The month’s first Classic was an action-packed one from the first until the last kilometer.
The final race before Sunday’s De Ronde, Dwars door Vlaanderen made for an insane day in the saddle, thanks to the high speed that the peloton pushed from the very beginning to the many hills and cobblestone stretches that peppered the 184km course and the crosswinds, which made an appearance in the final 70 kilometers, splitting the field and leaving only a small group at the front.
Unfortunately for our team, Paul Magnier crashed with more than 120 kilometers to go, and despite returning to the peloton after getting a new bike, the Frenchman – second last month at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad – had to abandon.
Having been active throughout the day by going on the attack or chasing some important moves that came in the last two hours of his home race, Yves Lampaert concluded as Soudal Quick-Step’s best placed rider, coming over the finish line in Waregem in the top 20, around two minutes behind winner Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), who outsprinted his three breakaway companions after almost four hours in the saddle.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
