Regularity is an asset for Matthias Bogaert, who has already taken third and second place in Mouscron: “Don’t take out a subscription for that closest place of honor” (Herzele)

Matthias Bogaert, winner in Bury on Saturday, finished second in the first match of the Belgian Cup on Easter Monday. In Mouscron, Seff Van Kerckhove slipped through the net. Bogaert, who finished second for the third time this season, easily won the peloton sprint ahead of Sune De Valck.

Regularity is key for Matthias Bogaert, who has already recorded one victory, three second places and a fourth place. “The intention is not to take out a subscription to the closest place of honour. In Mouscron, Emil Siegers already stirred the attack drum in the first round. He finished a lap about a hundred meters ahead of the rest. After a crash, the race was neutralized and we stood still for fifteen minutes. After the restart, no one really wanted to race anymore. Three kilometers from the finish, Seff Van Kerckhove took his chance and no one responded. I was a little too far when Seff left. Responding myself meant that I was jeopardizing my chances in the sprint. So Van Kerckhove remained out of harm’s way. My sprint remains an asset. I am satisfied with second place. Van Kerckhove, who often stays in Spain, does not race in Belgium that often. The times he is there, we really have to take the Crabbé-Dstny rider into account.”

On Saturday Bogaert came out on top in Bury. “I won the sprint fairly easily with four. They often say that the first victory is the hardest and so we look forward to the next success. On Thursday I will be riding the provincial time trial championship for my own people. Time trial is going better for me now. In Borlo I finished fourth after losing time at the start. If that didn’t happen, I would have finished second. My teammate Mauro Keppens won last year by two seconds. It’s getting exciting now too. I know the course like the back of my hand. The difference will be made on the Waesberg. There you can blow up the engine and explode. Before we tackle the Pipe Ketel, we have been launched and so I expect that no difference will be made there,” says the rider of the successful Isorex Cycling Team.

Top matches

Bogaert wants to compete in the top competitions this year as a second year. Just like for the Tour of Flanders, Flanders Classics is now also organizing a youth day in Ypres. That day, newcomers (m/f), juniors (m/f) and promises (Kattekoers) will ride their Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields on April 21. “The newcomers also have a passage over the Kemmelberg,” says Bogaert. “I’m looking forward to that match.” The Tour of Flanders youth day will be organized in Oudenaarde on May 19 with competitions for juniors and newcomers (m/f).