26/02/2023

Jumbo-Visma complete Opening Weekend domination as Tiesj Benoot and Nathan van Hooydonck one-two Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne

A second tactical masterclass has earned Jumbo-Visma another big win, this time at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne as Tiesj Benoot and Nathan van Hooydonck finished first and second.

A tough classic, there was a quality breakaway going up the road early on in anticipation of an aggressive race. Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché - Circus - Wanty), Lluís Mas (Movistar Team), Daniel Oss (TotalEnergies), Guillaume van Keirsbulck (Bingoal WB), Matthew Gibson (Human Powered Health) and Gilles de Wilde (Team Flandres - Baloise) former the day's move.

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The early hills provided for early attacks, as once again Jumbo-Visma split the peloton and looked to attack several times. It was a brutal passage over the bergs where the breakaway was caught and the head of the race was formed by a new and stronger group: Tiesj Benoot and Nathan van Hooydonck (Jumbo-Visma), Matej Mohoric (Bahrain - Victorious), Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) and van der Hoorn who took advantage of his position.

The quintet quickly began working smoothly, with the gap growing to 1:30 minutes at it's maximum to the reduced peloton, led by Lotto Dstny and Soudal - Quick-Step for De Lie and Jakobsen respectively. The gap came down ever so slightly in the kilometers following the final ascents but it stabilized at over a minute.

It was a complete standstill then as some more riders committed to the chase, but the quintet continued to have the legs to push the pace. With 4 kilometers to go that changed, as Jumbo-Visma began attacking. Van Hooydonck and Mohoric took turns attacking.

Inside the final kilometer Benoot made his move, it was not an explosive attack but he got a crucial gap in sight of the line, and with hesitation behind the Belgian rode to victory. Nathan van Hooydonck sprinted to second place with Matej Mohoric completing the podium. Christophe Laporte further showed the dominance of the Dutch team by winning the sprint back in the peloton.