When Roger Swerts developed a new professional team last fall and winter, he did so with appropriate sobriety, typical of someone from Limburg. – Look at our budget, he said. Two riders, Bogaert and Jacobs, are paid decently, the rest have to make do with a minimum.

The team’s composition was accordingly: mainly very young professionals who still have everything to learn and helpers who couldn’t find a master elsewhere. Overall ambition: to add a few non-kermesse races to the record. Jan Bogaert was the man who had to deliver them. However, the Temsenaar got off to a particularly difficult start in recent months. He didn’t necessarily have to win a major classic, but join in the dance, parade for a few minutes in front of the television cameras, that’s what the sponsor was counting on. However, the top races of April passed Bogaert by completely. This is in contrast to last year, when Jan had a say in the debates in the Tour of Flanders and in Gent-Wevelgem.

A week ago, things went completely wrong in Wasmuel. With three representatives in the leading group, the Dries boys went into the final: Eddy De Bie, Etienne De Beule and leader Bogaert. If they don’t win now, it will never happen, said a representative of the employer. Knetemann won solo, Bogaert finished fifth.

Did yesterday’s race in Nokere bring a turning point? A kermesse race? Something to pass by carelessly on the ladder of appreciation? Come on, we’ve seen other performances in recent weeks. The typical atmosphere of the races around the church tower will probably have to wait a little longer. The boys who make it their main goal are up to par, the professionals with classic ambitions gladly take an extra race day in anticipation of the Gold Race, Frankfurt, Zurich. In Nokere, it translated into one hell of a race. After one hour, 45 kilometers had been covered. Also, check out the average speed of the winner Bogaert: proof that the pace never dropped from the ranks.

Bogaert therefore provided the Swerts boys with their first success of the season. By overtaking Patrick Verluys in a suspenseful final – the vanguard of the fragmented peloton repeatedly came back to within striking distance of the seven escapees without being able to reel them in. Until about three kilometers from the end, Schipper, Stevens, Van de Wiele, Tackaert (who kicked his toe clip to pieces in the last kilometers) and Wayenberg also lingered alongside Bogaert.

– Suppose they start attacking again, then I might miss out again, the winner explained his behavior and that would probably have been too much of a “good thing.”

Paul De Keyser

Result: 106 professional cyclists

1. Jan BOGAERT (Temse) the 147 km in 3h 23min (avg. 43.448 km/h)
2. Patrick Versluys
3. Eric Stevens at 10sec
4. William Tackaert
5. Eric Van de Wiele
6. Dominique Turcksin at 17sec
7. Jos Schipper (Nl)
8. Walter Schoonjans at 25sec
9. Louis Luyten
10. Eric Vanderaerden
11. Marcel Laurens
12. Dirk Heirweg
13. Jos Jacobs
14. Marc Dierickx
15. Patrick Deneut
16. Rudi Matthijs
17. Ludo Schurgers
18. Alain Desaever
19. Jan Van Houwelingen (Nl)
20. Cees Priem (Nl)
21. Guy Nulens
22. Rudi Dhaenens
23. Wies Van Dongen (Nl)
24. Paul Sherwen (Gb)
25. Jos Lammertink (Nl)
26. Theo De Rooy (Nl)
27. Willy Teirlinck
28. Jan Van Camp
29. Rudi Colman
30. Frans Van Vlierberghe

Jan Bogaert (Temse, 3 December 1957) is a former Belgian cyclist. He was a professional cyclist between 1980 and 1995.

Eric Vanderaerden