Second stage win Kooij in ZLM Tour after relegation Mareczko

Second stage win Kooij in ZLM Tour after relegation Mareczko

Olav Kooij has also won the second stage of the ZLM Tour. The sprinter finished second in the second stage, but after Jakub Mareczko had been relegated, Kooij took the win.

Ten riders formed the day's breakaway, but echelons ensured that the leaders were soon caught again. Team Jumbo-Visma was well represented in the front group with several riders.

The wind played a significant role in the rest of the race and Team Jumbo-Visma broke the front group in two. Of the twenty riders in front, five were from Jumbo-Visma. The leading group saw its lead over the chasing group steadily increase and although a passing train seemed to cause problems for a moment, the groups didn't come together.

His teammates piloted Kooij in the final phase but saw Team Ineos-Grenadiers take over in the last kilometre. Mareckzo, who veered from right to left when he started his sprint, outsmarted Kooij. The young Dutchman was ultimately declared the winner of the stage.

"This is a strange way to take home the victory”, Kooij said. "Of course I would have preferred to cross the finish line with my hands in the air." According to Kooij, the team did everything right until the last roundabout. "As a team, we were well represented all day."

"We opened the throttle at the right moment, and then you know you might cause a shift. Fortunately, that worked out well, after which we were left with a nice group. At the last roundabout, we waited too long. When you have dominated the race, you want to finish it off. Unfortunately, that didn't work out, but I did win my second stage here."

Kooij's victory marked the eighteenth road win for Team Jumbo-Visma in 2022. For Kooij, it is his ninth victory for the World Tour branch of the Dutch outfit. The 20-year-old sprinter transferred from Jumbo-Visma Development Team in early 2021.

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