Dylan Groenewegen has won the Bruges Tour after a nervous race dominated by crosswinds. The Dutch rider from Unibet Rose Rockets proved the fastest in the sprint of a reduced peloton, ahead of Jasper Philipsen and Max Kanter.
The high pace in the opening phase made breakaways difficult. An attempt by Gonzalo Serrano and Floris Van Tricht didn’t last long, especially once the wind split the peloton into pieces. That pattern repeated itself several times: splits, regroupings, and constant tension in the bunch.
With around 75 km to go, Groenewegen and several of his teammates helped force another split. Philipsen missed the move at first but managed to return with the second echelon. For many other riders, however, it was game over. In the finale, the cobbles of the Brieversweg, a crash, and more attacks further reduced the peloton.
Max Walscheid launched a late attack in the closing stages, but he was caught in the final kilometers. The race then came down to a sprint, where Groenewegen took the win, securing victory for Unibet Rose Rockets.
