusschere and Roelandts. After the classics I will slowly build up to the Giro and also the Belgian Championship in Wielsbeke suits me. But let us first enjoy this victory with the team."