Picnic PostNL sprint train – still without Jakobsen – on track in Renewi Tour opener: Bittner just misses podium after Eekhoff lead-out

Bittner is the designated sprinter within the Dutch team. In the WorldTour race, which started on Dutch soil with a flat 182-kilometer stage from Terneuzen to Breskens, Jakobsen finished in 142nd place, almost fourteen minutes behind.

Picnic PostNL saw Frank van den Broek join the breakaway of the day. With sixteen riders in the leading group, the rider from the Bollenstreek went on an adventure with just over 90 kilometers to go. However, their lead never exceeded 45 seconds, and the group was caught five kilometers from the finish. From that moment on, the team focused entirely on the sprint for finisher Pavel Bittner.

The 22-year-old Czech had Nils Eekhoff ahead of him in the final hundreds of meters. The Dutchman piloted Bittner perfectly in the final 200 meters, allowing him to start the mass sprint from the front. In the end, he finished fourth: “Something to build on for the coming days,” is the conclusion on the team website.

Afterwards, Bittner said: "We went into today knowing that it would be a stressful day with the wind. In the final we wanted to go for a sprint with me but in keep in mind the GC with Nils, and I think we did a pretty good job. At one point it really started racing in teh bunch and a group of 16 went with Frank in there for us which made it a lot safer and better for us. We were then gliding around the front to make sure that nothing happened or went without us. Coming into the final I found my good legs from the Tour, and I was feeling really good. Alex and then Nils did a really good job, and Nils basically placed me on 230 metres to go. I was second wheel and felt confident so I launched, but I had some strong guys on my wheel and they went around so in the end it was a fourth place. On one hand I really wanted to win today but it’s a good sign for the rest of the week and tomorrow we have another chance to go for it, so I think it was a nice day to kick off the racing here."