Development Jarno Widar wins second stage of the Ronde de l’Isard and takes leader's jersey

"Today we were really a strong team," said Jarno after the stage. "Mauro Cuylits and Victor Vaneeckhoutte perfectly controlled the first part of the race. Then Lucas Van Gils and Niels Driesen took over on the first part of the climb. Milan Donie then dropped me off excellently with a perfect lead-out. I launched my attack on the steepest section and managed to keep my lead all the way to the finish."

The riders were faced with a 132-kilometre stage, including the tough first-category climb of the Col de la Croix Blanche. That climb didn’t yet cause the decisive split, but the team kept the race well under control until the final ascent.

"After about 20 kilometers, seven riders broke away," explained team director Dirk Aernouts. "They got a maximum lead of two minutes. After that, we took control together with the leader’s team."
With three kilometers to go, Jarno launched his decisive attack. He eventually crossed the finish line solo with a six-second lead. With this victory, he not only takes the leader’s jersey but also the young rider’s jersey, a jersey he already won last year.

Photo: Brecht Steenhouwer