Thijs Zonneveld wins his first beach race of the season in Wijk aan Zee: "I felt so good that I knew I could wait until the very end"

Thijs Zonneveld won the beach race in Wijk aan Zee on Sunday. In stormy conditions, the AD journalist was in the end slightly better than Jasper Ockeloen, who had to settle for second place.

One week after his second place after a bizarre final with Tim Merlier in Bredene, Zonneveld finally scored, and was of course pleased with his victory in Wijk aan Zee. "Very nice," he said in the flash interview via the organization's social media. "I think it's a beautiful circuit, with a climb that suits me. I've never won it before, so this is very nice. It's a spectacular race, and with this wind it was quite epic."

"I've said for a long time that straight forward is better for me, but I'm riding so fast this year that it doesn't matter to me," Zonneveld concluded with a big smile on his face. "Even at my old grandpa age of 43, I am still able to improve throughout the year if I do more than I have done in recent years. That is really paying off and I am very happy with that."

The Dutchman soon felt that he was among the best riders in Wijk aan Zee. "It was a series of all kinds of tough obstacles. The wind was quite on the side and we rode with four or five men each time, but because the cooperation was not good, some men kept coming back. I felt so good that I knew I could wait until the very end. It was a real race for the beach specialists, so I am very happy that I can put a check mark behind this."