On the hilly course around Charleroi, the team, consisting of three riders from the main team and four from the development team, repeatedly showed themselves at the front. Among others, Tosh Van der Sande and Loe van Belle tried to pull the peloton apart and force a breakaway. Van Belle managed to create a gap and went on an adventure with three fellow escapees.

After the reduced peloton rapidly approached, Van Belle tried on his own. However, one and a half kilometers from the finish, the 22-year-old Dutchman got caught by the chasing peloton. In the sprint that followed, Brennan impressed by finishing third. "This feels really good," Brennan said.

"The race went perfectly for us. We were constantly at the front and Loe made sure we didn't have to waste much energy in the peloton. The last kilometers were pretty hectic. I managed to follow Tosh's wheel and after Per did a good turn at the front, I got ready for the sprint."

"I went into it with a lot of confidence because halfway through the race I felt I had good legs. To be honest, I didn't expect to finish on the podium. That's why I'm very happy about it," said Brennan, who said he had enjoyed working with his experienced teammates. "You pick up from everything and learn from the best drivers in the world. That makes it a lot easier for the next races."

Sports director Arthur van Dongen is proud of the way his team rode. "There were a lot of pro teams at the start and especially in the last two hours it was a tough course. Nevertheless, the guys took control of the race and rode courageously. Loe was perhaps the strongest man today and Matthew was very close to victory. There was certainly no shame in finishing third behind De Lie. All in all it was a very good day and gives a lot of confidence for the future."