Nokere Koerse Men
Taking on the new finish for the second year, Team Picnic PostNL returned to Nokere Koerse as reigning champions with their Men’s program, although last year’s winner Nils Eekhoff wasn’t present on the start line as he continues his recovery from iliac artery surgery. The team rode well throughout the day and remained hidden in the peloton behind the break of four, which was slowly reeled in throughout the afternoon. In the final 50 kilometres the attacks came thick and fast from the peloton as riders looked to disrupt a potential sprint finish, with Casper van Uden and Frits Biesterbos covering several moves. Ultimately, the last lone late attacker was caught in sight of the line with the peloton settling the day in a reduced uphill sprint. Unfortunately, in the nervous headwind sprint there were crashes both beside and in front of Biesterbos, so he could never properly open up his effort to the line.
