News | Bredene Koskijde Classic • March 17, 2023
Bredene Koskijde Classic: Ackermann inches from victory
Second place for the German sprinter
Pascal Ackermann missed out on his third success in the Bredene Koksijde Classic by a matter of centimetres. The rider from UAE Team Emirates was second, behind the winner Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) and third place Sam Welsford (Team DSM).
The Emirati team had worked actively in the final part of the race, trying to tire the bunch by imposing a high pace in the peloton, and then setting a perfect lead-out train for Ackermann in order to launch the German athlete in the best way on the final straight.
Molano set up the perfect lead-out, with Ackermann on his wheel, and he launched his teammate towards the arrival, but the Belgian Thijssen succeeded in completing an impressive manoeuvre and overtook Ackermann in the very final meters of the race.
Ackermann : “The team did a phenomenal job today, I’m disappointed I couldn’t finish it off but Thijssen was the fastest today. The team is riding really well, as we saw yesterday with Molano so I hope we can continue to take this good team spirit and high level into the next races.”
Race results
1. Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty)
2. Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) s.t.
3. Sam Welsford (Team DSM) s.t.
