Max Walscheid (Jayco-AlUla) claimed the victory in the Omloop van het Houtland in a photo finish with teammate Dylan Groenewegen. Pierre Barbier (Philippe Wagner/Bazin) was third.
Team DSM-Firmenich-PostNL tried to get control in the closing metres but Jayco-AlUla made a big push in the slightly uphill finishing stretch and managed to get both sprinters vying for the victory at the line.
It took a close examination of the high-speed camera images before the jury awarded the win to Walscheid.
"I started the sprint because I didn't see Dylan when I turned around, then I felt a rider on my right side coming very close to me on the finish line and then when I looked to my right I saw him, so it was a perfect outcome for us and a great day," Walscheid said.
"I'm super happy to take the victory today, but it's also great to work with Dylan. I think next year we will have some nice goals together where we will hope to deliver him to the victory, but today is just great for the team in general."
The 195.2-kilometre race from Eernegem to Lichtervelde ended up as a bunch sprint but not without a strong resistance by the breakaway.
Michiel Lambrecht (Bingoal WB), the last rider left of the day's move, spent the day off the front in the company of Bogdan Zabelinskiy (Soudal-Quickstep Devo), Tijmen Eising (Beat Cycling Club), Gianni Marchand and Alex Vandenbulcke (Tarteletto Isorex), Adam Lewis (Team Skyline) and Max Kroonen (Volkerwessels) but the WorldTour teams spoiled the party in the final five kilometres.
Results
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