Nys the fastest in Dendermonde

After an exciting race, Thibau Nys sprinted to victory in Dendermonde. On the ultra-fast course, no one was able to force a decisive breakaway. In the end, the Belgian champion edged out Tibor Del Grosso and Laurens Sweeck after an extended final-lap sprint.

It was an incredibly fast race in Dendermonde. As predicted, the peloton remained almost entirely stretched out for the duration of the race. The quick surface pushed the pace from the very start, ultimately resulting in no fewer than twelve laps to complete.

The first rider to create a small gap was Orts (Ridley Racing Team). By the start of the fourth lap, he held a three-second advantage over the rest of the pack. However, a solo escape was nearly impossible on such a lightning-fast course, and Orts never truly got away. Nys (Baloise Glowi Lions) did the work in the chase group, keeping Orts in check.

The group came back together, and Nys refused to let the pressure drop. The Belgian champion took command, with Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck) on his wheel. Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen–Altez Industriebouw Cycling Team), Orts, Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon), Van Aert (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon), and Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team) were all present.

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Midway through the race, Vanthourenhout and Nys joined forces, putting the rest of the pack under heavy pressure. When the pace finally eased after seven laps, Van Aert took command at the start of lap eight, setting the tempo amid loud cheers from the fans. After Del Grosso and Vandeputte suffered flat tires, Van Aert saw another opportunity to shake things up. Yet differences didn’t appear, Del Grosso and Vandeputte were able to regain their positions.

A large group entered the final lap, setting the stage for a nail-biting finale. Nys tried moves on both sides, but Sweeck, setting the pace, kept the Belgian champion at bay. Then, Nys launched an acceleration on the outside of a corner uphill. He took the lead and began one long sprint to the finish. With Del Grosso on his wheel, the Belgian champion led into the final straight. Showing his strength in the last meters, he sprinted convincingly to victory ahead of Del Grosso and Sweeck.