With 30 kilometres to go, Van Kerckhove launched his attack. The young Belgian managed to bridge from a select group to the race leaders. On the final lap, he made a well-timed move and was joined by Nicolò Arrighetti. The two worked well together before Van Kerckhove sprinted to victory in strong fashion.
Sports director Robby Cobbaert looked back on the day with pride. “It’s a stage we’ve been talking about for weeks, and to come away with the win is fantastic. After the setbacks we’ve had this week, this means a lot. I’m extremely proud of Matisse and the team, and we’ll do everything we can in the coming days to defend the jersey.”