For the first time in a decade, a bunch sprint did not decide about the outcome of the BEMER Cyclassics (1.UWT). A group of five strong riders, among whom Quinten Hermans, managed to resist to the peloton after an attack on the third and last passage on the Waseberg (1 km at 7%) with its top 15 kilometer before the finish.
The second of Liège-Bastogne-Liège earlier this season acquired a new World Tour podium by taking third place in a sprint with five riders. Nine seconds later Alexander Kristoff finished tenth in the peloton, achieving his fourth top ten in four races since the Tour de France.
« This is my fourth World Tour podium of the season, I'm happy about my performance. The races of the highest level are the ones which suit me most, because generally they're more controlled and predictable. Today, for example, I expected an acceleration of Wout Van Aert in the final. On Friday during our training together he told me that he would benefit from a hard race and I noticed that he didn't have any teammates left. His attack on the final climb was very hard, so we immediately had a nice gap. On top of the climb we were a group of five and we managed to continue our effort, working well together until the final hectometers. I feel like I made the right decisions today. Also in the sprint, when I chose Marco Haller's slipstream. I dug deep to get next to him, until my legs shut up. Of course I would have preferred to win, but this is a nice result for the team so I'm satisfied. I'm now traveling to Livigno to prepare a nice programme with Italian end of the season classics. »
