Second place went to Danish rider Anders Foldager of Team Jayco-AlUla, while Kim Heiduk impressed again in third for the Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team. New Zealander Ben Oliver finished fourth in the colours of Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, further confirming his consistency on rolling terrain.
Behind them came Milan Menten and Liam Slock for Lotto-Intermarché, along with Joppe Heremans, Niels Vandeputte, and two Movistar Team riders who were again highly competitive: Natnael Tesfatsion and Carlos Canal, ninth and tenth respectively.
Tesfatsion’s presence in the front group also underlines the Eritrean’s fine form after his recent podium in Dunkerque, while Movistar Team continues to stack solid performances at this point of the European calendar. Stage 1 of the Tour de Wallonie made it clear the general classification fight is wide open and that Belgium’s short, sharp walls will again play a decisive role all week.