Place Name: Diestsestraat
Address: Diestsestraat 33, 3270 Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Flemish Brabant, Belgium
Details: June 14, 2024
Seven riders made the break in spritzing rain, a typical Belgium Summer's day. Their lead was cut to 1 minute as the bunch went up the cobbled climb of the Kerkstraat just outside of Leuven. A crash on the cobbles near the front of the peloton caused massive splits leaving the majority of riders chasing. Oil had spilled on one side making it nearly impossible to stay upright. Most riders stuck behind the crash did get back at 39KM to go. The break was caught after an intermediate sprint point with 34KM to go. Uno-X Mobility led the bunch towards the Golden Kilometer and, just like Stage 2, Søren Wærenskjold of Uno-X Mobility took the first sprint for 3 seconds. Uno-X Mobility snagged the top two places at the second sprint with Wærenskjold getting another 3 seconds. Wærenskjold kept his momentum going and was able to get the final sprint for 3 more seconds for a total of 9 seconds which could be helpful in his bid for the overall. Someone put sand or saw dust down over the oil spill before the next passage. The race strung back out over the Kerkstraat for the last time but things stayed together, still with 12KM to go. Sprint trains formed with 7KM to go, Alpecin-Deceuninck on the right, Soudal Quickstep on left, and Lidl-Trek down the middle. No team seemed to have enough numbers as the riders came under 1KM. Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck had two teammates with him that came out of the middle of the bunch with 500M to go and put on a perfect leadout. Philipsen took the win by two bike lengths ahead of Olav Kooij of Visma-Lease a Bike and Gerben Thijssen of Intermarché-Wanty. With the bonus seconds from the Golden Kilometer, Wærenskjold extended his GC lead to 11 seconds on Mathias Vacek.
Tags: Baloise Belgium Tour, 2024, June, Stage 3, Baloise Belgium Tour 2024, Turnhout, Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Søren Wærenskjold, Jasper Philipsen, Olav Kooij, Gerben Thijssen