Bart Kortleve holds off peloton in the Omloop het Nieuwsblad U23

Bart Kortleve has won the Omloop het Nieuwsblad U23. The Dutchman crossed the finishline solo, just ahead of a sprinting peloton. Keije Solen and Quinten De Buysser completed the podium. 

The 60th edition of the Omloop het Nieuwsblad U23 got off to a flying start. After twenty kilometres, Dutch rider Maxime Duba (Parkhotel Valkenburg/ Regioteam NH) and the Belgian Asger de Valck (Urbano-Vulsteke-Bumaco Cycling Team) broke away from the peloton. The duo built up a lead of around a minute. However, the early breakaway riders were caught on the Berendries, after which a group of around twenty riders separated from the peloton. 

As the race entered the local laps/rounds in Herzele, Corneel Vanslembrouck (Dovy Keukens – FCC), Stef Koning (Parkhotel Valkenburg/ Regioteam NH), Danijel Agricola (Metec – Solarwatt P/B Mantel) and Victor Vaneeckhoutte (Lotto – Groupe Wanty) launched an attack. Not long after, Samuel Greenwell (Lotto – Groupe Wanty) and Bart Kortleve (Metec – Solarwatt P/B Mantel) joined the four in front, creating a group of six riders. 

The six-man group did not manage to build a big gap. As a result, Vanslembrouck and Kortleve decided to accelerate. The duo entered the final four kilometres with a lead of fourteen seconds.  

Vanslembrouck couldn’t keep up with the pace and Kortleve carried on his own. In the final kilometre, the peloton closed in rapidly, but the Dutchman held on and rode solo to victory in Herzele. 

Keije Solen (Lotto – Groupe Wanty) won the sprint in the peloton ahead of Quinten De Buysser (VDM-Trawobo Cycling Team). Bart Kortleve succeeds Liam Van Bylen as winner of the Omloop het Nieuwsblad U23.