ProTeam Jenno Berckmoes finishes second in final stage and overall standings of the Baloise Belgium Tour
The fifth and final stage of the Baloise Belgium Tour took the riders from Gingelom to Hoeilaart over a rolling course. The battle for the general classification remained intense throughout the day. Lotto-Intermarché fully backed Jenno Berckmoes, who started the final stage just two seconds behind the overall lead.
The pace increased significantly in the finale as the main GC contenders fought for valuable bonus seconds in the Golden Kilometre. As a result, the gaps between Jenno Berckmoes, Jasper Philipsen and race leader Alex Aranburu remained extremely small deep into the final kilometres. “After the Golden Kilometre, Jasper and I both picked up a few seconds, but in the end everything came down to the final sprint. I gave it everything and I can’t have any regrets about the way we raced.”
The final sprint also offered Berckmoes a chance to take the upper hand. “I emptied the tank in the sprint. I didn’t immediately see Jasper and thought I could finish ahead of him, but he came back. It’s Philipsen, of course, so you expect him to still be there all the way to the line.”
After the finish, Berckmoes mainly felt satisfied with his overall performance throughout the Baloise Belgium Tour. “This result takes a weight off my shoulders. I was very focused on this week and asked a lot of myself and of the team. We showed ourselves, gave everything and fought for the victory until the very last metres. In the end it was just not enough, but I’m proud of the way we raced.”
Photo: PhotoNews
