Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) emerged victorious from a three-man front group, pipping Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) in a sprint finish after distancing Soren Kragh Andersen (Team Sunweb) to claim 2020 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
The 199.8-kilometre journey from Gent to Ninove promised to be unpredictable after favourite Mathieu van der Poel withdrew unexpectedly with flu on Thursday.
The iconic Kapelmuur delivered some drive on the day’s second to last climb, with Stuyven and Lampaert powering away from the group. Kragh Andersen gave a solo chase and eventually made it a leading trio with less than 20km to go.
“I told the team that we needed to be in the front all day, and I think the focus from start to finish was excellent; we were always there,” Stuyven said. “And I got to finish it off today. It’s the best victory I’ve had.”
“Steven (de Jongh, director) encouraged me to try on the Muur,” Stuyven said. “I wasn’t feeling the strongest, but I also knew everyone was tired. Once we started the Muur and no one accelerated, I thought I would try to accelerate myself, and we would see what happens at the top – I only looked back at the top, and I think I made a good split.
“After [the Muur] Soren was not really committed, and I was not sure if he was dying or playing a little bit, so it was hard – I didn’t want to do most of the work; I was not sure of the win, that’s for sure.”
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2020 results:
| 1 | Jasper Stuyven (Trek – Segafredo) | 5:03:24 |
| 2 | Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) | ,, |
| 3 | Søren Kragh Andersen (Team Sunweb) | +06” |
| 4 | Matteo Trentin (CCC) | +39” |
| 5 | Tim Declercq (Deceuninck – Quick – Step) | +01’28” |
| 6 | Mike Teunissen (Jumbo – Visma) | ,, |
| 7 | Oliver Naesen (AG2R La Mondiale) | ,, |
| 8 | Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal) | ,, |
| 9 | Stefan Küng (Groupama – FDJ) | ,, |
| 10 | Florian Senechal (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) | ,, |
