"I think everyone who was in the first group had a great time" - Olav Kooij enjoys day on home roads marked by echelons despite runner-up result

Olav Kooij had to settle for second place on Wednesday. The Dutch sprinter from Jumbo-Visma raced with his team all day, but ultimately saw Jasper Philipsen take the victory flowers in the Visit Friesland Elfstedenrace.

The Dutchman commented the race in a press release afterwards. "This was a typical echelons course. When the wind has free rein, you can race very nicely in the Netherlands. I think everyone who was in the first group had a great time. I immediately felt that we had a good chance of success with this group. Then it was a matter of continuing to work together. I was convinced that we would stay ahead until the finish."

That was indeed the case, but the 21-year-old Kooij could not beat his Belgian counterpart from Alpecin-Deceuninck. "Maybe I could have timed my sprint a little better," said the man who started quite early. "That is of course easy to say afterwards. Jasper ultimately got over me. I think he is the deserved winner of this race. Of course you always strive for profit, but I can live with this result. As a team we did not ride a bad race. It was a beautiful day on the bike," Kooij concludes.

The sprinter, who could not compete for victory in the Münsterland Giro won by Per Strand Hagenes on Tuesday, will travel to China next week for the Tour of Guangxi. In that WorldTour race he concludes his year, in which the victory count currently stands at eleven victories.