"I was determined to make a better start to the season than in 2023. Obtaining two victories at this level mid-February shows at what point I worked hard this winter to achieve this. It's nice to see that our efforts, mine and those of the team, bear fruit. I want to underline the major role my teammates played in this victory. All day long I was surrounded by six riders who controlled the race and fought for a good position. The headwind in the final didn't make it easy. I was convinced that if I could maintain my position on the short bump with 2 kilometer to go, that I had a good chance on the victory. The team worked incredibly hard to achieve this victory and I'm happy that I managed to reward them in this way. Tomorrow we will protect Rune Herregodts who's aiming for a good result in GC, before concentrating on the sprint again the next day."
