Arnaud Démare wins Brussels Cycling Classic with a late sprint: "Maybe I was a little too patient"

Arnaud Démare boosts his confidence ahead of Tour de France as the Groupama - FDJ riders sprints to a victory at Brussel Cycling Classic. The fast Frenchman joined the early move with about 70km to go which narrowly held on at some points of the race. In the final sprint Démare was able to pass Tobias Lund Andresen in ultimate meters.

“The race is now even more difficult. I knew Paris-Brussels from my first professional years, but it is now more difficult with the double climb of the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg. It was a tough day and that suits me well,” said Démare in conversation with DirectVélo. He held up well in the hill zone and ended up in a group of about 20 men who were going to fight for the victory.

“In the final I was still afraid of attacks from the group, but there were fewer than expected. That was nice, because it would be difficult to control,” he looks back.

Démare came late into the sprint. “I knew I had to be patient and I did well. But maybe I was a little too patient. It was close, but I got past everyone,” he laughs about his victory.