Despite having to settle for second spot Mads Pedersen was very happy about today's performamnce:
"I am really happy about what I accomplished today. Its nice to feel that I am in the right shape before the classics of the spring. Mathieu really showed his class today, it was impossible to hold his wheel and once he had established his lead, it was impossible to come back. He showed what a monster he is today and therefore I can't be unhappy finishing second", said Mads Pedersen in a comment to the local broadcaster afterwards.
Pedersen did everything in his power trying to close down the flying Dutchman, who gradually flourished in the grey drizzle of West Flanders and made his winning attack out of a five-rider breakaway over the Oude Kwaremont and gradually extended his lead throughout the final 40km of the race, over the Karnemelkbeekstraat and the Tiegemberg.
Van der Poel took the win by more than a minute over Pedersen with Ganna securing third, a further minute back on the Alpecin-Deceuninck man.
It was Van der Poel's second successive win in the space of a short period as he also took top spot during the weekend's Milano-San Remo.