It has changed its name while maintaining its unchanged appeal. The "In Flanders Fields", held today between Middelkerke and Wevelgem, delivered great emotions and an extremely uncertain finale: at the conclusion of the 240 kilometres on the programme, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) took the honours beating Tobias Lund Andresen (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) and Christophe Laporte (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) in the sprint, with Matteo Trentin and Luca Mozzato (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) finishing in sixth and seventh place respectively.

An uncertain finale as we said. Yes, because two champions of the calibre of Van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and Van Aert (Visma Lease a Bike) thirty-six kilometres from the finish decided to escape in tandem and put the peloton in serious difficulty, only to be caught in the final kilometre of the race.

THE RACE - A very fast start from Middelkerke and after about twenty kilometres there are 8 riders at the front: Julius Johansen (UAE), Camille Charret (Cofidis), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Jules Hesters and Victor Vercouillie (Flanders Baloise), Hartthijs De Vries and Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rockets) who proceed with a five-minute advantage.

The wind creates selection and the peloton quickly loses some riders but the situation heats up after the hundredth kilometre: the bunch splits into two sections. The two groups rejoin at km 145, exiting the Baneberg (second of nine climbs of the day) and draw closer to the breakaway riders.

About 90 kilometres from the finish Camille Charret (Cofidis) and Jules Hesters (Team Flanders - Baloise) lose ground from the head of the race. Reaching the Kemmelberg, when approximately 55 kilometres remained to the finish, with a strong acceleration Van Aert broke away from the group followed by Van der Poel and Vermeersch.

After about twenty kilometres of collaborative riding with the other escapees and then, at the next passage over the Kemmelberg, another acceleration and Van der Poel and Van Aert literally drop all their companions and continue as a pair. Florian Vermeersch tries to follow them but fails to reach them and thus must surrender to the return of the peloton.

At the 5-kilometre-to-go marker the reunion seemed imminent but it is Alec Segaert, the 23-year-old in Bahrain - Victorious colours, who surprises everyone by launching himself like lightning in pursuit of the two leaders. He catches them and continues with them, probably hoping for a three-way sprint.

The great work of Decathlon CMA CGM materializes near the red triangle: successful chase, compact group and sprint launched.

In the blink of an eye they are at the finish line where Jasper Philipsen cries out in joy and celebrates his sixtieth career victory, the second in just a few days after his win at the Nokere Koerse

FINISHING ORDER

1 Philipsen Jasper Alpecin-Premier Tech 05:08:03

2 Andresen Tobias Lund Decathlon CMA CGM Team ,,

3 Laporte Christophe Team Visma | Lease a Bike ,,

4 De Lie Arnaud Lotto Intermarchè ,,

5 Donaldson Robert Team Jayco AlUla ,,

6 Trentin Matteo Tudor Pro Cycling Team ,,

7 Mozzato Luca Tudor Pro Cycling Team ,,

8 De Gendt Aimé Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team ,,

9 Abrahamsen Jonas Uno-X Mobility ,,

10 Stuyven Jasper Soudal Quick-Step ,,

to read the live text report of the race click here