Mathieu van der Poel took his first win of the season in Overijse despite another mechanical like the one that cost him the win in Essen. When crossing the line, the Dutch world champion pointed to the knee that has kept him out of competition for most of the season. "That had already been on my mind for a while," van der Poel told Het Nieuwsblad.

"I am very pleased to take this victory. That gesture a la Johan Museeuw? I had been thinking about it for a while. The injury was not so bad, but the recovery was mentally tough. If you can be where I am now, it is a nice reward for all the tough times. And for Museeuw it was much worse. I'm just happy now to be at this level, it is only my fourth race, "said the Dutchman, referring to Musseuw's similar salute when he came back from injury to win Paris-Roubaix.

Van der Poel again had to deal with bad luck like in Essen. 

"It was my chain. It came off. It cost energy to get back to the front front. When I first attacked, I upped the pace and then my chain came off. I thought the race was over. But I got back to the front again and could create a gap again. I had to go very deep, but often thought of Essen. I was fired up to get revenge because it was a pity that I missed out on victory there due to bad luck."