Cramps in the final sprint the pebble in the shoe for Oliver Naesen at Tour of Flanders: "I felt like one of the best of the favourites, but Mathieu (Van der Poel) was already in front"

Oliver Naesen had a superb return to his very best form at the Tour of Flanders, thriving in the cobbled ascents. The Belgian was seventh on the day finishing in the chasing group, but still hoped for more after he suffered from cramps in the final sprint.

"The team put in a fine performance with Damien (Touzé) in the early breakaway. I then joined him in the group of favourites and he did a great job for me, while Dries (De Bondt) also positioned me well at the foot of the second ascent of the Kwaremont," Naesen said in a press release issued by the team. "From then on, I felt like one of the best of the favourites, but Mathieu (Van der Poel) was already in front." The Belgian was only an outsider on the day, but in the rainy and brutal conditions thrived on the climbs, riding at the level he's shown in previous years.

"I had exceptional legs today, so I'm very happy with the result," he says, having returned to the Top10 of a monument 4 years after. With Alberto Bettiol and Dylan Teuns caught in the final sprint, the Belgian was in the fight for the podium. "I gave a lot to try and get out of the chasing group, but I obviously paid for it a bit at the finish with cramps in the final sprint, so that's the small disappointment of the day."

However this is a a great result for the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team rider, who is still having Paris-Roubaix next week as a race where he can fight for the podium once again; where he hasn't actually finished in the Top10. "Throughout the race, I told myself that between two and five would be my place, and at the finish it was seven... Not far off!"