The duo overturned a 44-point deficit to Lindsay De Vylder and Robbe Ghys, who had led the event since the opening night. De Vylder and Ghys entered the final Madison in control, with two other teams—Jules Hesters and Aaron Gate in third, and Madison World Champions Roger Kluge and Theo Reinhardt in fourth—also on the same lap, adding to the tense finale.
Hesters made an ambitious bid for victory with a late attack in the closing Madison, but it was Thomas and Van Den Bossche who capitalized on the opportunity. They allowed De Vylder and Ghys to exhaust themselves in the chase, then struck with a decisive counterattack to steal a lap and clinch the win.
“We were the hunters this week,” Thomas said. “Jules [Hesters] rode an incredible race and put immense pressure on the leaders. We took advantage of that. We knew we had one bullet and had to use it at the perfect moment.”
For Van Den Bossche, the victory marked his first Gent Six Day title. He credited their strategy of conserving energy for the final moments.
“Today, we played it smart. As the leaders, Lindsay and Robbe had to control three teams. We waited patiently and seized the right moment—and it paid off,” Van Den Bossche said.
Hesters praised the winners for their precision.
“It’s impressive how they managed to take a lap at the end. It was such a hard race. Ghys and De Vylder had to close every attack,” Hesters said. “Thomas and Van Den Bossche took the lap when we couldn’t—that was the toughest part of the race, and they executed perfectly.”
De Vylder, despite the disappointment, acknowledged the brilliance of the winners’ final-day performance.
“We’ve been dominant throughout the week,” De Vylder said. “But today, they rode a fantastic final race. Over the whole event, we were maybe the strongest pair, but they were better when it mattered most.”
The stunning conclusion capped off a week of intense racing, with Thomas and Van Den Bossche showcasing tactical brilliance and endurance to emerge victorious on the final day.
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