The Ster ZLM Toer is a five-day stage race in the Netherlands with one stage taking place in Belgium. Wanty-Groupe Gobert took the start with Bjorn Leukemans, Frederik Veuchelen, James Vanlandschoot, Danilo Napolitano, Roy Jans, Tim De Troyer, Tom Devriendt and Jan Ghyselinck.

The prologue in Goes of 6,4 kilometres was completely flat. Jan Ghyselinck came in 30th but had hoped for a little bit more.

“If I ride only 8 seconds faster I end up in the top ten of the day. Unfortunately I didn’t have a very good day,” he commented.

Following the prologue two flat stages proved that André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) has found his Tour de France shape. Wanty-Groupe Gobert completely missed the first echelon in the first stage and therefore couldn’t go for a result in the sprint. On day three to Buchten Roy Jans just finished outside the top ten.

The stage which finished on the dam of La Gileppe was won by LottoNL-Jumbo’s Moreno Hofland with Bjorn Leukemans coming in ninth. In the last, flat stage to Boxtel both Danilo Napolitano and Roy Jans finished inside the top ten: 8th and 10th respectively.

Wanty-Groupe Gobert finished the race with only four riders. Tom Devriendt, Tim De Troyer and James Vanlandschoot suffered stomach problems while Frederik Veuchelen injured his knee.

“This most certainly wasn’t our best race of the year,” sports director Steven De Neef says realistically. “With three riders ill and one injured, it’s bad luck. Bjorn Leukemans was really good in the stage to La Gileppe. He rode it to win it. He attacked in the final but eventually came in ninth. In the last stage the sprint was a rough one with some skirmishes involving Roy. Napo tried to save the day but a good result wasn’t possible anymore,” De Neef concludes.