The 70th edition of Nokere Koerse – Danilith Classic started for the first time from Deinze u under considerable public interest.. The riders were presented with fresh spring weather and a moderate wind. First, a large loop of 79 kilometers was ridden from Deinze with passages in Oudenaarde, Kaster, Waregem, Wannegem to reach Nokere, where another 8 local laps of 15 kilometers each awaited.

In recent years, the race has always been decided in a mass sprint, and this year was no exception.

In the first hour of the race, 50 kilometers were covered. The peloton remained closed for a long time, but after 52 kilometers, five riders managed to escape for a long breakaway. Three Belgians and two Frenchmen chose to attack: David Boucher (FDJ), Jonas Rickaert (Topsport), Frederik Backaert (Wanty), Dieter Bouvry (Roubaix-Lille Métropole), and Alphonse Vermote (Vastgoedservice). They quickly built a lead of more than four minutes.

Backaert was the first to reach the summit of Nokereberg several times, earning him the mountain prize worth €250.

With 50 kilometers to go, the five escapees were caught up with Roompot leading the chase

Lotto – Soudal now controlled the peloton in service of their sprinters De Haes and Boeckmans.

Only two laps before the end did a new breakaway form: Dylan Teuns (BMC) attacked immediately after Nokereberg and was joined by Stef Van Zummeren (Veranda’s Willems), the Norwegian Vegard Längen (Team Joker), and the Dutchman Rick Ottema (Colba-Superano Ham). The quartet rode one local lap half a minute ahead of the peloton, but it did not let them go. It was no surprise that the four were reeled in 12 kilometers before the finish.

After that, Lotto-Soudal (for Dehaes and Boeckmans), Wanty (for Roy Jans), and Etixx-Quick Step kept things closed, and no one could break away.

It went at a furious pace towards the finish line, resulting in the expected sprint on Nokereberg. Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) was at the front after the last corner but stalled in the final straight.

Kris Boeckmans was ideally led to the front and won the sprint with a large lead over the Frenchman Justin Jules and the Brit Scott Thwaites. He succeeds his teammate Kenny Dehaes on the honor roll. Previously, Boeckmans had come close to victory twice in Nokere Koerse. In 2010, Jens Keukeleire kept him from winning, and in 2012, the Italian Francesco Chicchi was faster.

Boeckmans reacted laconically after the race: ‘Did I win overwhelmingly? That may be, I don’t know what happened behind me. But if I had a big lead, that’s only good for the future. I was well positioned in the last corner, and I immediately felt that with my acceleration, I gained a length on Danny Van Poppel. Then I went full throttle to the finish.’