Megan Jastrab and Team DSM race to 2nd at Gent-Wevelgem

Team DSM ended a testing edition of Gent-Wevelgem on the second step of the podium after Megan Jastrab won the sprint behind lone leader Marlen Reusser.

Jastrab was heading to the finish in a small chase group of seven, alongside teammate Pfeiffer Georgi, until the chasing bunch made contact in the final few hundred metres. Despite this, she still managed to prove fastest on the run to the line, with a strong helping hand on the run in from Georgi.

The race got underway in wet and windy conditions and the weather remained a theme throughout the day causing for a tough day in the saddle and multiple crashes throughout. Two of these incidents saw Georgi involved, chasing back from each to still be in contention late into the race.

It was the climbs that proved decisive in breaking up the race in one where attrition was another theme. Both Jastrab and Georgi went clear over one of these in a select front group which was eventually brought back before the final ascent of the Kemmelberg, but from here Reusser went clear solo on the final climb and wasn’t to be seen again.

Behind, Georgi went clear with six others in the final 20 kilometres before being joined by Jastrab and one other. Slowing as they prepared for the sprint, their group was caught but Jastrab held enough speed, teed up by Georgi, to take the sprint and second on the day.

Speaking after her podium duties, Jastrab said: “The team was really great today, they did so much work early on to keep us safe. Pfeiffer had a lot of bad luck with two crashes and then having to go back for another bike change. We tried in the end but nothing was sticking. I was very gassed at the end but I committed to the sprint and gave my all to get that podium. 

Talking of the late break Georgi and her were in, Jastrab added: “Yeah, it was really weird we were in a big group and people were guttering it in the wind some echelons started. Then a group went and Pfeiffer was in it so I just started blocking, but someone attacked and it was just her and I so I decided to start working. Pfeiffer stopped working so that we could get across but when we came together all the speed went out front the group. Then with less than a kilometre to go I saw there was a group coming back.But everyone was gassed at the end having had to put in a big effort just to be there.”

Team DSM coach Kelvin Dekker also commented: “We had the plan to set up Pfeiffer and Megan for a good final. We kept Charlotte behind to see how she was going but she noticed quite early that she wasn’t feeling it so she sacrificed herself. Pfeiffer had two crashes at tough moments, coming back twice at the bottom of the Kemmelberg, holding on and showing how strong she is at the moment.

“Megan too on the road showed she’s really strong in this race. The crashes took out Pfeiffer’s chance to win but we still knew second was possible. They gave everything in the last 20 kilometres. It got very exciting in the final 10 kilometres when they were both there and then a bit scary in the last kilometre but Megan did an amazing sprint to get second. Today that’s the best result possible and before we probably would have signed for this. All in all a good day for the team, as well as Megan and Pfeiffer.”