Cycling news - Bob Jungels battles to solo victory in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne

Updated 03/03/2019 at 18:54 GMT

Bob Jungels produced a gutsy performance to win Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and cap a superb weekend for Deceuninck-QuickStep.

Finish, Jungels wins

Image credit: Eurosport

Jungels was part of a five-man break, but as the Peloton began to reel them back in he launched a solo attack with 12km to go.

“Winning races like this is the hardest way to do it, but also really nice to look at," said Jungels after the race.

"We had a plan today and we fulfilled it, but it’s a win I wasn’t expecting at all, as the original plan at the start of the classics campaign was to gain experience on the cobbles and adapt to the style of racing, which is so different and more nervous than that of the Ardennes races.”

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Using his time trial skills Jungels stretched the gap, helped by his team-mates disrupting the chase on the front of the pack, but it still took a mammoth effort from the man from Luxembourg to hold on.

“I knew it would be really close when we were in five, especially with the headwind, but I felt I was the strongest in the group and decided that I had to try something when the bunch was coming closer," Jungels explained. "I thought it was a bit of a mission impossible, but I always say that you have to listen to your gut and that’s what I did today and it paid off handsomely in the end.”