The sprint finish was cast into doubt as the photo finish seemed to suggest that the Visma | lease a Bike leader had won by fractions of a centimeter, as the podium presentation was delayed as organisers reviewed the decision.
Shortly afterwards, van Aert was confirmed as the winner to continue leading the general classification of the race.
Speaking after the result was changed, van Aert told the media that he himself believed that Alpecin - Premier Tech's Plowright had beaten him to the win.
“This is a first for me. I had the feeling that Jensen was passing me over, but he was so sure of himself that I thought it had already been checked," he told the media.
But once Van Aert saw the finish footage for himself, he too had his doubts as he described the hectic experience.
He added, "Only when I saw the photo did I start to have doubts. In the end, the coin landed in my favor. A very special experience.”
Van Aert will head into Friday's stage as the overall leader and will chase a third win in a row following his return from injury that saw him miss the Tour de France. Van Aert, who won the Paris-Roubaix, suffered from an infected elbow wound, which derailed his participation at La Grand Boucle.
