Attack Hagenes falls short in final kilometers Grand Prix de Denain, Zingle fifth

# Hagenes’ Brave Bid Falls Short at Grand Prix de Denain; Zingle Finishes Fifth

The Grand Prix de Denain witnessed intense action as teams vied for supremacy in the cobbled sectors of northern France. Notably, Ashlin Barry of Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development made a remarkable professional debut, breaking away with a group of eight riders early in the race. However, their escape was short-lived, as they were caught about sixty kilometers from the finish line.

Once the Dutch squad assumed control of the race, Per Strand Hagenes launched a determined attack, joined only by Alec Segaert. With Zingle still in the reduced peloton, Team Visma appeared strategically positioned for a potential victory. Hagenes demonstrated his strength with a solo move during the final cobbled sector, creating a small gap over Segaert. Despite his valiant effort, Hagenes was eventually caught just two kilometers from Denain, while Segaert managed to stay clear of the peloton, ultimately taking the win.

Reflecting on his performance, Hagenes shared, “In the end, I just didn’t have enough energy left to follow Segaert. In those situations, it’s always difficult to decide what to do. I could have waited for him and gone for the sprint, but I chose not to. Still, I take a lot of positives from today for the upcoming classics.”

Sports director Robert Wagner praised Hagenes’ performance, stating, “We saw a very strong Per today. Just like in Samyn, he showed real courage. With the big classics coming up, his form is clearly there. He was the strongest on the cobbles today. That it doesn’t quite work out in the final kilometers is a bit of an anticlimax, but for me, the most important thing is that we raced very well as a young team.”

Wagner noted the team’s tactical success despite missing out on victory, adding, “In the end, it’s impressive that Axel was still able to sprint to fifth place after such a tough race. I also really enjoyed watching Ashlin. Last year he was still racing as a junior, and to make your pro debut like this is very strong. With this way of racing, we can look ahead with confidence to the coming weeks.”

### Final Results of the Grand Prix de Denain
1. Alec Segaert (Bahrain – Victorious) – 04:21:23
2. Milan Menten (Lotto Intermarché) – +00:00:02
3. Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) – +00:00:02
5. Axel Zingle (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:02
18. Ashlin Barry (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:02
41. Per Strand Hagenes (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:01:26
42. Pietro Mattio (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:02:02

As the team looks towards upcoming races, Hagenes’ resolve and the overall performance of Team Visma signal a promising future for their campaign in the classics season.