Brit Jed Smithson wins Danilith Nokere Koerse MJ!

25 teams took the start in Deinze. Our top national teams competed against a good part of the European junior top. Outgoing winner Jarno Widar had previously won Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne by force, and was therefore a logical favourite. But the competition was no slouch... Fresh weather with spring sunshine; it was pleasant racing weather. The course did its job; the succession of cobbled sections and slopes created a shuffle in the peloton. But those who remained did so in a compact group for a very long time.

It was only on the last lap that a group of six; 2 Belgians, 3 Brits and a Slovenian were able to make the difference. And even in that breakaway group there was hard racing. The leading group fell apart. In the end, only Lars Vanden Heede and Jed Smithson were able to stay out of the grip of the oncoming peloton. Vanden Heede, who had already done a lot of work, had to acknowledge his superiority to the Brit in the sprint.

That resulted in a nice international podium with Smithson in first place, Vanden Heede in second and Slovenian Erzen Zak in third. The latter won the bunch sprint overwhelmingly.

The first CAPS Mountain prize went to Dutchman Camiel Klignet!