Thor Michielsen wins Junior Race after gritty finale

Thor Michielsen (Avia-Rudyco Cycling Team) claimed an impressive victory in the junior edition of Danilith Nokere Koerse on Saturday. In a fiercely contested sprint, he outsprinted British favorite Henry Hobbs and Denmark’s Mikkel Weigelt. Michielsen, who crashed midway through the race and injured his finger, was originally meant to lead out teammate Thibaut Van Damme but ended up taking the win himself.

The race featured numerous breakaway attempts. Vos Coleman (JEGG-Skil-DJR Academy), called up last-minute, was very active both in the break and later in support of teammate Mauro Keppens. Keppens secured the mountain prize but was forced into the grass during the final sprint, losing his shot at the podium.

“It was an extremely tough finale,” said Michielsen, who studies at the Topsportschool in Ghent. “This win means even more to me than taking the overall victory in the Belgian Cup last season.” He now hopes to be selected for prestigious races like E3 Harelbeke and Paris-Roubaix.