Lesson learned from Omloop and Kurne? “It's as if the difference with the second line has become greater.”

Karl: “The opening weekend teaches us the same thing we learned last year. Is Visma-Lease a Bike unbeatable at this point in the season?”

Jose: “There's not much difference between Jumbo-Visma and Visma-Lease a Bike. Maybe they're stronger. Why? Because of the strength of their leader and the rest, they don't have much to prove. They're really special.”

Karl: “We're often asked who would threaten them. We can't think of many names.”

Jose“We don't know yet what Mathieu van der Poel, Mads Pedersen and Tadej Pogacar will do or where they will be.”

“But it's as if these leaders have become larger, and as if the gap with the second line has become a little greater. I don't see any resistance right away.”

Karl: “Are there any teams that have to redo their homework?”

Jose: “I have this idea. We thought Lidl-Trek would put its foot next to Visma-Lease a Bike in Omloop, but it didn't happen. Yes, Toms Skujins was good, but it's not a team.”

Karl“Jonathan Milan was in the crowd and was sick today.”

Jose: “But we didn't see a team – like Soudal-Quick Step or Alpecin-Deceuninck – that was there on Saturday and Sunday.”

Karl: “Lidl-Trek and Alpecin-Deceuninck are waiting for their super leader.”

Jose“That's what we assume, yes.”

Karl: “So it's become Visma-Lease a Bike twice again.”

Jose: “Yes, but the race situation was different. On Saturday we were on the edge of our seats, and in Corneille we could sit back and relax.”

Karl: “There are similarities. The final was opened twice from a very long distance.”

Jose: “But you can't call it a surprise. When those yellow riders step forward, you know the game is in hand. And yet they pull away.”

Karl: “Can you be like Wout van Aert much better than Kuurne?”

Jose: “Do you need to be better? We don't know the competition. Everything is upside down. Leaders only ride when they have to. Just look at how little they race and how little they meet each other.”

Karl“You have to take a period of time and Mathieu van der Poel has learned that too. It hasn't caused him any harm.”

Jose: “I hope more people will join us in the coming weeks.”

Karl: “Patrick Lefebvre will say he will score the result after Liège. That's true, but it's easy with a two-time winner like Remco Evenepoel. It will be very difficult to catch a big fish on two fronts.”

Jose: “You draw that line every day. You always try to find something that gives you courage. Then every victory or place of honor is enough.”

Karl: “Does Alpeysen Desoninck have an alternative to Van der Poel? We have not seen the best Jasper Philipsen ever, although that is not necessary yet.”

Jose: “They must have taken that into consideration. It's not his habit to suddenly score after a high period. He needs more time, but give him the benefit of the doubt. We've just seen logical fragmentation in Corny. No one here is surprised.”