Briton wins Menen-Kemmel-Menen cycling classic
The cycling classic for juniors Menen-Kemmel-Menen (formerly Gent-Menen) starts this year for the first time in Reningelst, with the Kemmelberg twice. 127 km, of which 80 in line and the rest spread over five local rounds in Menen.
It is the Briton Lucas Jowett (45) who opens the debates, the Briton of the team of sports director Nico Mattan. The peloton doesn’t give up, during the second ascent of the Kemmel we see everything together again, although Jowett’s arrows have not all faded yet, will become clear later.
Two new leaders: another Briton, William Smith (127) along with a Dutchman. Five more riders will join, including the Dutchman Sjoerd Te Neijenhuis (116) and second-year Bart Bolle from Zarren (with number 3) of CT Luc Wallays-Jonge Renners Roeselare.
The seven leaders go into the five local rounds with a half minute lead, but their lead is shrinking and only Smith (127) and Te Nijenhuis (116) can stay ahead. In the penultimate round, the duo will be joined by Warre Van den Meerssche (17) from Tielt, and there is -again- the Briton Lucas Jowett (45) and the German Gus Otte (69), who has to play the role in the last kilometer. do solve. A twenty-five second lead is enough, the four remain just ahead.
Van Den Meerssche starts the sprint, but still runs into a counter from the faster Smith. No West Flemish win in Menen, that was already from 2016 with Lothar Verhulst† In the last three editions (2017-2018-2021), a Dutchman has won each time, so this year it is a Brit.