Evenepoel and De Gendt full of emotion after win by beloved Vervaeke, others lick wounds after crash in Oman

What a day Louis Vervaeke had in Oman! In recent years, the 31-year-old Belgian had evolved into a super-domestique of Remco Evenepoel at Soudal-Quick Step. So, without his great leader there, Louis completed the attack on day two in Oman. It was the first pro victory of his career, and a tattoo on his right arm took the spotlight.

Vervaeke deserved the victory after moving into the leading group in the long and very tricky stage before getting rid of his breakaway companions in the finale and eventually narrowly beating an approaching peloton. "Come on, Louis. Ride the strongest 2 kilometers of your life," good friend Thomas De Gendt was already shouting at him from X in the finale. Evenepoel wrote on Instagram: "No way, so proud of you, my big brother! First ever victory, so deserved!"

After his victory, Vervaeke lay exhausted next to a car for minutes, meanwhile being congratulated by his teammates. Once he regained his breath, he drank a can of soda and, as he did after the finish, pointed to the tattoos on his right arm, with the names of his children, Augustin and Célestine, and the eye of his wife, Astrid. "They sacrifice a lot for me, so it's nice that the hard work is paying off now."

In a press release from his team, Vervaeke said, "It's such a beautiful day for me; it feels incredible to take my first win as a pro. I came close several times, and finally, pulling it off makes me very proud. In the final ten kilometers of the stage, I was empty, but I kept thinking of my family and immediately found the power to press on and give my best until the end. That's why I pointed to the tattoo on my right arm when crossing the line."

Read more below the video

Bizarre crashes overshadow sprint in depleted peloton in Oman

Behind Vervaeke, Valentin Paret-Peintre finished second, giving Soudal-Quick Step a nice result. However, the sprint in the depleted peloton was overshadowed mainly by crashes at several points. The group jumped from left to right, causing many riders to crash (hard) a few meters from the finish line.

So afterward, besides joy, it was licking wounds. Picnic-PostNL had its intended GC leader, Kevin Vermaerke, also on the ground. "He seems okay, apart from some scrapes and bruises," the Dutch formation said. On behalf of Movistar, Portuguese Ruben Guerreiro, another rider looking for a good GC, was also involved in the crash. He eventually made it to the finish and didn't lose any time due to the 3-kilometer rule.  

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