The disappointment over the setback for Dylan Groenewegen was still felt in the team bus of Roompot Orange Peloton before the start of the GP Impanis Van Petegem in Brakel. Fortunately the riders of team leader Erik Breukink turned the frustration into a spirited attack in the Belgain race.
With a long-distance attack, Brian van Goethem was the first on the offensive. He rode in front for 150km alongside De Marchi (BMC), Morice (Europcar) and De la Cruz (Etixx Quick Step). "The form is good and luckily I was able to work in the final kilometers for our sprinter Raymond Kreder," said the winner of the last GP Briek Schotte.
After a late attack from a group with Pim Ligthart, Jesper Asselman started to chase and that created a regrouping of the first peloton of forty riders. "But that was not tactically clever at that time", Asselman regretted. "At that time it was actually up to the WorldTour teams with fast riders to bring back the escapees. I'd better save my strength for the last three kilometers."
Sean de Bie (Lotto-Soudal) managed to stay clear with a late attack. Raymond Kreder still managed to take 8th. "It was a chaotic sprint," Kreder said after the finish. "I think more was possible because I felt really good." Also Van Goethem (32n) and Asselman (38th) managed to finish in the first group.
Tim Kerhof abandoned. After crashing in Koolskamp, he has been struggling with head and neck pain and decided, also in view of his participation in the World U23 Championships, to stop in the feed zone.
Diego PESCADOR 20 years | today |
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