Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team again on the top spot of the podium.
Since the start of the season, William Junior Lecerf has always been there, putting in some truly impressive rides and coming close to victory on several occasions. Third overall at the Tour du Rwanda – where only one second separated him from the win – ninth in Liège–Bastogne–Liège, third in Flèche Ardennaise and eighth at the Girobio were all results that spoke about his remarkable consistency, as well as his talent, the young Belgian always being in the thick of the action once the road began to rise.
Wednesday afternoon, after months of hard work, that first win in the colours of the Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team finally came, at the 143km Course de côte Herbeumont. Putting on the table a leg-sapping parcours boasting sixteen climbs, the one-day race witnessed numerous attacks from the off, but it wasn’t until 40 kilometers to go that a group properly broke clear.
Our feeder squad was there with William and Leander Van Hautegem, and the four-man group they were part of worked really well together, taking their maximum advantage to two minutes. On the final hill of the day, Côte de Terme, Junior Lecerf got out of the saddle and zipped away, a move that turned out to be the winning one, as the 20-year-old Belgian arrived at the finish more than one minute clear, giving him plenty of time to savour his maiden victory of the season.
“We were on the attack from the very beginning. Once I found myself at the front, I worked hard with Leander and the other two guys to increase our margin, and when it hit two minutes, I was confident we wouldn’t get caught anymore. I had good legs and a good feeling, so I attacked on the last climb and went solo in the final ten kilometers. This win makes me very happy, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Leander, whom I want to thank”, William said after delivering Soudal Quick-Step’s 16th victory since the start of the year.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
William Junior Lecerf 