Once again, Saxo-Tinkoff’s Christopher Juul-Jensen was on the spot and participated in the long-lasting breakaway during today’s Kampioenschap van Vlaandern over 182 kilometers as the peloton took on 15 laps on a circuit of approximately 12 kilometers.
In companionship with Bart Declercq (Lotto-Belisol), Pim Ligthart (Vacansoleil) and Floris Smeyers (Verandas Willems), Juul-Jensen worked up a lead of 3 minutes before Argos-Shimano started their engines and began reeling the quartet back in. But the Danish Saxo-Tinkoff rider didn’t want to be swept up that easily and with 10 kilometers to go, he eloped the front group to make a brave solo ride for the finish line.
But the neutralization was unavoidable and the race was decided in a raging bunch sprint where Jens Debusschere (Lotto-Belisol) took the win while Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Johnny Cantwell took fourth place:
“Chris (Juul-Jensen) did a tenaciously good effort out there riding solo entering the final lap and he wasn’t caught until the final 6 kilometers, then our boys were well-organized in the bunch and the boys put Johnny in a good position for the sprint where he crossed the finish line fourth. It was a good effort from the whole team today and I hope they’ll have the same stamina and motivation this Sunday,” said Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Steven De Jongh.