Gerben Thijssen - “It's fantastic to win and beat such a champion"

The GP Jean-Pierre Monseré was an eventful day, with the race ending in a photo finish. Caleb Ewan was initially announced as the winner, but the decision was overturned after a review, and Gerben Thijssen was declared the new victor.

Following his visit to the winner's tent, Caleb Ewan had already given an interview, but shortly thereafter, he received news of the change in results. While this development was not ideal for Ewan, it proved to be a momentous occasion for the Belgian rider. “It's fantastic to win and beat such a champion,” Thijssen said in the post-race interview.

He further added, “The UAE Tour was disappointing for me. I was seventh there once and that was mentally difficult. But for today I was confident because I felt good all week. Only winning is something else. It finally worked and I am incredibly happy.”

Following his fourth career victory and first win of the season, he made it a point to thank his teammates for their assistance in achieving the result. “Last year I had already won three times and today the team had a lot of confidence in me. They really go through fire for me. Team manager Dimitri Claeys said I had to sit in Caleb's wheel. I fought hard for that. It is often said that I often lose the lead-out wheel, but today I could really measure myself in the sprint,” concluded the Belgian.