WorldTour
Strong start to the Classics: Tim van Dijke finishes Omloop in second place
Tim van Dijke has given Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe a strong start to the Classics campaign. The 25-year-old caught the right group at the Omloop Niewusblad and finished second.
First race of the season, biggest success of his career. Or as Tim puts it: "I think I'm dreaming." When the eventual winner Mathieu van der Poel went on the offensive at Molenberg a good 40 kilometres before the finish line, hardly anyone in the peloton reacted. But Tim followed up.
Can hardly believe it: Tim van Dijke after second place at the Omloop.
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"It was hard to close that gap. It was one of my last bullets and I could feel the effort in my legs: It was all or nothing," said the 25-year-old. And it became all. Together with van der Poel and Florian Vermeersch, he rode up to the leading group. There he behaved calmly and cleverly. "I tried to recover a bit."
It was one of my last bullets: All or nothing.
But on the Muur of Geraardsbergen at the latest, recovery was over. "I was right on the limit there," said the Dutchman, who had to let his compatriot go there, but completed the last 17 kilometres to the finish together with Vermeersch and defended his lead over the peloton. Tim then clearly came out on top in the sprint for second place.
Behind there were numerous sprinters in the peloton, including Jordi Meeus. The Belgian rounded off a successful performance with an seventh place.
