The 26-year-old Belgian was our top finisher at this 82nd edition of the famous kermesse.
It was another action-packed day of racing at Gullegem Koerse Tuesday afternoon, when Soudal Quick-Step came to the start with two World Tour riders and five from our feeder squad.
The first attacks came on the opening lap, but the peloton bridged across and kept the race together for the next couple of kilometers, before another group went clear. Things changed constantly, until a four-man group finally broke away in the final part of the course and managed to hold off the chasers by around half a minute.
Soudal Quick-Step had four riders at one point in the chasing group, and they worked well there to reduce the gap. Eventually, Stan Van Tricht - winner of the event in 2001 - took eighth place after producing a strong sprint from the first group that concluded behind winner Matys Grisel (Lotto Intermarche), who took the victory.
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
