Casper van Uden was best placed for Team dsm-firmenich PostNL at the end of a windy Gent-Wevelgem in 37th place, finishing in the much reduced peloton just 16 seconds behind two riders who duelled out the win. The race kicked off early with a break establishing a gap during the first half of the 253 kilometre course however crosswinds soon started to play their part, splitting the peloton behind into echelons. A select chase group of around 30 riders formed with John Degenkolb and Nils Eekhoff present, quickly closing the gap to the breakaway and reaching the front of the race with around 120 kilometres still to race.
With the front of the race nullified, the second peloton was able to reach the front of the race but the attacks continued and three riders soon established a decent gap at the front of the race which would before two and stay clear to the finish. Over the multiple climbs peppered throughout the parcours, the pace continued to take its toll and eventually it was just Van Uden present in what was left of the chase group for the team. The chase was never enough to catch the two leaders, eventually crossing the line with them in sight but for third place, with Van Uden coming across the line within the group.
After the race, Casper van Uden commented: “We did a good job in the beginning being towards the front for the Muur. I was a little too far back but Nils and John made it in the first group which was good. For me it was a chasing day and for them it was a day towards the front. Then on the climbing laps it was a hard race, everyone was going all out. I had quite good legs and managed to stay in the first group which was good. It was a step up but of course we wanted to do better today.”
