Tim Wellens: "I was thinking about how I could win the race against Wout, but I didn't see many scenarios"

Tim Wellens believes he is not yet in top form, and that is perhaps the best news he could have after the opening weekend, as in the two races he showed great form and was the rider that matched Wout van Aert the best at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne.

“It was a very good race for me. We rode away in the hilly area and then we always kept turning around. I was thinking about how I could win the race against Wout, but I didn't see many scenarios," Wellens told Wielerflits. The Belgian worked with van Aert and Oier Lazkano to build the winning gap and the trio flew through Flanders. A podium spot was assured but Wellens wanted a win, and he played his cards in the end with a smart attack using road furniture. "That side wasn't necessarily faster. On the contrary, I think it was even a little longer. But it was more difficult to sit on the wheel straight away," he commented on the move, which van Aert eventually responded to. 

A sprint was unavoidable at that point, even if Wellens could benefit from an attack from Oier Lazkano. "On the other hand, beating Wout on the flat is not easy. So second was the highest possible. It was a strong headwind. So I knew that I was not allowed to start the sprint first, but now it is not the case that I am stranded on half a wheel," he says. Wellens finished second, as did Nils Politt the day before. “It was a very good weekend for the team, with Nils Pollit finishing second yesterday and me today."

The day before he was the fastest rider up the Muur de Geraardsbergen. The team believes he is still not at his best, and he takes plenty positive signs from the Opening Weekend: "I didn't expect to be in such good shape, because I hadn't trained very intensively. According to my trainer, I'm not in top shape yet, but it certainly felt that way during the race. That gives confidence for what is yet to come.”