Gerben Thijssen regrets impulsive comment after Bredene Koksijde Classic win - "A stupid statement on my part"

Sprinter Gerben Thijssen expressed regret for his impulsive comments a few days after his fulfilling win in the Bredene Koksijde Classic, stating that his words were not intended to cause harm. He has today signed a new contract with Intermarché-Circus-Wanty following the success over the past weeks.

"A big middle finger to the rest” were his exact words after the rider crossed the finish line, but now, looking back, he thinks differently, "I was very content and very euphoric, and then you sometimes say things that you later regret,” he told on podcast De Tribune.

He continues, "It is a learning process. I get to know the finals, the sprints and the media. It was just a stupid statement on my part. The problem is that I'm too honest.”

With two wins already under his belt this season, his sights are now set on the Classic Brugge-De Panne. "In the UAE Tour, I understood that the level of the top sprinter is even higher. That is my goal, I also want to become a top sprinter. I have the speed and the wattage. Now it's important to take the right action at the right time. It's getting better and better. I am currently making a lot of progress. Hopefully, it will continue like this,” concluded the Belgian rider.