The Belgian showed the Soudal Quick-Step colors as he produced an admirable effort on the punishing cobbles and bergs of the season’s second Monument.
Jasper Stuyven continued his solid Classics campaign at the 110th Ronde van Vlaanderen, which this year took in 278.2 kilometers and 16 climbs. The fifth-longest edition of the legendary one-day race got underway from Antwerp and concluded in Oudenaarde, where the soon-to-be 34-year-old Belgian finished a remarkable sixth for his 12th top-ten in a Monument.
Molenberg was one of the real difficulties of this long day, and also the place where the race was blown apart and the peloton got ripped to pieces after a big acceleration at the front of the already stretched out bunch. Stuyven didn’t miss a beat and quickly booked a spot in the strong group that formed and pushed clear, setting out in pursuit of the original breakaway.
Shortly thereafter, rain began falling, but that didn’t stop this group of big hitters from padding their advantage to more than half a minute, in the process catching the leaders with 80 kilometers to go. The second time up the Oude Kwaremont, a brutal acceleration narrowed down the newly-formed move to just three riders. Behind, Jasper did his best to limit the damage and went over the summit of this legendary hill as one of the eight riders in the chasing group that soon became clear would fight for the remaining places in the top ten.
Bad luck hit the experienced Belgian on the descent off the Koppenberg, where a rider crashed just in front of him; Stuyven couldn’t avoid him and he too hit the deck, but quickly got himself up and continued the race. Part of a trio that arrived at the finish after holding onto their gap over the chasers on the last ascent of the Paterberg, Jasper proved to be the fastest on the long finishing stretch and took sixth for his second Monument top ten of the season.
I am happy with the way I raced today and with this result I got.
“It’s a pity that I crashed in the final 40 kilometers when that guy in front of me went into the ditch. Initially, I thought that my race was over, but despite this setback, I kept believing and giving everything I had. I felt good towards the finish and took a lot of heart from the fact others began losing contact with us. We can be content with our race, it was a good day for our team, and this makes us even more confident for next Sunday”, Jasper explained after the finish.
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