Overnight Kris Boeckmans won the second stage of the World Ports Classic, from Antwerp to Rotterdam, he was also the best overall. That means he has eight victories so far this season.
Jetse Bol was the last escapee to be reeled in. A bunch sprint was coming up, but there was a crash in the last kilometres. Jens Debusschere was one of the riders involved, but he has no injuries. A small group got in front. The Lotto Soudal riders led teammate Kris Boeckmans to the victory. He beat Danilo Napolitano and Alessandro Bazzana. The Belgian also won the points classification and Lotto Soudal was the best team. With Tiesj Benoot a second Lotto Soudal rider finished in the top ten of the overall standings, he was sixth at fifteen seconds.
Kris Boeckmans: “Fifteen kilometres after the official start we had the first intermediate sprint. It was my goal to win it and move closer to Andrea Guardini who led the GC. I was third at six seconds before the stage. I won the sprint, Guardini got third and that way I came two seconds closer. Then we let go of a breakaway. Among other Thomas De Gendt helped to chase later in the stage.”
“I had a flat tyre in the finale, but could soon take back my place in the front of the bunch. With four kilometres to go there was a crash and Guardini got held up after he had had a puncture as well. It was over for him. It was only a small group that was in front. Tiesj Benoot, Marcel Sieberg, Jürgen Roelandts and I were in it. Jens Debusschere would have been our sprinter for today, but he had crashed, so it was up to me. The guys did a perfect job. I waited long enough, started sprinting with 150 metres to go and won. I have eight victories at this moment, that’s wonderful.”
