'I played the game a bit' – How Segaert bounced back with GP de Denain win

Alec Segaert bounced back from heartbreak in spectacular fashion at GP de Denain, outplaying Per Strand Hagenes tactically to claim solo victory just one day after falling short at Nokere Koerse.

The 23-year-old Belgian absorbed the mental and physical toll of Nokere before going again at at Denanin, where he off the peloton to secure a redemptive win.

"This is one of the most incredible feelings, this is why we cycle," Segaert told Eurosport after crossing the line. "That I can win here now – especially after what happened yesterday is crazy."

Segaert will rue the near-miss at Nokere Koerse, but he made no mistake in this performance against Per Strand Hagenes after the duo went clear 45km from the finish. 

"There aren't many riders in the peloton who can ride harder on cobbles than Per. Today he showed again that he's super strong. He did most of the work up front," Segaert said.

"He attacked me. I was really at my limit. But I played the game a bit. I kept the gap at around twenty meters. I hoped the peloton wouldn't come back and that he would fade a bit. Then, with my last strength, I came back in the last two kilometres and attacked immediately. Unlike yesterday, I could hold on until the finish."

At Nokere Koerse, Segaert was caught within the final 300 metres, but he dealt well with the final here, where a couple of roundabouts in the final kilometre helped to put the nail in the coffin of any cohesive chase behind.

After his recent showings, Segaert will take positives into the forthcoming Flemish classics. He is confirmed to line up at the E3 Saxo Classic on March 27 and he is also in line to ride Paris-Roubaix next month.