Renewi Tour 2. Stage: Kooija Wins, Kubiš Remains Back
Stage 2: Blankenberge to Ardooie – Kooij Takes the Win
the second stage of the race covered 169 kilometers from Blankenberge to Ardooie, Belgium. Anticipating strong winds, a fast pace was expected, and the race delivered a dynamic and challenging day for the peloton.
An early breakaway formed with Giosué Epis (Arkéa), Siebe Deweirdt (Flanders), and Alexandre van Petegem (Wagner). They initially gained a three-minute advantage, but the pace intensified as the wind picked up, causing splits in the peloton and a demanding “kowbojka” (a chaotic, individual struggle against the wind).
The breakaway was eventually reeled in, and further attacks and counter-attacks ensued.A key moment occurred 64km from the finish, where a leading group of over 40 riders, including race leader Tim Merlier and strong teams like Lidl-Trek, Decathlon-Ag2r, and Intermarché-Wanty, formed.Unluckily, Lukáš Kubiš was not present in this group, nor was Mathieu van der Poel.
The race continued to fragment due to the relentless wind. Later, riders like Mathias Vacek (Lidl), Mick van Dijke (Red Bull), and Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) found themselves in difficulty, impacting their teams’ ability to control the race.By 34km to go, the peloton had largely consolidated into two large groups, with Lukáš Kubiš briefly rejoining the front before being dropped again.
In a thrilling finish, Tim Merlier appeared to be well-positioned for the win but hesitated in the final meters. Olav Kooij (Visma) capitalized on this, launching a powerful sprint on the right side to take the victory. Pavel Bittner (Picnic – Postnl) finished second, and Milan Fretin (Cefidis) completed the podium. Notable riders like Groenewegen and Merlier finished further back.
The chaotic nature of the finish required officials to carefully review the golden kilometer to ensure the correct general classification standings, especially regarding potential bonus seconds for the race leader.
