Many teams brought their top sprinter to Nokere, hoping to create another (mass) sprint on Nokereberg. However, teams like UAE Team Emirates and Groupama-FDJ had different plans and tried to make the race as challenging as possible to shake off the sprinters and increase the chances for their classic riders.

It was with that goal in mind that attacks rained down on the various climbs and cobblestone sections of the local circuit. In fact, it was all for nothing, because even Tim Wellens’s last-ditch attack in the final lap was neutralized by the sprinters’ teams.

Once again a sprint on Nokereberg, although a crash in the last kilometer threw a wrench in the works for some riders. This included Tim Merlier himself, who struggled with a chain problem and seemed to have to forget about the victory. However, being as skillful as he is, he managed to react quickly and with a stunning sprint left Fabio Jakobsen and Jasper Philipsen behind. His third consecutive victory was a fact!

Abram Stockman (TDT-Unibet) was invited onto the podium as winner of the CAPS Mountain Prize, seeing his attacking spirit rewarded.