The Belgian was caught by the peloton less than four kilometers from the finish.
Rain decided to accompany the peloton again for the 22nd edition of Gooikse Pijl, which travelled from Roosdaal to Strijland, over an undulating 195.8km course that favoured the sprinters. Unfortunately, Tim Merlier wasn’t among them due to sickness, but that didn’t stop Soudal Quick-Step from playing an important role on Sunday.
After a fast and eventful first hour of racing, a breakaway finally formed, and when it happened, Gil Gelders was there for our team. The Belgian and his three companions worked well together, and despite not taking their advantage north of three minutes, they really put the chasers under pressure. On the penultimate lap, Gelders and Fabio Van den Bossche (Alpecin-Deceuninck) zipped away from the others and entered the final ten kilometers of the race more than 20 seconds clear of the peloton.
It took the joint efforts of several teams to bring them back, with the catch being made only inside the last four kilometers. The sprint was a hectic one, and Oded Kugut (Israel-Premier Tech) prevailed, while Jordi Warlop concluded in a strong 12th place.
“My feeling at the start wasn’t that good, but once the race got underway, I started feeling better and better and joined the breakaway, which was a strong one. We really believed in our chances and with a bit of luck we could have made it all the way today, especially as the weather conditions were perfect for us. It’s a pity that we got caught, but overall, I am pleased with this race and with my effort”, Gil explained at the finish.
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
