Mathieu van der Poel has explained that while he and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) were trying their best to make it to the finish ahead of the bunch at In Flanders Fields, his collaboration in the late breakaway move was always part of a bigger plan involving Alpecin-Premier Tech teammate and final winner Jasper Philipsen, too.

Van der Poel scorched away on the Kemmelberg from a small break, taking Van Aert with him, and the two made it all the way together to the streets of Wevelgem, 30 kilometres further on.