With 21.2 kilometers left of the total 268.30 kilometers long race, Julian Alaphilippe really set the pace.
The Frenchman, who is the reigning world champion, poured on and also managed to create a gap down to the competitors.
However, the gap shrank quickly when Alaphilippe, consciously or not, slowed down and the competitors could come back.
But just like last year, a new attack came by the Frenchman.
A total of seven cyclists were in the crowd when Alaphilippe in a long uphill just over 17 kilometers from the finish line in Leuven increased the pace again.
Again he got a big gap but this time he never slowed down and with three kilometers left he was in the lead by 25-30 seconds.
- The group behind has probably given up, they probably realize that they can not catch up, says SVT's expert Thomas Löfkvist.
The Frenchman passed the finish line as an unthreatened number one.
- What a fantastic race, says Löfkvist.
With the victory, Alaphilippe is the seventh cyclist of all time to defend his gold.
The line race ended the World Cup in Flanders.