Alongside Verstrynge in that elite chasing group was Mauri Vansevenant. As he crossed the finish line, the pure exhaustion was painted all over his face.
“Everyone was completely dead,” Vansevenant noted bluntly. “It was a sprint of dying swans. Everyone was on the limit at the end, also partly due to the weather. On these roads, the race becomes extra nervous then.”
Jorgenson and Artz crashed hard when trying to follow Evenepoel
The final ascent of the Cauberg is traditionally the perfect launching pad for spectacular late attacks, but this year, the dynamic behind Evenepoel and Skjelmose was one of pure survival. Vansevenant explained that the tactical games completely shut down on the famous climb because not a single rider in the group possessed the necessary power to accelerate.
“I had to sit down on the Cauberg myself, and everyone was just looking at each other. No one had the legs to do anything anymore,” Vansevenant explained regarding the agonizing final kilometers. “I was in a nice group and I showed that my legs were in order. I just came up a bit short for the podium. And with Remco, we indeed have the deserved winner.”