By coming second in the Belgian race, the 35-year-old notched Etixx – Quick-Step's best result in the 1.1 one-day race.
Coming off from a tough Giro d'Italia, a race in which he supported Gianluca Brambilla and Bob Jungels as well as going in the escape, Pieter Serry showed his condition is still there and made it into the day's break at Ronde van Limburg, together with Rob Ruijgh (Crelan-Vastgoedservice). In his fourth season with Etixx – Quick-Step, Pieter impressed with the strong pulls he did at the front and helped the break open a big gap over the peloton, which at one point made him and Ruijgh believe they can make it until the finish line.
With 40 kilometers remaining, the front duo hada four-minute advantage, but the effort they put in up until that point on the steep hills and tricky cobbled sectors took its toll in the end, as the sprinters' teams were closing in. Inside the final 10 of the 200 kilometers, 27-year-old Serry accelerated and went solo, but the 15 seconds he held weren't enough to prevent the fast charging pack from reeling him in.
As expected, it came down to a massive sprint, and Tom Boonen was up there for Etixx – Quick-Step, finishing second, just behind countryman Kenny Dehaes, but ahead of another Belgian, Timothy Dupont. For Tom, this was his second podium of the season, following the one in Paris-Roubaix, a results which bodes well ahead of the National Championships, scheduled on June 26, on a 231-km long course in Les Lacs de l'Eau d'Heure.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
