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2023 Super 8 Classic
Formerly Primus Classic-Impanis-Van Petegem (1.Pro), Belgium

24th edition (13th professional edition): Saturday, September 16, 2023

Primus Classic Impanis-Van Petegem podium history | 2022 edition | 2024 edition

Brakel - Haacht, 203.6 km

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Mathieu van der Poel wins in Haacht.

Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2021: The Little Cannibal Dominates is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Weather at the finish city of Haacht at 2:10 PM, local time: 26C (78F), fair, with the wind from the east at 11 km/hr (7 mph). There is a 10% chance of rain.

The race: Here's the report from fourth-place Lars Boven's Team Jumbo-Visma.

U23 rider Lars Boven has finished fourth in the Super 8 Classic. The rider of the Jumbo-Visma Development Team was part of a seven-man breakaway in the hilly section and finished fourth after a sprint. World champion Mathieu van der Poel proved to be the strongest.

The race, which covered more than 200 kilometres from Brakel to Haacht, focused on the Druivenstreek region around Overijse. The riders had to overcome obstacles such as Holstheide, Moskesstraat and Smeysberg, known from the 2021 World Championships. Boven, still a U23 rider and part of the Jumbo-Visma Development Team, proved himself in this area. With about 70 kilometres to go, he chased World Champion Mathieu van der Poel and Victor Campenaerts. However, this attempt was unsuccessful. Later, with about 50 kilometres to go, he caught up with Florian Vermeersch and joined the five stage leaders.

After the final climb of the Smeysberg, there were about 30 flat kilometres to the finish. The one-minute lead that the breakaway had was enough to stay away until the finish line in Haacht.

"I did not expect to be able to stay in a race of this level for so long”, Boven said. "I was utterly exhausted in the final. I tried to make a move with three kilometres to go, but I got cramps. After that, I waited for the sprint. In the sprint, I didn't have enough left to become third, but fourth place in such a big race is also very satisfying.”

Boven was the surprise contender in the breakaway that included names like Van der Poel, Vermeersch, Vermeersch, Fuglsang, Turgis and Van den Broek. "I knew I was in good shape because I noticed it in the Eurode Omloop last week. But that race is of a different level. At a certain point, I looked around the lead group and realised I was with some top riders. So it was only natural that it hurt a bit. But all in all, it was an exceptional day for me.”

Complete results:

203.6 kilometers raced at an average speed of 43.709 km/hr