For the seventh year in a row, a Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl finished on the podium.
Textielprijs Vichte delivered again, despite the flat and non-technical parcours, attacks coming thick and fast as early as the first lap. British Champion Mark Cavendish instigated the first move of the day and was immediately joined by two more riders, but it proved to be a short-lived breakaway.
The former World Champion kept insisting, and on the second lap another group formed, this time containing more men, including his teammate, Ethan Vernon. Despite their lead hovering around one minute at all times, a strong chasing group pushing behind and some of the riders in the lead getting dropped before the last lap, they remained at the front until the end and Ethan took second place, behind Dries De Bondt (Alpecin-Deceuninck).
Victorious this season, his first in the pro ranks, in a Vuelta a Catalunya stage and most recently at the Tour of Slovakia, where he notched up two wins, Vernon became the first Brit in 21 years to finish on the podium of Textielprijs Vichte.
Photo credit: ©David Ramos / Getty Images
