The race finally broke wide open just over 40 kilometers from the finish line. On the steep slopes of the Gulperberg, Romain Grégoire launched a sharp attack, forcing the main contenders to show their cards. Jorgenson was paying attention and immediately responded, jumping into the move alongside other heavy favorites like Remco Evenepoel, Mattias Skjelmose, and Kévin Vauquelin. The group reached the top of the climb together and looked ready to push on toward the finish.
Unfortunately for Jorgenson, his strong positioning was undone just moments later. Shortly after cresting the climb, things went wrong in the leading group. Kévin Vauquelin crashed, and Jorgenson was unable to avoid him, resulting in a heavy fall for the American rider, who was forced to abandon.
Team directors react to the setback
“We had high expectations for this race and were well prepared. Everyone could see that Matteo was in great form, so it’s very frustrating that our race ended this way. As a team, we were well positioned throughout. The riders did a great job keeping Matteo in a good position all day. The goal was to be among the first to crest the Gulperberg and the Kruisberg. He looked fresh on those climbs, but unfortunately he crashed shortly afterward. That’s extremely disappointing.”