Only after 33 kilometers did a leading group form. Victor Vercouillie, Elmar Reinders, Alessandro Romele, Connor Swift, Sean Flynn, Timo Roosen, Rory Townsend and Marco Haller were part of that. In the run -up to the Eikenberg, the nervousness in the large group increased and that resulted in a fall, involving Van der Poel, among others. The Dutchman was able to reconnect again over time. Tiesj Benoot, Vito Braet, Stefan Küng and Davide Ballerini then anticipated the Kasseien of Paddestraat.
Roosen and Vercouillie had to run in the leading group, while Quinten Hermans, Filippo Ganna, Matteo Trentin and Daan Hole also went into the counter -reaction. With 90 kilometers to be driving, these two groups joined the early refugees. In the second climb of the old Kwaremont accelerated Pogacar. The Slovenian received Van Aert, Pedersen, Matteo Jorgenson and Van der Poel. Van der Poel and Pogacar continued on the Paterberg. After the Taaienberg, 37 kilometers from the finish, Van der Poel, Pogacar and Pedersen drove in the lead. Van Aert, Benoot, Jorgenson, Stuyven and Küng followed a little further.
Pogacar accelerated again on the Hotond and Pedersen crashed from the leading group. At 23 kilometers from the line we got five leaders with Pogacar, Van der Poel, Stuyven, Pedersen and Van Aert again. Van Aert Verderperte op de Oude Kwaremont, but Pogacar resolutely took over and everyone hit his wheel. The world champion only came on top of the Paterberg with a 24 -second lead over his former companions and then steamed on to victory.