Jordi Worlop battled strong crosswinds, deep sand, and many professional road racers to win the Belgian beach race championship.

Warlop gave the B&B Hotels team, which was struggling to find a new sponsor and sign Mark Cavendish, its last win of 2022. Warlop is still looking for a new team, but hoped that his victory on the beach in Breden, near Ostend, would boost his chances.

While Warlop raced on a mountain bike, others opted for gravel bikes optimized for the wet, hard sand near the ocean and the dry, deep sand of the other parts of the 54-km race that winds up and down windswept beaches overlooking England from the North Sea.

The 27-year-old Belgian defeated Sepp Vanmarcke and Bert Van Lerberghe in an early attack, pulling away from many of the 250 riders and the 20 pro riders who had entered the race as a preseason race. Tim Merlier, Yasper Philipsen, Tim Declercq, and Yves Lampert were also in action, but were unable to win.

"This was unexpected. This is only my fourth beach race. The main thing is to prepare for the new season, but we did everything we could and it was worth it," said Warlop.

"Bert Van Lavelhe was clearly better in the beginning, but as the race went on he got better and better.

Warlop wore the 2022 B&B Hotels colors for the last time before the team officially ceased as a professional team on January 1.

"It's terrible that the team is quitting. The search for a new team is still on, but it's the same everywhere: no budget or no space. We're hoping something will come up."