Stage two of the Renewi Tour, raced on Belgian soil, delivered another bunch sprint despite crosswinds and repeated splits in the peloton. European Champion Tim Merlier looked set for back-to-back wins, but it was Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike) who unleashed a powerful final kick to take the stage victory. Pavel Bittner finished second, while Milan Fretin was relegated after crossing the line in third.
The stage unfolded in similar fashion to the opener. A breakaway, including Siebe Deweirdt in the Super 8 jersey, led the way early on. But the real action came in the crosswinds: under pressure from Soudal–Quick Step and later Astana Qazaqstan Team, the peloton split several times. Big names such as Mathieu van der Poel and Tim Wellens had to fight hard to stay in the front group.
Although a select group seemed poised to contest the win, a crash slowed things down and led to a regrouping. On the local laps around Ardooie, further attempts to break the peloton followed, but each time the race came back together.
That set the stage for a fast and furious sprint. Merlier was well positioned again, but this time Kooij timed his effort perfectly and stormed past to take an emphatic win.
Merlier retains the leader’s jersey in the general classification, with Rui Oliveira and Dries De Bondt rounding out the provisional podium.
Winner Olav Kooij said:
“It was a fast day with plenty of tailwind, but in the sprint we faced a headwind which made it tricky. We maybe hit the front a bit early, but it helped me save energy. I still felt yesterday’s crash, but the legs were good enough and I’m very happy to win here.”
