This Saturday took place the online test of Netherlands Championshipswith a relief course intended for the best Dutch sprinters. WhileOlav Kooij (Team Visma | Lease A Bike) seemed left to win the race, he was wearing on the line by Danny van Poppel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), who at 31 will seize the red-white-blue jersey for the first time in his career. Already 2nd in the last two editions (2023 and 2024), Olav Kooij Make the pass of three and will still have to be satisfied with the silver medal. The title holder Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco-Alula) completes the podium.
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The summary of the race
After a restless start to the race, eight runners managed to get out of the peloton: Taco van der Hoorn, Koen Bouwman, Lars Loohuis, Ryan Gal, Jordan habts, Philip Heijnen, Stijn Daemen et Ed Uptegrove. Despite good collaboration, they could never believe in victory. The peloton, led by the Visma | Lease a Bike et Picnicnever left them more than a minute ahead. So that at 40 kilometers from the finish and when they only had 30 seconds of margin left, many counterattacks occurred, in particular Dan issue (Lidl-trek) et Dylan van Baarle (Team Visma | Lease A Bike), which ended respectively 1st and 2nd of the time trial last Thursday.
Even if these attacks have disorganized the peloton, the Visma | Lease a Bike, At the cost of a big effort, managed to make the junction and resume the leading group and its pursuers. Despite the furtive attacks of Bauke Mollema 5 kilometers from the finish, then Martijn Rasenbergtaken up just before the red flame, we were heading for a massive sprint. Big favorite for victory and perfectly placed, Olav Kooij seemed to hold the rope … before Danny van Poppel Do not exceed it on the line and imposes itself on photo-finish. It's a new blow for Kooijwhich ends in second place as in the previous two editions, while Van Poppel Wins for the first time the gold medal in its national championship.
