Olaf Kooij, who at just under 20 years of age is already making a name for himself as a bunch sprint star, was overshadowed by top-class competitors on Saturday's opening stage of the Tour de Pollogne.

The finale of the first stage of the Tour de Pollogne was anything but straightforward. A big crash with a few kilometers to go, a short climb with about 800 meters to go, and a sharp right turn less than 250 meters from the finish all added to the tension of the group sprint.

However, teammates Tosh Van de Sande and Mike Tunissen led Cooey to a perfect pole position on the final curve, and a brief, intense sprint ensued.

This win for Cooey was his first career WorldTour victory and his ninth of the season. In addition to these victories, he has also shown his versatility by winning two stage races overall, one in the ZLM Tour and the other in the Circuit de la Sarthe.

After his victory in Poland, Couey said that a Grand Tour stage win was his long-term goal, but he already recognized that such a victory against such a strong field was a significant step forward.

"Finishing second in the third stage last year gave me the confidence that I could do it," he said.

"I'm really happy to win a stage in this race because I've already made good steps this year and gained confidence from the first half of the season.

Kooi said his joy was compounded by the fact that he was able to win against some of the best sprint riders in the world. Asked directly by one TV reporter how it felt to beat Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alfa Vinyl), who finished eighth in the stage, Cooey replied, "If I knew that the field was so strong, I would be more than happy to win."

"There are a lot of good sprinters on the start line and at the World Tour level. I was going for a stage win this week, so a stage win is always nice."

Kooi paid tribute to his teammate, "He did a perfect job.

"Tosh Van der Sande was moving at the corner with 800 meters to go. We told him to push and Mike took over.

"If you can make a 1-2 in the last corner like we did, you have a good chance to win. They were really important."

"They were really important.

Rival sprinter Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) pushed Kooi to the line, but the Dutchman said he knew he had a chance to win thanks to his position and sprint opening up late.

"I felt him on my wheel and he came next to me a little bit. But after the corner I didn't have time to make space and I was still confident I could win."

The top sprinters, including Kooi, seemed largely unaffected by this major crash behind the peloton. However, the Jumbo-Visma sprinters said they saw the aftermath of the pileup on the line.

"I hope they are okay. Some of my teammates were involved, like Sam Omen," he said.

Such a technical and unusual "flat" finish is not to every sprinter's liking.

"There are still a lot of things I don't know about what works best for me, but I think I had a good day," he concluded.

While Cooey continues his journey of discovery in the sprint, for Jumbo Visma, his success continues with remarkable victories on all fronts. With his first overall Tour de France victory, multiple stage wins, and a secondary class win, this team is an inspiration.

"We all have good morale," Kooi said. Of course, it was a great success for the team. Of course, it was a great success for the team.

Cooey was cautious but did not hide his ambition about what he would do next after winning this race, which has a long tradition of young stars showing their potential early on. He recognized that he was already several steps up the ladder at a very fast pace.

"We'll see. Of course, my goal is to win a stage in a Grand Tour, but for me right now, winning a race like this is also a big step."