Development Second and third place for Matys Grisel and Victor Vaneeckhoutte in Monts et Châteaux Classic

The young talents had to cover 151 kilometers through the rolling terrain of Hainaut, tackling the local climb circuit five times. The rapid succession of climbs made for an exciting race, as Victor Vaneeckhoutte explains: "It was a beautiful course and a very animated race. At the beginning, there were many attacks, as everyone seemed eager to be part of the breakaway. Eventually, a group broke away, but we were able to reel them back in fairly quickly due to the fast succession of the climbing zones."

"Some time later, a new leading group formed, with Matys and I in it. The eventual winner went solo and took about thirty seconds. We decided to work together to catch up, but we couldn't close the gap. So, second and third place were the highest we could aim for."

There was no need for much negotiation over the sprint for second place. "How we decided who would come in second? We played a game of rock-paper-scissors," laughs Vaneeckhoutte, who is very pleased with his podium finish. "I didn’t have high expectations beforehand. I was quite sick last week, so it was uncertain how well I would handle the race. To be on the podium is a pleasant surprise."

Riders like Philippe Gilbert, Jasper Philipsen, Thomas Pidcock, and Neilson Powless have already made their mark on this race. Now, Grisel and Vaneeckhoutte can add their names to that list.

Photo: Lotto Cycling Team