‘I love to get pain in my legs’ – Jonas Abrahamsen conquers Muur Classic Geraardsbergen

“I love to get pain in my legs and going hard. I tried to be in the front all the time and it was very nice to get the win.”

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Mark Donovan (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) chased solo to the finish for second place, while Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto) out-sprinted Lukaš Kubiš (Unibet Tietema Rockets) for the final podium spot.

The 177.8-kilometre race around Geraardsbergen tackled the famous Kapelmuur three times, with numerous other ascents and cobbles along the route.

The early breakaway with Rick Ottema (Diftar Continental), Léandre Huck (Veloce Club Rouen 76) and Alex Vandenbulcke (Tarteletto – Isorex) grew over the first half of the race to five with the addition of Jasper Haest (VolkerWessels Cycling Team) and later Pim Ronhaar (Lidl-Trek).

As the race came to the final 90km, Haest and Vandenbulcke were dropped and caught by the peloton just as a counterattack came from Abrahamsen and Rasmus Tiller (Uno-X Mobility) and Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto) ahead of the fist ascent of the Kapelmuur.

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The move just about came back on the second ascent, as Abrahamsen and Tiller attacked along with Robbe Ghys (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Floris Van Tricht (Israel-Premier Tech Academy), Tomáš Kopecký (Unibet Tietema Rockets), Mark Donovan (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), and Stan Van Tricht (Alpecin-Deceuninck).

They gained a minute or so but the climbs began to bite and Abrahamsen leapt away on the Denderoordberg and the peloton behind, down to only 25 riders or so, reeled in the attackers except for Donovan, who dangled in no-man’s land.

Abrahamsen had 45 seconds with 2km to go and, as the reduced bunch hesitated, he was assured the victory.