Drinks on me! Matt Brammeier wins his weight in beer at Tour of Flanders

Few riders will be as popular with their team mates after today’s Tour of Flanders than Matt Brammeier of MTN-Qhubeka, who won his own weight in beer after leading the race through a village that is home to a co-operative brewery just 31 kilometres into the race.

The former Irish national champion was part of a seven-man escape group and went off the front to be first through Sant Eloois Winkel, where Stene Winkel beer is brewed – and where it had been hoped that local rider Zico Waeytens of Giant-Alpecin might scoop the prize.

The brewery’s bar, De Oude Smisse (The Old Smithy) was open from 10am with Brammeier and his companions in the break heading through about an hour later.

The 29-year-old, born in Liverpool, tips the scales at 73 kilograms and prior to the race posted a picture of orange and red clouds at sunrise to Instagram with the caption, “Today’s going to be one of those days I never forget.”

Hopefully, then, he’ll have taken it easy on the strong Belgian beer that’s his reward for his efforts.