“When those guys take off on the Kemmel, you know that the best have left the race"- Olav Kooij on Van Aert's and Laporte's performance in Gent-Wevelgem

The Gent-Wevelgem race on Sunday proved to be a momentous occasion for Jumbo Visma as they tasted success with Christophe Laporte's well-deserved victory, further enhanced by the impressive performance of Olav Kooij, who came in eighth place and added to the team's overall success.

“When those guys take off on the Kemmel, you know that the best have left the race,” he told WielerFlits. He was praising the remarkable display of skill demonstrated by his fellow team members, Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte.

He continues, “When Wout and Christophe are gone, it will be difficult for the other teams to chase. As a result, Nathan and I could wait a bit more.”

Despite being a newcomer to Flemish classic, he did not disappoint, exhibiting a remarkable performance on the tough and demanding course. “We knew it had to be done on the Kemmelberg, because there was little wind. The rain made it very difficult. It's also the faces of the other riders here, this was a tough edition," concludes Kooij.