Team LottoNL-Jumbo suffered due to a big crash in the Belgian classic Omloop Het Nieuwsblad today. Lars Boom fell victim and Groenewegen was just returning after switching bikes.

Greg van Avermaet won and the team’s Timo Roosen took 18th.

"Tom Leezer and I sat right in the front of the peloton,” Lars Boom said. “You do not expect that you are going down riding in the top 10.

"It went well until the Donderij sector. Leezer put me in the front perfectly. I didn’t work too much and felt ready for the Taaienberg."

In the Donderij sector, the crash involved around 50 riders. The peloton broke into pieces and the group with the eventual winner rode free.

Boom found himself at the bottom of a massive pile up and had to wait for a new bike.

"My bike was broken and it took a while before I could continue. The rest of the riders were already gone,” Boom added.

“Physically, there is almost no damage. I have a little pain on my hip and shoulder, but no major problems. It especially sucks that I could not ride the final. I feel good, so on to tomorrow. "

‘Groenewegen has a good level’

The team’s other leader, Dylan Groenewegen dealt with some bad luck, too. Just before the Kruisberg, his derailleur broke and he had to change bikes. Once on a new bike, Sports Director Nico Verhoeven pushed Groenewegen off.

"Dylan was back in the peloton on top of the Kruisberg, but then you're just too far behind,” Verhoeven said.

“It's a miracle that he still got so far. He fought back well. You can see that he has a good level, which is a nice prospect for tomorrow. He’ll be out for revenge. "

Donderij disaster

The Donderij sector put an end to team LottoNL-Jumbo’s charge through Flanders today.

"The big crash ended the day for Leezer and Boom,” Verhoeven said. “It took a long time before Boom was back.”

Timo Roosen escaped the crash and briefly went to the front.

"We put all hope on Timo. He was just not good enough to compete with the best, but he showed that in the future, he can ride with them."

The team heads to Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne tomorrow. It is a flat parcours that should suit sprinters like Groenewegen.

"There are many teams who have had bad luck today,” Verhoeven said. “Today, Boom and Groenewegen were unable to show themselves. We have to forget it and move on to the next race. "

The selection for Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: