Fabio Jacobsen wins the second stage and is leading overall

Dutchman Fabio Jacobsen (Soudal Quick-Step) won in Knokke-Heist at the conclusion of stage two of the Baloise Belgium Tour of Belgium (2.Pro), Thursday. The European champion beat compatriot Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Dekonink) and Jasper de Buest (Lotto Destiny). Jakobsen knocks Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Dekoninck), who fell 4 km from the finish, off the leader’s jersey.

The 175.7km that took the peloton from Merrilbeck to the coastal city did not present any particular difficulty. Six riders, Aaron van Boeck (Flanders-Baloise), Dutchman Dan van Sintmaartensdijk (Volker Wessels), Stijn Damen (BEAT) and Etienne van Embel (Koratec Sella-Italia), New Zealander James Foucher (Bolton Equities Black Spoke) and Spaniard Javier Serrano (EOLO- Kometa), who formed today’s detachment. The peloton caught them 34 km from the finish, with the golden kilometer approaching. Mathieu Van der Poel gained two more seconds and fell back to team-mate Jasper Philipsen in the default general classification.

4km from the finish, leader General Phillipsen and Australian Caleb Ewan (Lotto Destiny), two of today’s favourites, crashed.

The race, which ended up going uphill, saw Fabio Jacobsen show his strength. The 26-year-old Dutchman took the 42nd win of his career, his fourth of the season. He was ahead of Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper de Buest.

Jakobsen leads the overall lead ahead of Van der Poel, who is at the same time as him. De Buyst finished third with a time of 7 seconds.

Friday, the third stage of this 92 edition is a 15.2km individual time trial contested in Beveren.

Khalifa will know winner Mauro Schmid of Switzerland on Sunday when the arrival of the fifth stage, which takes place around Brussels.