Evenepoel delivers thrilling comeback in Overijse
Remco Evenepoel staged a spectacular comeback. After a 15 km team time trial effort with Wout van Aert, Evenepoel convincingly won the sprint-à-deux. Morgado won the bunch sprint and claimed third place.
Around 1:30 p.m., the final Flemish spring classic for the men got underway. After a local loop in and around Beersel, the peloton headed toward three finishing circuits in Overijse. Right after the start, several riders broke away: Tuur Dens (Team Flanders-Baloise), Jens Reynders (Wagner-Bazin-WB), Joren Bloem (Unibet Tietema Rockets), Adne Holter (Uno-X Mobility), Iuri Leitao (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), and Antonio Jesus Soto (Equipo Kern Pharma) made up the break of the day. After 30 km of racing, they had built up a 2-minute lead.
The peloton kept the breakaway within reach. With 100 km to go, the lead was down to just a minute and a half. The teams of Van Aert (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), and Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) used the calm phase heading into Overijse to move to the front. Young rider Van Mechelen (Bahrain Victorious) launched the first attack on the slope of the Holstheide, signaling the rest of the peloton to raise the tempo. The gap quickly dropped to just 30 seconds.
On the Moskesstraat, Team Visma | Lease a Bike ignited the race. Benoot launched team leader Van Aert with a fierce acceleration, which also spelled the end of the early break. The peloton began to split, but the favorites remained alert. Evenepoel showed he had strong legs and took over. With a double acceleration, he put pressure on the rest. Only Van Aert and Blackmore (Israel - Premier Tech) could follow his wheel. A group with Pidcock, Benoot, and Narvaez (UAE Team Emirates XRG) gave chase but was soon reeled in by the peloton.
With 35 km to go, the leading trio already had a comfortable 50-second gap. On the final climb of the Hertstraat, Blackmore was dropped after another acceleration by Evenepoel. Both on the Moskesstraat and Holstheide, Evenepoel and Van Aert remained evenly matched. In the final 2 km, Van Aert refused to take turns and put all his chips on the sprint. Evenepoel led it out and defended his position with determination. Van Aert had to settle for second place, while Morgado (UAE Team Emirates XRG) won the bunch sprint for third.
