GettyJan Tratnik cheers
NOS Wielrennen•vandaag, 15:48
Jan Tratnik won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday afternoon. In a direct sprint duel, the Slovenian rider from Visma – Lease a Bike won against the German Nils Politt from UAE.
Twenty kilometers before the finish, the American Matteo Jorgenson, who is in his first season with Visma – Lease a Bike, rode away alone. He seemed to be taking the victory, but about twelve kilometers from the finish a group of five riders swallowed him up.
Eventually Tratnik and Politt were added. They then escaped together and Tratnik was the best in the sprint. Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is seen as the opening of the cycling season.
Wear start
Yearning for a bit of solo riding or for the first cobblestone section, a group of nine riders escaped after ten kilometers. There was one Dutchman, Lars Boven.
It did not make much difference to the peloton, which moved at a somewhat lethargic pace through the Flemish landscape. The big favorites – including Dylan van Baarle, Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin – Deceuninck), Thomas Pidcock (INEOS), Arnaud de Lie (Lotto Dstny) and Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal – Quickstep) kept each other in balance.
kThe race through the north of Flanders started slowly
With 130 kilometers to go, the pace suddenly increased. The platoon immediately broke into pieces. Behind the nine leaders, a group of 23 riders emerged including Van Aert, De Lie and Philipsen.
Those big names had no pity for the last escapees and entered the decisive part of the race in a company of 27 riders in total.
Relations were further strained on the Wolvenberg. Visma riders Van Aert, Christophe Laporte and Jorgenson, teammates at Visma – Lease a Bike, tormented the leading group.
Jorgenson escapes
They took turns starting until there were only six riders left at the front. Van Aert, Laporte, Jorgenson, De Lie, Pidcock and Skujins set course together towards the famous ‘Muur’.
But before the leading group of six arrived, Jorgenson simply squeaked out. The Wall gave him wings and victory seemed within reach for the American.
GettyMatteo Jorgenson drives away from the leading group
Jorgenson drove towards Ninove with increasing ease, until the air suddenly disappeared from his body on the way to the Bosberg. The five behind him smelled blood, accelerated and overtook him 13 kilometers before the end.
Led by Tim Wellens, ten other riders also joined the group of six. Tratnik and Politt surprised by jumping out of there again.
Those two kept their pursuers at bay. Tratnik was too fast for Politt in the sprint.
2024-02-24 14:48:42
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