Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Kevin De Weert finished with the peloton in the bunch sprint finale of the 198km Handzame Classic on Friday. It was a positive experience for the Belgian, as he completed his comeback after a 2013 La Vuelta a Espana Stage 11 crash by finishing his first race since the accident.
"Everything went OK," De Weert said. "I finished in the first group 80 riders. It was not an easy race to start hard like it did. The wind was difficult today. There was a big fight to split up the race, and even attacks, but it came to a sprint in the end. I was a little bit nervous in the morning. I knew there would be a lot of wind. But from the moment you are on the bike you think about the race . A lot of guys came to say hello and to support me. For the people who watched from the side, there was a positive reaction from a lot of them. I have to thank all the fans and everybody, as they were very nice. When I crossed the finish like I understood that I became a rider again It was like a small victory. I will certainly celebrate with my wife who was always with me in this difficult period."
OPQS rider Andrew Fenn was the top finisher at the race, finishing 18th.
The race came back together with 10km to go, but OPQS rider Guillaume Van Keirsbulck went on the attack with about a kilometer to go. He was caught by the peloton determined for a bunch sprint.
Luka Mezgec (Giant-Shimano) won, with Theo Bos (Belkin ProCycling Team) 2nd and Edward Theuns (Topsport-Vlaanderen) 3rd.
