The first major event of the season for juniors in Flanders. No fewer than 137 young people lined up at the start of the prestigious opener. After more than three hours of racing, the race ended in a three-way sprint, with Jarno Widar proving to be the strongest. Norway’s Simen Evertsen-Hegreberg finished second, followed by Slovenia’s Grega Podlesnik.

The race started calmly, although the nervousness was palpable from the start. Widar deliberately chose to ride at the back to avoid the biggest risks, but that turned out differently than hoped. A crash blocked the entire road, causing Widar to lose between half a minute and a full minute on the first group. For a moment, he thought his race was ov

Instead of panicking, he joined a well-functioning group that was setting a brisk pace. This enabled them to return to the peloton. A little later, there was a long period of silence in the pack, but Widar knew that some riders were pushing ahead and therefore decided to take the initiative himself. He was joined by a few other riders and together they quickly caught up with the leading group. On the longer stretches, some of the early breakaway riders had to drop back, leaving three riders at the front.

The trio rode well together until one kilometer from the finish, but in the final stretch, their cooperation faltered. Widar decided to keep up the pace, sensing that the peloton was closing in dangerously. In the final meters, Podlesnik made the first move, but Widar felt he still had reserves. He powered ahead, while Evertsen-Hegreberg made a last-ditch attempt to catch him. However, Widar held on until the finish line.

With this victory, Jarno Widar immediately demonstrates his strong form and makes a solid first impression on the new season.