Olav Kooij: "Not the prettiest way to win, but sometimes you need a little luck"

Jumbo-Visma have had a complicated day in the Basque Country, but in France Olav Kooij has had a very successful day as he won the final stage of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe and took alongside that the general classification after a rainy chaotic day.

“It was a nervous day, partly due to the weather conditions. After I had had a minor crash early in the stage, it was good for us that Rick and Lars were part of the breakaways. When the breakaway riders were caught, we looked like we were on our way to a bunch sprint," Kooij said after the stage.

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Olav Kooij wins final Circuit Cycliste Sarthe stage

After a crash in the final kilometers took several stage contenders - including race leader Mads Pedersen who abandoned - Kooij found himself in front. He worked together with Xandro Meurisse, and then beat the Alpecin-Fenix rider in the final sprint at the end of a rainy day.

That turned out differently due to a huge crash. Not the prettiest way to win, but sometimes you need a little luck," he concluded. It surely wasn't the scenario the young Dutchman had thought of last morning, but he has taken the first overall classification of his pro career. He was in the right place and the right time this week, and due to that has taken massive success against respectable competition.