"I just missed that final kick" - Olav Kooij reacts to narrowly missing out on victory at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne
Cycling
After Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne, Olav Kooij spoke to Cycling
Pro Net about his race and how he felt about his second-place finish.
“Yeah, I think we didn't make many mistakes but yeah, it's
always a bit of a pity when you come second.”
When asked about what he felt was missing in the final
sprint, particularly in comparison to the lead-out from Alpecin-Deceuninck,
Kooij responded, “Yeah, I think we did a really good sprint preparation
ourselves.
“I wanted to be in a good position in the corner and yeah,
thanks to the guys, I was there and we did a really good job. And then I was
also in the right wheel, so I just missed that final kick.”
With a strong showing in the race and the ability to survive
the tougher sections, Kooij was asked about his potential in Flemish races
moving forward.
“Yeah, we will see. I mean, yeah, we knew that if it will be
a bigger group to the finish, normally I would be there and yeah, that's also
what suits me. In these races, it will always be a challenge between the
attackers and the sprinters, and yeah, in the sprint scenario, I knew I could
fight for a win.”
Looking ahead, Kooij was asked whether he would feature in
other cobbled classics this season, “Uh, not many, but I'll do some one-day
races.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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