Breakthrough ride for Quinten Hermans at Liège: "It's really a big surprise, for me too"

Racing for Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux during the road season, cyclocross star Quinten Hermans has had a major breakthrough yesterday at Liège-Bastogne-Liège as he crossed the line in second place, surprising most with his performance.

"It's really a big surprise, for me too. To win this sprint for second place here is incredible. It's great that it's just against Wout Van Aert. I know him very well and everyone knows that he is a good sprinter. But I had a good position and I took the right wheel. I felt that I had more acceleration, that was enough," he said after the finish. Hermans didn't start the race as a favourite, and managed to ride under the radar for most of the race.

He resisted the surge at the Côte de la Roche aux Faucons, however struggled in the final hilltop as he got dropped with the accelerations in the group. It was only in fact with three kilometers to go that he managed to rejoin the chasing group, however he had enough time to regain his breath and head towards the sprint, where he beat Wout van Aert into second place on the road.

"It's an elite group that I was part of. I know that I have fast legs after a difficult race. But everyone in that sprint also knew which wheel they had to keep. It was really taxing. I thought to myself, 'Hold the wheel of Wout, hold the wheel of Wout'. He kept the door open and at the right moment, I was able to put me in the wind," he concluded. The Belgian puncheur is carrying some great form and will ride the Tour de Romandie next week where he will ambition more strong results to complement his spring campaign.