Greg Van Avermaat and Oliver Naessen rounded out the top four in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, an opening weekend that foreshadowed the AG2R Citroën classic in 2022.

The team not only fell out of the top 10 in this race for the first time since 2016, but also completely disappeared from the top 20 after missing the main move.

For the French team, the race to Harelbeke was all but over when they were 80 km back from the finish. On the cobbled Tyenberg climb, the small group that final winner Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma) had pushed away from the leaders with a powerful acceleration, there was not a single one of their jerseys to be seen at first.

Furthermore, after Ineos Grenadiers charged down the cobbled Eikenberg and Honatan Narvaez made a move across the gap, the team could not even join the handful of riders who bridged from the chase group to that front group.

"It was impossible to keep up with the top 15 today," said AG2R Citroën sport director Julien Jourdi. 'Some days the legs just don't respond.'

Last year, the team sent Nessen and Van Avermaert into a chasing group of six that finished 30 seconds behind winner Kasper Asgreen, with AG2R Citroën racers finishing fourth and sixth.

This year, Jumbo Visma's Van Avermaert and teammate Christophe Laporte were on the top two podiums, finishing over a minute and a half ahead of their closest rivals after attacking from the lead group in Paterberg. Stéphane Kühn (Groupama-FDJ) attacked from the chase group to take the last spot on the podium.

Six minutes after the winner crossed the finish line, AG2R Citroën's first rider, Naessen, crossed the line in 21st place. It was the only time in his five appearances in the race that the Belgian rider finished outside the top eight.

This result came amid questions about Nessen's form after he had to abandon Paris-Nice due to the flu. Nevertheless, in the run-up to the race, the riders said they hoped to be in the top group again this year.

Damien Touze and Van Avermaet joined a large group just behind Nessen. Touze was 35th, while Van Avermaet, who won the race in 2017 and has been on the podium in three other events, was 42nd.

Jourdi said that the team's initial goals for the race, also known as the Mini Tour of Flanders, were high, but unfortunately the day did not live up to expectations.

"There are still some great events left from now until Ronde van Vlaanderen. Recover well and ...... May the boys forget this day," Giurdi said in an interview shared on social media.

"On Sunday in Ghent-Wevelgem we have to lift our heads and show a different face. The team is good and it's important that we bounce back for the rest of the Flanders campaign."