A tough day for the Wolfpack in Belgium, but our riders kept fighting and giving their best until the very end.
Jasper Stuyven was Soudal Quick-Step’s top finisher in Sunday’s In Flanders Fields - From Middelkerke to Wevelgem, just like in Milano-Sanremo and E3 Saxo Classic. The Belgian was one of the first big names to make a move on one of the first important parts of the race, the always tricky plugstreets.
With more than 80 kilometers to go, Stuyven put down the hammer and stretched out the peloton, in an attempt to open a gap and shake things up a bit, and even after the others responded, he tried again and made a selection just as the bunch was preparing for the hilly section of the race.
Sadly, luck wasn’t on our team’s side at this 88th edition, as Laurenz Rex had to abandon after being involved in a crash in the first part of the day, while Paul Magnier needed a bike change with more than 70 kilometers to go, and later, on the final ascent of the Kemmelberg, he had to let go of any hopes of victory after his chain dropped.
Despite these setbacks, the 21-year-old Frenchman found a silver lining at the end of the race: “It wasn’t my day. I had a flat tire on the plugstreets and had to take Bert’s bike, then I needed to get my second bike and lost a lot of energy there. I still made it back ahead of the final time up the Kemmelberg and was in a good position, but my chain dropped just at the top and in that moment my race was over. It’s a pity, because I felt good and the team did an excellent job, but it is as it is. I hope luck will be on my side on Wednesday, when I’ll take on Dwars door Vlaanderen with a lot of confidence knowing that I had strong legs here.”
Even in these circumstances, the Wolfpack remained prominent, and Stuyven sprinted to tenth place in Wevelgem, after the last attackers of the day were brought back by the reduced bunch with just one kilometer to go.
There were a lot of talks about early echelons, which didn’t happen, but still made everyone nervous.
“Unfortunately, we lost Laurenz, and then had more bad luck on the Kemmelberg. It became complicated to be present in the finale with more riders, but the guys kept fighting and put me in a good position. I missed something on the climbs, but I feel that I keep getting better with every race. A bunch sprint isn’t my strongest point, but I think I made the best out of it and I take a lot of confidence from this weekend”, said Jasper after notching up his 24th top-ten finish in a cobbled Classic and his first in the Soudal Quick-Step jersey.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
