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2026 Baloise Belgium Tour
Tour de Belgique - Ronde van België (2.Pro), Belgium

95th edition: June 17 - June 21, 2026

Map of the 2026 Tour of Belgium

Sunday, June 21: Fifth & Final Stage, Gingelom - Hoeilaart, 183.5 km

Jasper Philipsen wins stage five and the 2026 Baloise Belgium Tour. Photo: Sprint Cycling

Les Woodland's book Sticky Buns Across America: Back-roads biking from sea to shining sea is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Weather at the finish city of Hoeilaart at 2:35 PM, local time: 30C (86F), fair, with the wind from the north at 8 km/hr (5 mph). No rain is forecast.

The race: Not starting: Michael Van Vliet (Metac SOLARWATT p/b Mantel), Michiel Coppens (BEAT CC p/b Saxo), Arne Santy (Tarteletto-Isorex), Otto Vergaerde (Lidl-Trek), & Mathias Sunekaer Norsgaard (Lidl-Trek)

Here's the report from stage and GC second-place Jenno Berckmoes' Lotto-Intermarché Team:

Jenno Berckmoes wrapped up the Baloise Belgium Tour with an impressive second place in both the final stage and the overall classification. After a brutally hot week of racing, the outcome was decided only in the final metres of the race. “We did everything we could. I have no regrets about the way we raced,” said Berckmoes afterwards.

The fifth and final stage of the Baloise Belgium Tour took the riders from Gingelom to Hoeilaart over a rolling course. The battle for the general classification remained intense throughout the day. Lotto-Intermarché fully backed Jenno Berckmoes, who started the final stage just two seconds behind the overall lead.

The pace increased significantly in the finale as the main GC contenders fought for valuable bonus seconds in the Golden Kilometre. As a result, the gaps between Jenno Berckmoes, Jasper Philipsen and race leader Alex Aranburu remained extremely small deep into the final kilometres. “After the Golden Kilometre, Jasper and I both picked up a few seconds, but in the end everything came down to the final sprint. I gave it everything and I can’t have any regrets about the way we raced.”

The final sprint also offered Berckmoes a chance to take the upper hand. “I emptied the tank in the sprint. I didn’t immediately see Jasper and thought I could finish ahead of him, but he came back. It’s Philipsen, of course, so you expect him to still be there all the way to the line.”

After the finish, Berckmoes mainly felt satisfied with his overall performance throughout the Baloise Belgium Tour. “This result takes a weight off my shoulders. I was very focused on this week and asked a lot of myself and of the team. We showed ourselves, gave everything and fought for the victory until the very last metres. In the end it was just not enough, but I’m proud of the way we raced.”

Complete results:

183.5 kilometers raced at an average speed of 45.071 km/hr

1	Jasper Philipsen	Alpecin-Premier Tech	4hr 8min 31sec
2	Jenno Berckmoes	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
3	Max Kanter	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
4	Søren Wærenskjold	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
5	Olav Kooij	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
6	Mike Teunissen	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
7	Emilien Jeannière	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
8	Rick Pluimers	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
9	Tim Torn Teutenberg	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
10	Biniam Girmay	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
11	Rui Oliveira	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
12	Héctor Álvarez	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
13	Jasper Stuyven	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
14	Alex Aranburu	Cofidis	s.t.
15	Lorenzo Milesi	Movistar Team	s.t.
16	Lukas Kubis	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
17	Lewis Askey	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
18	Johan Meens	Aarco	s.t.
19	Alessandro Romele	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
20	Davide Toneatti	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
21	Quinten Hermans	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
22	Robbe Mellaerts	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
23	Vincent Van Hemelen	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
24	Michiel Lambrecht	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
25	Matyas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
26	Carlos Canal	Movistar Team	s.t.
27	Alexandre Delettre	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
28	Tibor Del Grosso	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
29	Jonas Abrahamsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
30	Brent Van Moer	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	@ 6sec
31	Jonas Geens	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
32	Milan Lanhove	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
33	Jochem Kerckhaert	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
34	Viktor Vandenberghe	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
35	Aaron Gate	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
36	Thomas Gachignard	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
37	Sergio Meris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
38	Gianni Marchand	Tarteletto-Isorex	0:21
39	Julius van den Berg	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
40	Ryan Gal	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
41	Aimé De Gendt	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	0:38
42	Wies Nuyens	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
43	Frits Biesterbos	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
44	Manlio Moro	Movistar Team	s.t.
45	Robbe Ghys	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	0:46
46	Florian Vermeersch	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	0:59
47	Filip Maciejuk	Movistar Team	s.t.
48	Dylan Teuns	Cofidis	s.t.
49	Olivier Godfroid	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	1:24
50	Dylan van Baarle	Soudal Quick-Step	1:34
51	Florian Dauphin	Team TotalEnergies	1:40
52	Stan Dewulf	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
53	Alex Kirsch	Cofidis	2:23
54	John Degenkolb	Team Picnic PostNL	2:37
55	Fabio Van den Bossche	Soudal Quick-Step	2:43
56	Antoine L'Hote	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	2:50
57	Riley Sheehan	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
58	Huub Artz	Lotto-Intermarché	3:00
59	Cees Bol	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
60	Hugo Page	Cofidis	4:12
61	Matis Louvel	NSN Cycling Team	5:36
62	Anthony Turgis	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
63	Rune Herregodts	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	6:59
64	Rasmus Tiller	Uno-X Mobility	7:51
65	Erik Resell	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
66	Arvid de Kleijn	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
67	David Dekker	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
68	Tim Merlier	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
69	Michael Vanthourenhout	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
70	Tim Marsman	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
71	William Blume Levy	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
72	Gustav Wang	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
73	Jonas Hem Hvideberg	Uno-X Mobility	8:05
74	Steffen De Schuyteneer	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
75	Luca Giaimi	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
76	Julius Johansen	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
77	Tomas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
78	Wessel Mouris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
79	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	10:06
80	Bart Kortleve	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
81	Roan Konings	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
82	Arne Baers	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
83	Nicola Marcerou	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
84	Jocelyn Baguelin	Aarco	s.t.
85	Stijn Appel	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
86	Kay De Bruyckere	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
87	Eñaut Urkaregi	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
88	Bert Van Lerberghe	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
89	Lars Daelmans	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
90	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
91	Jelle Vermoote	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
92	Petr Kelemen	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
93	Jarno Bellens	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
94	Naud De Clercq	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
95	Daan Depuydt	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
96	Maxence Place	Aarco	s.t.
97	Fabian Lienhard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
98	Victor Hannes	Aarco	s.t.
99	Heimo Fugger	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
100	Bogdan Zabelinskiy	Aarco	s.t.
101	Jonas Rickaert	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
102	Nils Eekhoff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
103	Tom Crabbe	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
104	Liam Van Bylen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
105	Piet Allegaert	Cofidis	s.t.
106	Milan Fretin	Cofidis	s.t.
107	Tijmen Eising	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
108	Ferre Geeraerts	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
109	Victor Broex	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
110	Max Kroonen	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
111	Casper Pedersen	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
112	Jonah Killy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
113	Toon Aerts	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
114	Jake Stewart	NSN Cycling Team	16:24
115	Alexys Brunel	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
116	Joshua Giddings	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
117	Jasper De Buyst	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
118	Ayco Bastiaens	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
119	Jenthe Biermans	Cofidis	s.t.
120	Zeno Moonen	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
121	Joren Bloem	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
122	Florian Sénéchal	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
123	Taco van der Hoorn	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
124	Storm Ingebrigtsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
125	Lindsay De Vylder	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.

Final GC after stage 5:

GC winner: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech)
Points classification winner: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech)
Best young rider: Hector Alvarez (Lidl-Trek)
Teams classification winner: Alpecin-Premier Tech

925.8 kilometers raced at an average speed of 44.522 km/hr

1	Jasper Philipsen	Alpecin-Premier Tech	20hr 47min 40sec
2	Jenno Berckmoes	Lotto-Intermarché	@ 5sec
3	Alex Aranburu	Cofidis	0:09
4	Lewis Askey	NSN Cycling Team	0:14
5	Quinten Hermans	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	0:15
6	Carlos Canal	Movistar Team	0:18
7	Lukas Kubis	Unibet Rose Rockets	0:20
8	Emilien Jeannière	Team TotalEnergies	0:21
9	Jonas Abrahamsen	Uno-X Mobility	0:22
10	Matyas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
11	Tibor Del Grosso	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
12	Davide Toneatti	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
13	Alexandre Delettre	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
14	Jasper Stuyven	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
15	Alessandro Romele	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
16	Jonas Geens	Alpecin-Premier Tech	0:28
17	Héctor Álvarez	Lidl-Trek	0:33
18	Lorenzo Milesi	Movistar Team	0:35
19	Tim Torn Teutenberg	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
20	Brent Van Moer	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	0:37
21	Michiel Lambrecht	Team Flanders-Baloise	0:40
22	Jochem Kerckhaert	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	0:41
23	Milan Lanhove	Team Flanders-Baloise	0:57
24	Rick Pluimers	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	1:04
25	Mike Teunissen	XDS Astana Team	1:07
26	Biniam Girmay	NSN Cycling Team	1:08
27	Sergio Meris	Unibet Rose Rockets	1:24
28	Florian Vermeersch	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	1:39
29	Thomas Gachignard	Team TotalEnergies	1:51
30	Olivier Godfroid	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	2:08
31	Dylan van Baarle	Soudal Quick-Step	2:12
32	Stan Dewulf	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	2:49
33	Aimé De Gendt	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	3:02
34	Antoine L'Hote	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	3:39
35	Huub Artz	Lotto-Intermarché	3:51
36	Aaron Gate	XDS Astana Team	4:51
37	Fabio Van den Bossche	Soudal Quick-Step	6:55
38	Hugo Page	Cofidis	9:01
39	Tomas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	9:17
40	Vincent Van Hemelen	Team Flanders-Baloise	10:22
41	Gianni Marchand	Tarteletto-Isorex	10:23
42	Viktor Vandenberghe	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	10:29
43	Max Kanter	XDS Astana Team	10:37
44	Toon Aerts	Lotto-Intermarché	10:40
45	Julius van den Berg	Team Picnic PostNL	10:43
46	Filip Maciejuk	Movistar Team	11:07
47	Frits Biesterbos	Team Picnic PostNL	11:09
48	Matis Louvel	NSN Cycling Team	11:22
49	Robbe Mellaerts	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	11:55
50	Dylan Teuns	Cofidis	12:02
51	Rui Oliveira	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	12:05
52	Ryan Gal	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	12:40
53	Alex Kirsch	Cofidis	12:56
54	Søren Wærenskjold	Uno-X Mobility	13:06
55	William Blume Levy	Uno-X Mobility	13:22
56	Florian Dauphin	Team TotalEnergies	14:12
57	Tim Marsman	Alpecin-Premier Tech	14:20
58	Riley Sheehan	NSN Cycling Team	15:57
59	Wies Nuyens	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	17:06
60	Erik Resell	Uno-X Mobility	18:29
61	Rasmus Tiller	Uno-X Mobility	18:57
62	Johan Meens	Aarco	19:26
63	Olav Kooij	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	19:58
64	Steffen De Schuyteneer	Lotto-Intermarché	20:07
65	Kay De Bruyckere	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	20:28
66	Wessel Mouris	Unibet Rose Rockets	20:30
67	Daan Depuydt	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	20:37
68	Jonas Hem Hvideberg	Uno-X Mobility	20:40
69	Eñaut Urkaregi	Lidl-Trek	22:11
70	John Degenkolb	Team Picnic PostNL	22:41
71	Anthony Turgis	Team TotalEnergies	22:59
72	Cees Bol	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	23:09
73	Rune Herregodts	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	23:30
74	Robbe Ghys	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	24:16
75	Storm Ingebrigtsen	Uno-X Mobility	27:06
76	Tim Merlier	Soudal Quick-Step	27:33
77	Stijn Appel	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	27:44
78	Arvid de Kleijn	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	27:55
79	David Dekker	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	28:00
80	Luca Giaimi	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	28:09
81	Julius Johansen	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
82	Jake Stewart	NSN Cycling Team	28:29
83	Michael Vanthourenhout	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
84	Bart Kortleve	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	30:02
85	Victor Broex	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	30:06
86	Arne Baers	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	30:08
87	Jocelyn Baguelin	Aarco	30:10
88	Naud De Clercq	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
89	Roan Konings	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
90	Bert Van Lerberghe	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
91	Tom Crabbe	Team Flanders-Baloise	30:15
92	Nils Eekhoff	Team Picnic PostNL	30:50
93	Jonas Rickaert	Alpecin-Premier Tech	30:55
94	Manlio Moro	Movistar Team	30:57
95	Ferre Geeraerts	Team Flanders-Baloise	31:07
96	Maxence Place	Aarco	32:52
97	Lars Daelmans	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	33:54
98	Petr Kelemen	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	34:32
99	Gustav Wang	XDS Astana Team	36:12
100	Fabian Lienhard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	36:16
101	Jenthe Biermans	Cofidis	36:28
102	Liam Van Bylen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	37:10
103	Joshua Giddings	Lotto-Intermarché	37:14
104	Florian Sénéchal	Alpecin-Premier Tech	37:25
105	Joren Bloem	Unibet Rose Rockets	37:56
106	Milan Fretin	Cofidis	40:30
107	Victor Hannes	Aarco	41:00
108	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	41:05
109	Nicola Marcerou	Team TotalEnergies	42:26
110	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	43:25
111	Max Kroonen	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	43:41
112	Jasper De Buyst	Lotto-Intermarché	43:48
113	Jonah Killy	Tarteletto-Isorex	44:36
114	Casper Pedersen	Soudal Quick-Step	44:48
115	Heimo Fugger	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	45:18
116	Jarno Bellens	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	46:23
117	Zeno Moonen	Tarteletto-Isorex	46:43
118	Alexys Brunel	Team TotalEnergies	46:52
119	Bogdan Zabelinskiy	Aarco	47:51
120	Lindsay De Vylder	Alpecin-Premier Tech	48:16
121	Piet Allegaert	Cofidis	50:03
122	Jelle Vermoote	Tarteletto-Isorex	51:24
123	Tijmen Eising	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	53:10
124	Taco van der Hoorn	Lotto-Intermarché	58:37
125	Ayco Bastiaens	Soudal Quick-Step	1:06:02

Stage 5 map & profile:

Stage 5 map

Stage 5 profile

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Saturday, June 20: Stage 4, Begijnendijk-Betekom - Aarschot, 183.4 km

Stage 4 map & profile

Olav Kooij (center) wins stage four.

Les Woodland's book Tour of Flanders: The Inside Story - The rocky roads of the Ronde van Vlaanderen is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Weather at the finish city of Aarschot at 2:20 PM, local time: 31C (87F), sunny, with the wind from the west at 10 km/hr (6 mph). No rain is forecast.

The race: Early in the stage Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek) abandoned.

Here's the report from points classification leader Tim Merlier's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Tim Merlier became the first rider to conclude on the podium in three different stages at this year’s Belgium Tour, after an incredibly tight finish in Aarschot, where the fast men got their last opportunity of this edition.

Victorious on stage two in Knokke-Heist, the Belgian produced another strong sprint in the hectic finale of Saturday, only a few centimeters separating him from the win - just like on the opening day - which this time went to Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM). Following this podium, Tim extended his lead in the points standings, which he is now favorite to win with just one stage to go.

On Sunday, the race will be decided, especially as the gaps between the favorites aren’t big at the moment. Hills, cobbles, and the three sprints of the Golden Kilometer - where many bonus seconds will be in play - promise to have a big impact on the way the general classification of this 95th edition will look.

Team Soudal Quick-Step is presented before the stage start.

Complete results:

183.4 kilometers raced at an average speed of 44.425 km/hr

1	Olav Kooij	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	4hr 7min 42sec
2	Tim Merlier	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
3	Jasper Philipsen	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
4	Arvid de Kleijn	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
5	Biniam Girmay	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
6	Naud De Clercq	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
7	Søren Wærenskjold	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
8	David Dekker	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
9	Lukas Kubis	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
10	Matyas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
11	Tom Crabbe	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
12	Milan Fretin	Cofidis	s.t.
13	Steffen De Schuyteneer	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
14	Max Kanter	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
15	Daan Depuydt	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
16	Frits Biesterbos	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
17	Roy Hoogendoorn	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
18	Jenno Berckmoes	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
19	Tim Torn Teutenberg	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
20	Emils Liepins	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
21	Timothy Dupont	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
22	Emilien Jeannière	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
23	Rui Oliveira	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
24	Toon Aerts	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
25	Huub Artz	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
26	Jonas Abrahamsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
27	Eñaut Urkaregi	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
28	Davide Toneatti	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
29	Robbe Mellaerts	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
30	Wies Nuyens	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
31	Mike Teunissen	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
32	Erik Resell	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
33	Olivier Godfroid	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
34	Jocelyn Baguelin	Aarco	s.t.
35	Aaron Gate	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
36	Alessandro Romele	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
37	Alex Aranburu	Cofidis	s.t.
38	Bogdan Zabelinskiy	Aarco	s.t.
39	Lorenzo Milesi	Movistar Team	s.t.
40	Rick Pluimers	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
41	Alexandre Delettre	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
42	Michiel Lambrecht	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
43	Filip Maciejuk	Movistar Team	s.t.
44	John Degenkolb	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
45	William Blume Levy	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
46	Luca Giaimi	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
47	Cees Bol	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
48	Zeno Moonen	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
49	Carlos Canal	Movistar Team	s.t.
50	Manlio Moro	Movistar Team	s.t.
51	Kay De Bruyckere	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
52	Quinten Hermans	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
53	Roan Konings	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
54	Viktor Vandenberghe	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
55	Brent Van Moer	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
56	Lewis Askey	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
57	Johan Meens	Aarco	s.t.
58	Florian Vermeersch	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
59	Jonas Geens	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
60	Storm Ingebrigtsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
61	Jochem Kerckhaert	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
62	Héctor Álvarez	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
63	Gerben Kuypers	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
64	Julius van den Berg	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
65	Jonas Hem Hvideberg	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
66	Tibor Del Grosso	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
67	Tim Marsman	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
68	Milan Lanhove	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
69	Bart Kortleve	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
70	Wessel Mouris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
71	Dylan van Baarle	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
72	Heimo Fugger	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
73	Jake Stewart	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
74	Thomas Gachignard	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
75	Stan Dewulf	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
76	Arne Santy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
77	Jasper Stuyven	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
78	Bert Van Lerberghe	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
79	Gianni Marchand	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
80	Antoine L'Hote	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
81	Vincent Van Hemelen	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
82	Victor Broex	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
83	Sergio Meris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
84	Ryan Gal	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
85	Rune Herregodts	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
86	Tomas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
87	Arne Baers	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
88	Matis Louvel	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
89	Florian Sénéchal	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
90	Alex Kirsch	Cofidis	s.t.
91	Julius Johansen	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
92	Gilles Dockx	Aarco	s.t.
93	Jenthe Biermans	Cofidis	s.t.
94	Florian Dauphin	Team TotalEnergies	28
95	Hugo Page	Cofidis	s.t.
96	Rasmus Tiller	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
97	Dylan Teuns	Cofidis	32
98	Frederik Frison	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
99	Aimé De Gendt	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
100	Otto Vergaerde	Lidl-Trek	40
101	Jonas Rickaert	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
102	Nils Eekhoff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
103	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
104	Joshua Giddings	Lotto-Intermarché	46
105	Nicola Marcerou	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
106	Anthony Turgis	Team TotalEnergies	52
107	Robbe Ghys	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
108	Ferre Geeraerts	Team Flanders-Baloise	57
109	Liam Van Bylen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	1:03
110	Fabio Van den Bossche	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
111	Lindsay De Vylder	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
112	Max Kroonen	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	1:12
113	Jarno Bellens	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
114	Krists Neilands	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
115	Lars Daelmans	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	1:23
116	Joren Bloem	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
117	Guillaume Boivin	NSN Cycling Team	1:30
118	Piet Allegaert	Cofidis	1:37
119	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
120	Maxence Place	Aarco	1:41
121	Jonah Killy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
122	Michiel Coppens	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
123	Stijn Appel	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	1:50
124	Taco van der Hoorn	Lotto-Intermarché	2:06
125	Petr Kelemen	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
126	Victor Hannes	Aarco	2:13
127	Jasper De Buyst	Lotto-Intermarché	2:30
128	Rory Townsend	Unibet Rose Rockets	2:56
129	Alexys Brunel	Team TotalEnergies	3:07
130	Casper Pedersen	Soudal Quick-Step	3:13
131	Tijmen Eising	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	4:37
132	Luca Mozzato	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	7:05
133	Timo Roosen	Team Picnic PostNL	9:31
134	Gleb Syritsa	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
135	Michiel Hillen	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
136	Gustav Wang	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
137	Jelle Vermoote	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
138	Michael Vanthourenhout	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
139	Ayco Bastiaens	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
140	Christiaan van Rees	Team Picnic PostNL	11:49
141	Michiel Van Vliet	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
142	Fabian Lienhard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
143	Riley Sheehan	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
144	Kamil Malecki	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
145	Arthur van den Boer	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
146	Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard	Lidl-Trek	15:18

GC after stage 4:

GC leader: Alex Aranburu (Cofidis)
Points classification leader: Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
Best young rider: Hector Alvarez (Lidl-Trek)
Teams classification leader: Alpecin-Premier Tech

742.3 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 44.567 km/hr

1	Alex Aranburu	Cofidis	16hr 39min 21sec
2	Jasper Philipsen	Alpecin-Premier Tech	@ 2w3d
3	Jenno Berckmoes	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
4	Quinten Hermans	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	0:03
5	Lewis Askey	NSN Cycling Team	0:04
6	Carlos Canal	Movistar Team	0:06
7	Emilien Jeannière	Team TotalEnergies	0:10
8	Lukas Kubis	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
9	Jonas Abrahamsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
10	Matyas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
11	Tibor Del Grosso	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
12	Davide Toneatti	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
13	Alexandre Delettre	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
14	Jonas Geens	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
15	Jasper Stuyven	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
16	Alessandro Romele	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
17	Brent Van Moer	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	0:19
18	Héctor Álvarez	Lidl-Trek	0:21
19	Toon Aerts	Lotto-Intermarché	0:22
20	Jochem Kerckhaert	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	0:23
21	Lorenzo Milesi	Movistar Team	0:s.t.
22	Tim Torn Teutenberg	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
23	Dylan van Baarle	Soudal Quick-Step	0:26
24	Michiel Lambrecht	Team Flanders-Baloise	0:28
25	Florian Vermeersch	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
26	Olivier Godfroid	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	0:35
27	Antoine L'Hote	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	0:37
28	Huub Artz	Lotto-Intermarché	0:39
29	Milan Lanhove	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
30	Rick Pluimers	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	0:52
31	Mike Teunissen	XDS Astana Team	0:55
32	Biniam Girmay	NSN Cycling Team	0:56
33	Stan Dewulf	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	0:57
34	Tomas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	1:00
35	Gerben Kuypers	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	1:02
36	Sergio Meris	Unibet Rose Rockets	1:06
37	Thomas Gachignard	Team TotalEnergies	1:33
38	Aimé De Gendt	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	2:12
39	Fabio Van den Bossche	Soudal Quick-Step	4:00
40	Aaron Gate	XDS Astana Team	4:33
41	Hugo Page	Cofidis	4:37
42	William Blume Levy	Uno-X Mobility	5:19
43	Matis Louvel	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
44	Tim Marsman	Alpecin-Premier Tech	6:17
45	Gianni Marchand	Tarteletto-Isorex	9:50
46	Filip Maciejuk	Movistar Team	9:56
47	Kay De Bruyckere	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	10:10
48	Vincent Van Hemelen	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
49	Julius van den Berg	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
50	Viktor Vandenberghe	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	10:11
51	Frits Biesterbos	Team Picnic PostNL	10:19
52	Daan Depuydt	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
53	Alex Kirsch	Cofidis	10:21
54	Erik Resell	Uno-X Mobility	10:26
55	Max Kanter	XDS Astana Team	10:29
56	Storm Ingebrigtsen	Uno-X Mobility	10:30
57	Dylan Teuns	Cofidis	10:51
58	Rasmus Tiller	Uno-X Mobility	10:54
59	Otto Vergaerde	Lidl-Trek	11:13
60	Robbe Mellaerts	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	11:43
61	Steffen De Schuyteneer	Lotto-Intermarché	11:50
62	Rui Oliveira	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	11:53
63	Eñaut Urkaregi	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
64	Jake Stewart	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
65	Michiel Coppens	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	11:56
66	Ryan Gal	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	12:07
67	Wessel Mouris	Unibet Rose Rockets	12:13
68	Florian Dauphin	Team TotalEnergies	12:20
69	Jonas Hem Hvideberg	Uno-X Mobility	12:23
70	Søren Wærenskjold	Uno-X Mobility	12:54
71	Riley Sheehan	NSN Cycling Team	12:55
72	Krists Neilands	NSN Cycling Team	15:15
73	Wies Nuyens	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	16:16
74	Emils Liepins	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	16:19
75	Rune Herregodts	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
76	Anthony Turgis	Team TotalEnergies	17:11
77	Stijn Appel	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	17:26
78	Guillaume Boivin	NSN Cycling Team	17:49
79	Johan Meens	Aarco	19:14
80	Tim Merlier	Soudal Quick-Step	19:30
81	Bart Kortleve	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	19:44
82	Olav Kooij	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	19:46
83	Victor Broex	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	19:48
84	Arne Baers	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	19:50
85	Arvid de Kleijn	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	19:52
86	Timothy Dupont	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
87	Naud De Clercq	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
88	Jocelyn Baguelin	Aarco	s.t.
89	Luca Giaimi	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
90	Roan Konings	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
91	Arne Santy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
92	Jenthe Biermans	Cofidis	s.t.
93	John Degenkolb	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
94	Bert Van Lerberghe	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
95	Julius Johansen	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
96	David Dekker	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	19:57
97	Tom Crabbe	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
98	Cees Bol	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
99	Nils Eekhoff	Team Picnic PostNL	20:32
100	Jonas Rickaert	Alpecin-Premier Tech	20:37
101	Joshua Giddings	Lotto-Intermarché	20:38
102	Florian Sénéchal	Alpecin-Premier Tech	20:49
103	Ferre Geeraerts	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
104	Joren Bloem	Unibet Rose Rockets	21:20
105	Michael Vanthourenhout	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	21:26
106	Michiel Van Vliet	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	21:36
107	Maxence Place	Aarco	22:34
108	Robbe Ghys	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	23:18
109	Lars Daelmans	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	23:36
110	Petr Kelemen	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	24:14
111	Fabian Lienhard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	25:58
112	Liam Van Bylen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	26:52
113	Jasper De Buyst	Lotto-Intermarché	27:12
114	Rory Townsend	Unibet Rose Rockets	27:35
115	Gustav Wang	XDS Astana Team	28:09
116	Zeno Moonen	Tarteletto-Isorex	30:07
117	Manlio Moro	Movistar Team	s.t.
118	Milan Fretin	Cofidis	30:12
119	Alexys Brunel	Team TotalEnergies	30:16
120	Roy Hoogendoorn	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	30:17
121	Kamil Malecki	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	30:24
122	Victor Hannes	Aarco	30:42
123	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	30:47
124	Lindsay De Vylder	Alpecin-Premier Tech	31:10
125	Gilles Dockx	Aarco	31:46
126	Frederik Frison	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	31:59
127	Nicola Marcerou	Team TotalEnergies	32:08
128	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	33:07
129	Max Kroonen	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	33:23
130	Jonah Killy	Tarteletto-Isorex	34:18
131	Casper Pedersen	Soudal Quick-Step	34:30
132	Heimo Fugger	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	35:00
133	Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard	Lidl-Trek	35:13
134	Jarno Bellens	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	36:05
135	Bogdan Zabelinskiy	Aarco	37:33
136	Piet Allegaert	Cofidis	39:45
137	Jelle Vermoote	Tarteletto-Isorex	41:06
138	Taco van der Hoorn	Lotto-Intermarché	42:01
139	Tijmen Eising	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	42:52
140	Michiel Hillen	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	43:00
141	Christiaan van Rees	Team Picnic PostNL	44:24
142	Timo Roosen	Team Picnic PostNL	44:36
143	Luca Mozzato	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	47:24
144	Ayco Bastiaens	Soudal Quick-Step	49:26
145	Arthur van den Boer	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	49:29
146	Gleb Syritsa	XDS Astana Team	50:57

Stage 4 map & profile:

Stage 4 map

Stage 4 profile

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Friday, June 19: Stage 3, Durbuy - Durbuy, 173 km

Stage 3 map & profile

Alex Aranburu beats Lewis Askey for the stage win.

Les Woodland's book Cycling's World Championships: The Inside Story is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Weather at the start/finish city of Durbuy at 2:30 PM, local time: 33C (92F), sunny, with the wind from the south at 13 km/hr (8 mph). There is a 4% chance of rain.

The race: Early in the stage Sam Bennett (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), Ivan Garcia Cortina (Movistar) & Maikel Zijlaard (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) abandoned.

Here's the report from second-place Lewis Askey's NSN Cycling Team:

Lewis Askey’s first win in NSN colors feels like it is getting closer. Having taken third place on a stage of Paris – Nice and then again at last month’s Tro-Bro Léon, on Friday the British rider claimed second after a hard and aggressive day of racing at the Baloise Belgium Tour.

Following a stage in which both stage one winner Biniam Girmay and Riley Sheehan reiterated their current good form, Askey appeared to have timed his sprint on the 600-meter, 9.2% climb to the finish line in the Wallonian city of Durbuy to perfection.

Unfortunately for the British rider, Alex Aranburu (COF) – who won this respective stage in the race two years ago – narrowly pipped him to the line.

“I felt strong in the final and I think the win was possible but, without boring everyone with excuses, I’m just going to have to come back in the future to win this stage,” he says.

“We knew we probably had the team with the most depth for this race today, so we were all excited going into the stage.

“I’m not particularly great in the heat, so the staff did a great job of keeping us cool with ice socks and cold water all day. It was a hard last two laps – there was little control, and the rain came in just to make it a little more stressful.

“A move went on the final lap, but Matîs [Louvel] has been flying this week, so he managed to keep it under control.

“The race was back together in the final 10km. Then there were more attacks, and we had Bini in the front group for a bit, which allowed me to sit back and save the legs a little for the final.

“Coming into the final climb, it was all to play for. I didn’t do the best job of positioning myself, but fortunately, my legs made up for it.”

Askey was one of the day’s biggest movers on GC, rising 46 places to second overall, just four seconds behind Aranburu with two stages remaining.

Complete results:

173 kilometers raced at an average speed of 41.945 km/hr

1	Alex Aranburu	Cofidis	4hr 7min 28sec
2	Lewis Askey	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
3	Carlos Canal	Movistar Team	s.t.
4	Jonas Abrahamsen	Uno-X Mobility	@ 2sec
5	Matyas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
6	Jasper Philipsen	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
7	Alexandre Delettre	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
8	Emilien Jeannière	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
9	Davide Toneatti	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
10	Tibor Del Grosso	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
11	Alessandro Romele	XDS Astana Team	0:06
12	Jonas Geens	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
13	Jenno Berckmoes	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
14	Jasper Stuyven	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
15	Quinten Hermans	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
16	Lukas Kubis	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
17	Brent Van Moer	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	0:09
18	Toon Aerts	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
19	Tim Torn Teutenberg	Lidl-Trek	0:13
20	Héctor Álvarez	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
21	Jochem Kerckhaert	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	0:15
22	Lorenzo Milesi	Movistar Team	s.t.
23	Dylan van Baarle	Soudal Quick-Step	0:16
24	Florian Vermeersch	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	0:18
25	Michiel Lambrecht	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
26	Olivier Godfroid	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	0:25
27	Antoine L'Hote	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	0:27
28	Milan Lanhove	Team Flanders-Baloise	0:29
29	Huub Artz	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
30	Rick Pluimers	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	0:42
31	Mike Teunissen	XDS Astana Team	0:45
32	Stan Dewulf	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	0:47
33	Tomas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	0:50
34	Gerben Kuypers	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	0:52
35	Riley Sheehan	NSN Cycling Team	0:56
36	Sergio Meris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
37	Biniam Girmay	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
38	Thomas Gachignard	Team TotalEnergies	1:23
39	Aimé De Gendt	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	1:31
40	Fabio Van den Bossche	Soudal Quick-Step	1:38
41	Hugo Page	Cofidis	3:59
42	Aaron Gate	XDS Astana Team	4:23
43	William Blume Levy	Uno-X Mobility	5:09
44	Matis Louvel	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
45	Tim Marsman	Alpecin-Premier Tech	6:07
46	Michiel Van Vliet	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	9:37
47	Gianni Marchand	Tarteletto-Isorex	9:40
48	Filip Maciejuk	Movistar Team	9:46
49	Vincent Van Hemelen	Team Flanders-Baloise	10:00
50	Kay De Bruyckere	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
51	Julius van den Berg	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
52	Johan Meens	Aarco	s.t.
53	Viktor Vandenberghe	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	10:09
54	Dylan Teuns	Cofidis	s.t.
55	Frits Biesterbos	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
56	Michiel Coppens	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
57	Daan Depuydt	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
58	Alex Kirsch	Cofidis	10:11
59	Jakob Söderqvist	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
60	Rasmus Tiller	Uno-X Mobility	10:16
61	Erik Resell	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
62	Storm Ingebrigtsen	Uno-X Mobility	10:20
63	Otto Vergaerde	Lidl-Trek	10:23
64	Max Kanter	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
65	Steffen De Schuyteneer	Lotto-Intermarché	11:40
66	Arne Baers	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
67	Robbe Mellaerts	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
68	Alexys Brunel	Team TotalEnergies	11:42
69	Florian Dauphin	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
70	Eñaut Urkaregi	Lidl-Trek	11:43
71	Maxence Place	Aarco	s.t.
72	Jake Stewart	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
73	Fabian Lienhard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
74	Krists Neilands	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
75	Rui Oliveira	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
76	Michael Vanthourenhout	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	11:45
77	Stijn Appel	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	11:55
78	Ryan Gal	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	11:57
79	Wessel Mouris	Unibet Rose Rockets	12:03
80	Jonas Hem Hvideberg	Uno-X Mobility	12:13
81	Casper Pedersen	Soudal Quick-Step	12:44
82	Søren Wærenskjold	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
83	Wies Nuyens	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	16:09
84	Frederik Frison	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
85	Rune Herregodts	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
86	Guillaume Boivin	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
87	Emils Liepins	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
88	Anthony Turgis	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
89	Kamil Malecki	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
90	Gustav Wang	XDS Astana Team	16:12
91	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
92	Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
93	Rory Townsend	Unibet Rose Rockets	16:18
94	Florian Sénéchal	Alpecin-Premier Tech	16:52
95	Victor Hannes	Aarco	16:53
96	Max Kroonen	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
97	Timothy Dupont	Tarteletto-Isorex	19:42
98	Lindsay De Vylder	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
99	Jenthe Biermans	Cofidis	s.t.
100	Arne Santy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
101	Julius Johansen	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
102	Luca Giaimi	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
103	Jocelyn Baguelin	Aarco	s.t.
104	Zeno Moonen	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
105	Nicola Marcerou	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
106	Heimo Fugger	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
107	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
108	Bert Van Lerberghe	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
109	Tim Merlier	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
110	Petr Kelemen	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
111	Arvid de Kleijn	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
112	Manlio Moro	Movistar Team	s.t.
113	Jelle Vermoote	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
114	Victor Broex	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
115	Naud De Clercq	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
116	Bart Kortleve	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
117	Jarno Bellens	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
118	John Degenkolb	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
119	Roan Konings	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
120	Tijmen Eising	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
121	Ferre Geeraerts	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
122	Liam Van Bylen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
123	Joshua Giddings	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
124	Nils Eekhoff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
125	Lars Daelmans	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	19:47
126	Timo Roosen	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
127	Joren Bloem	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
128	Piet Allegaert	Cofidis	s.t.
129	Tom Crabbe	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
130	Milan Fretin	Cofidis	s.t.
131	David Dekker	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
132	Cees Bol	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
133	Jonas Rickaert	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
134	Robbe Ghys	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
135	Olav Kooij	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	19:52
136	Roy Hoogendoorn	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
137	Jasper De Buyst	Lotto-Intermarché	19:54
138	Jonah Killy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
139	Michiel Hillen	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
140	Arthur van den Boer	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	19:57
141	Luca Mozzato	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	20:06
142	Christiaan van Rees	Team Picnic PostNL	22:10
143	Ayco Bastiaens	Soudal Quick-Step	22:15
144	Taco van der Hoorn	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
145	Gleb Syritsa	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
146	Gilles Dockx	Aarco	s.t.
147	Bogdan Zabelinskiy	Aarco	s.t.

GC after stage 3:

GC leader: Alex Aranburu (Cofidis)
Points classification leader: Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
Best young rider: Hector Alvarez (Lidl-Trek)
Teams classification leader: Alpecin-Premier-Tech

558.9 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 44.614 km/hr

1	Alex Aranburu	Cofidis	12hr 31min 39sec
2	Lewis Askey	NSN Cycling Team	@ 4sec
3	Carlos Canal	Movistar Team	0:06
4	Jasper Philipsen	Alpecin-Premier Tech	0:08
5	Jenno Berckmoes	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
6	Quinten Hermans	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	0:09
7	Emilien Jeannière	Team TotalEnergies	0:12
8	Tibor Del Grosso	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
9	Jonas Abrahamsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
10	Matyas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
11	Davide Toneatti	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
12	Alexandre Delettre	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
13	Lukas Kubis	Unibet Rose Rockets	0:16
14	Jasper Stuyven	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
15	Jonas Geens	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
16	Alessandro Romele	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
17	Brent Van Moer	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	0:19
18	Toon Aerts	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
19	Héctor Álvarez	Lidl-Trek	0:21
20	Tim Torn Teutenberg	Lidl-Trek	0:23
21	Jochem Kerckhaert	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	0:25
22	Lorenzo Milesi	Movistar Team	s.t.
23	Dylan van Baarle	Soudal Quick-Step	0:26
24	Florian Vermeersch	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	0:28
25	Michiel Lambrecht	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
26	Olivier Godfroid	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	0:35
27	Antoine L'Hote	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	0:37
28	Huub Artz	Lotto-Intermarché	0:39
29	Milan Lanhove	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
30	Rick Pluimers	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	0:52
31	Mike Teunissen	XDS Astana Team	0:55
32	Biniam Girmay	NSN Cycling Team	0:56
33	Stan Dewulf	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	0:57
34	Tomas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	1:00
35	Gerben Kuypers	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	1:02
36	Riley Sheehan	NSN Cycling Team	1:06
37	Sergio Meris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
38	Thomas Gachignard	Team TotalEnergies	1:33
39	Aimé De Gendt	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	1:40
40	Fabio Van den Bossche	Soudal Quick-Step	2:57
41	Hugo Page	Cofidis	4:09
42	Aaron Gate	XDS Astana Team	4:33
43	William Blume Levy	Uno-X Mobility	5:19
44	Matis Louvel	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
45	Tim Marsman	Alpecin-Premier Tech	6:17
46	Michiel Van Vliet	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	9:47
47	Gianni Marchand	Tarteletto-Isorex	9:50
48	Filip Maciejuk	Movistar Team	9:56
49	Kay De Bruyckere	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	10:10
50	Vincent Van Hemelen	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
51	Julius van den Berg	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
52	Viktor Vandenberghe	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	10:11
53	Frits Biesterbos	Team Picnic PostNL	10:19
54	Daan Depuydt	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
55	Michiel Coppens	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
56	Dylan Teuns	Cofidis	s.t.
57	Alex Kirsch	Cofidis	10:21
58	Jakob Söderqvist	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
59	Rasmus Tiller	Uno-X Mobility	10:26
60	Erik Resell	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
61	Max Kanter	XDS Astana Team	10:29
62	Storm Ingebrigtsen	Uno-X Mobility	10:30
63	Otto Vergaerde	Lidl-Trek	10:33
64	Robbe Mellaerts	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	11:43
65	Steffen De Schuyteneer	Lotto-Intermarché	11:50
66	Florian Dauphin	Team TotalEnergies	11:52
67	Rui Oliveira	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	11:53
68	Eñaut Urkaregi	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
69	Jake Stewart	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
70	Michael Vanthourenhout	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	11:55
71	Ryan Gal	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	12:07
72	Wessel Mouris	Unibet Rose Rockets	12:13
73	Jonas Hem Hvideberg	Uno-X Mobility	12:23
74	Søren Wærenskjold	Uno-X Mobility	12:54
75	Krists Neilands	NSN Cycling Team	14:03
76	Fabian Lienhard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	14:09
77	Stijn Appel	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	15:36
78	Wies Nuyens	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	16:16
79	Emils Liepins	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	16:19
80	Anthony Turgis	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
81	Guillaume Boivin	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
82	Rune Herregodts	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
83	Kamil Malecki	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	18:35
84	Gustav Wang	XDS Astana Team	18:38
85	Johan Meens	Aarco	19:14
86	Tim Merlier	Soudal Quick-Step	19:36
87	Bart Kortleve	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	19:44
88	Victor Broex	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	19:48
89	Arne Baers	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	19:50
90	Arvid de Kleijn	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	19:52
91	Timothy Dupont	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
92	Jocelyn Baguelin	Aarco	s.t.
93	Naud De Clercq	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
94	Roan Konings	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
95	Luca Giaimi	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
96	Arne Santy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
97	Jenthe Biermans	Cofidis	s.t.
98	Joshua Giddings	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
99	Ferre Geeraerts	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
100	Bert Van Lerberghe	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
101	John Degenkolb	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
102	Julius Johansen	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
103	Nils Eekhoff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
104	Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard	Lidl-Trek	19:55
105	Olav Kooij	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	19:56
106	Tom Crabbe	Team Flanders-Baloise	19:57
107	David Dekker	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
108	Cees Bol	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
109	Joren Bloem	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
110	Jonas Rickaert	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
111	Florian Sénéchal	Alpecin-Premier Tech	20:49
112	Maxence Place	Aarco	20:57
113	Petr Kelemen	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	22:08
114	Lars Daelmans	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	22:13
115	Robbe Ghys	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	22:26
116	Rory Townsend	Unibet Rose Rockets	24:39
117	Jasper De Buyst	Lotto-Intermarché	24:42
118	Liam Van Bylen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	25:49
119	Alexys Brunel	Team TotalEnergies	27:09
120	Victor Hannes	Aarco	28:29
121	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	30:07
122	Zeno Moonen	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
123	Manlio Moro	Movistar Team	s.t.
124	Lindsay De Vylder	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
125	Milan Fretin	Cofidis	30:12
126	Roy Hoogendoorn	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	30:17
127	Casper Pedersen	Soudal Quick-Step	31:17
128	Nicola Marcerou	Team TotalEnergies	31:22
129	Frederik Frison	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	31:27
130	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	31:30
131	Jelle Vermoote	Tarteletto-Isorex	31:35
132	Gilles Dockx	Aarco	31:46
133	Max Kroonen	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	32:11
134	Christiaan van Rees	Team Picnic PostNL	32:35
135	Jonah Killy	Tarteletto-Isorex	32:40
136	Michiel Hillen	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	33:29
137	Jarno Bellens	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	35:00
138	Heimo Fugger	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
139	Timo Roosen	Team Picnic PostNL	35:05
140	Bogdan Zabelinskiy	Aarco	37:33
141	Arthur van den Boer	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	37:40
142	Piet Allegaert	Cofidis	38:08
143	Tijmen Eising	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	38:15
144	Taco van der Hoorn	Lotto-Intermarché	39:55
145	Ayco Bastiaens	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
146	Luca Mozzato	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	40:19
147	Gleb Syritsa	XDS Astana Team	41:26

Stage 3 map & profile:

Stage 3 map

Stage 3 profile

Thursday, June 18: Stage 2, Merelbeke-Melle - Knokke-Heist, 197.6 km

Stage 2 map & profile

Tim Merlier (on left) wins the stage and becomes the new GC leader. Getty photo

Marcus Aurelius' Meditations is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Weather at the finish city of Knokke-Heist at 2:40 PM, local time: 21C (69F), partly cloudy, with the wind from the north at 11 km/hr (7 mph). There is a 5% chance of rain.

The race: Not starting: Yorben Lauryssen (Tarteletto-Isorex), Sebastian Kolze Changizi (Tudor Pro Cycling Team), & Leander Van Hautegem (Team Flanders-Baloise).

Here's the report from stage winner and new GC leader Tim Merlier's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

You say Knokke-Heist, you say Tim Merlier. Soudal Quick-Step’s fast man made it a hat-trick of wins in the coastal town at the Belgium Tour, after another trademark sprint, and took his remarkable tally in the pro ranks to 72 victories.

Stage two was a straightforward one: a four-man breakaway animated things before being reeled in by the peloton, where Soudal Quick-Step worked the entire day to make sure it would come down to a bunch sprint. After being launched by Bert Van Lerberghe, Merlier opened up his acceleration with 150 meters to go, and once again didn’t give any chance to his opponents on the uphill drag to the line, winning comfortably.

Stage one winner Biniam Girmay on the start line wearing the GC leader's purple jersey.

“The entire squad worked well today, chased down the escapees and brought me in a good position going under the flamme rouge. A few riders passed me in the last corner, but I stayed calm, because I knew timing would be key there. When I launched my sprint, I just kept going and I’m glad I could bring it home for the team.”

“I’m happy with this win and with having the leader’s jersey. It’s my third consecutive success in Knokke-Heist, so it seems the sea air is good for me”, said Tim after bonification seconds put him at the top of the overall standings. “On Friday it will be an important day for the general classification and I’ll try to help the guys as much as possible, and hopefully, we’ll get another good result.”

Compelte results:

197.6 kilometers raced at an average speed of 45.812 km/hr

1	Tim Merlier	Soudal Quick-Step	4hr 18min 31sec
2	Olav Kooij	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
3	Jasper Philipsen	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
4	Max Kanter	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
5	Emilien Jeannière	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
6	Jenno Berckmoes	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
7	Tom Crabbe	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
8	Jonas Abrahamsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
9	David Dekker	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
10	Søren Wærenskjold	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
11	Steffen De Schuyteneer	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
12	Anthony Turgis	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
13	Frits Biesterbos	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
14	Huub Artz	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
15	Roan Konings	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
16	Wies Nuyens	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
17	Emils Liepins	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
18	Rui Oliveira	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
19	Arvid de Kleijn	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
20	Carlos Canal	Movistar Team	s.t.
21	Mike Teunissen	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
22	Florian Vermeersch	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
23	Jocelyn Baguelin	Aarco	s.t.
24	Daan Depuydt	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
25	Timothy Dupont	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
26	Iván García Cortina	Movistar Team	s.t.
27	Cees Bol	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
28	Arthur van den Boer	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
29	Milan Fretin	Cofidis	s.t.
30	Tibor Del Grosso	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
31	Michael Vanthourenhout	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
32	Luca Giaimi	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
33	Tim Marsman	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
34	Jenthe Biermans	Cofidis	s.t.
35	Johan Dorussen	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
36	Rick Pluimers	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
37	Michiel Lambrecht	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
38	Lukas Kubis	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
39	Jochem Kerckhaert	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
40	Arne Santy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
41	Robbe Mellaerts	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
42	Naud De Clercq	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
43	Roy Hoogendoorn	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
44	Eñaut Urkaregi	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
45	Jakob Söderqvist	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
46	Filip Maciejuk	Movistar Team	s.t.
47	Christiaan van Rees	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
48	William Blume Levy	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
49	Matyas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
50	Joren Bloem	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
51	Davide Toneatti	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
52	Brent Van Moer	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
53	Hugo Page	Cofidis	s.t.
54	Viktor Vandenberghe	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
55	Kay De Bruyckere	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
56	Riley Sheehan	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
57	Lorenzo Milesi	Movistar Team	s.t.
58	Lewis Askey	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
59	Bart Kortleve	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
60	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
61	Olivier Godfroid	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
62	Bert Van Lerberghe	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
63	Tomas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
64	Matis Louvel	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
65	Jonas Geens	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
66	Jonas Hem Hvideberg	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
67	Aaron Gate	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
68	Erik Resell	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
69	Rasmus Tiller	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
70	Jonas Rickaert	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
71	Florian Sénéchal	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
72	Gerben Kuypers	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
73	Max Kroonen	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
74	Dylan van Baarle	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
75	Maxence Place	Aarco	s.t.
76	Stan Dewulf	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
77	Thomas Gachignard	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
78	Manlio Moro	Movistar Team	s.t.
79	Michiel Coppens	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
80	John Degenkolb	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
81	Zeno Moonen	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
82	Jake Stewart	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
83	Quinten Hermans	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
84	Gianni Marchand	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
85	Fabian Lienhard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
86	Alex Kirsch	Cofidis	s.t.
87	Ferre Geeraerts	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
88	Dylan Teuns	Cofidis	s.t.
89	Ryan Gal	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
90	Toon Aerts	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
91	Héctor Álvarez	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
92	Jasper Stuyven	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
93	Victor Broex	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
94	Storm Ingebrigtsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
95	Alex Aranburu	Cofidis	s.t.
96	Gilles Dockx	Aarco	s.t.
97	Lindsay De Vylder	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
98	Vincent Van Hemelen	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
99	Alessandro Romele	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
100	Aimé De Gendt	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
101	Florian Dauphin	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
102	Otto Vergaerde	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
103	Alexandre Delettre	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
104	Guillaume Boivin	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
105	Joshua Giddings	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
106	Arne Baers	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
107	Nils Eekhoff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
108	Antoine L'Hote	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
109	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
110	Johan Meens	Aarco	s.t.
111	Arthur Blaise	Aarco	s.t.
112	Jarno Bellens	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
113	Gustav Wang	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
114	Wessel Mouris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
115	Jules Hesters	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
116	Milan Lanhove	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
117	Petr Kelemen	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
118	Lars Daelmans	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
119	Timo Roosen	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
120	Kamil Malecki	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
121	Julius van den Berg	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
122	Biniam Girmay	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
123	Rune Herregodts	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
124	Sergio Meris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
125	Julius Johansen	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
126	Michiel Van Vliet	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
127	Bogdan Zabelinskiy	Aarco	s.t.
128	Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
129	Heimo Fugger	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
130	Frederik Frison	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
131	Piet Allegaert	Cofidis	@ 38sec
132	Robbe Ghys	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	0:48
133	Tim Torn Teutenberg	Lidl-Trek	@ 0sec
134	Fabio Van den Bossche	Soudal Quick-Step	1:09
135	Liam Van Bylen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	1:15
136	Stijn Appel	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
137	Nicola Marcerou	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
138	Gleb Syritsa	XDS Astana Team	1:28
139	Krists Neilands	NSN Cycling Team	1:40
140	Taco van der Hoorn	Lotto-Intermarché	2:22
141	Jasper De Buyst	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
142	Jelle Vermoote	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
143	Jonah Killy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
144	Victor Hannes	Aarco	s.t.
145	Thom van der Werff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
146	Ayco Bastiaens	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
147	Rory Townsend	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
148	Luca Mozzato	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	2:30
149	Sam Bennett	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	2:39
150	Tijmen Eising	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	3:15
151	Maikel Zijlaard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
152	Michiel Hillen	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
153	Casper Pedersen	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
154	Alexys Brunel	Team TotalEnergies	5:02

GC after stage 2:

GC leader: Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
Points classification leader: Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
Best young rider: Bart Kortleve (Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel)
Team classification leader: Lotto-Intermarché

385.9 kilometers raced so far at an average speed of 45.933 km/hr

1	Tim Merlier	Soudal Quick-Step	8hr 24min 5sec
2	Biniam Girmay	NSN Cycling Team	@ 6sec
3	Bart Kortleve	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	0:08
4	Viktor Vandenberghe	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
5	Robbe Mellaerts	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	0:09
6	Olav Kooij	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	0:10
7	Max Kanter	XDS Astana Team	0:12
8	Jasper Philipsen	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
9	Victor Broex	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
10	Wies Nuyens	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	0:13
11	Emilien Jeannière	Team TotalEnergies	0:16
12	Søren Wærenskjold	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
13	Steffen De Schuyteneer	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
14	Frits Biesterbos	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
15	Arvid de Kleijn	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
16	Tom Crabbe	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
17	David Dekker	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
18	Jenno Berckmoes	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
19	Rui Oliveira	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
20	Anthony Turgis	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
21	Mike Teunissen	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
22	Emils Liepins	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
23	Jocelyn Baguelin	Aarco	s.t.
24	Lukas Kubis	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
25	Timothy Dupont	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
26	Daan Depuydt	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
27	Eñaut Urkaregi	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
28	Roan Konings	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
29	Naud De Clercq	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
30	Jochem Kerckhaert	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
31	Iván García Cortina	Movistar Team	s.t.
32	Tibor Del Grosso	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
33	Hugo Page	Cofidis	s.t.
34	Carlos Canal	Movistar Team	s.t.
35	Huub Artz	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
36	Luca Giaimi	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
37	Jonas Abrahamsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
38	Florian Vermeersch	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
39	Lorenzo Milesi	Movistar Team	s.t.
40	Arne Santy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
41	Michael Vanthourenhout	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
42	Olivier Godfroid	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
43	Aaron Gate	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
44	Michiel Lambrecht	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
45	Jenthe Biermans	Cofidis	s.t.
46	Brent Van Moer	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
47	Riley Sheehan	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
48	Lewis Askey	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
49	Matyas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
50	Filip Maciejuk	Movistar Team	s.t.
51	Joshua Giddings	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
52	Rick Pluimers	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
53	Kay De Bruyckere	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
54	Davide Toneatti	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
55	Toon Aerts	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
56	Alex Kirsch	Cofidis	s.t.
57	Jasper Stuyven	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
58	Vincent Van Hemelen	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
59	Cees Bol	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
60	Alex Aranburu	Cofidis	s.t.
61	Thomas Gachignard	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
62	Guillaume Boivin	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
63	Tim Marsman	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
64	Ryan Gal	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
65	Héctor Álvarez	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
66	Jonas Hem Hvideberg	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
67	Alexandre Delettre	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
68	Jakob Söderqvist	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
69	Ferre Geeraerts	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
70	William Blume Levy	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
71	Joren Bloem	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
72	Rasmus Tiller	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
73	Tim Torn Teutenberg	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
74	Jake Stewart	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
75	Jonas Geens	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
76	Michiel Coppens	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
77	John Degenkolb	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
78	Tomas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
79	Dylan van Baarle	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
80	Matis Louvel	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
81	Jonas Rickaert	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
82	Gerben Kuypers	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
83	Bert Van Lerberghe	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
84	Erik Resell	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
85	Quinten Hermans	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
86	Gianni Marchand	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
87	Dylan Teuns	Cofidis	s.t.
88	Stan Dewulf	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
89	Rune Herregodts	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
90	Nils Eekhoff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
91	Michiel Van Vliet	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
92	Aimé De Gendt	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
93	Antoine L'Hote	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
94	Julius Johansen	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
95	Storm Ingebrigtsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
96	Milan Lanhove	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
97	Otto Vergaerde	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
98	Alessandro Romele	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
99	Wessel Mouris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
100	Florian Dauphin	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
101	Sergio Meris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
102	Julius van den Berg	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
103	Fabio Van den Bossche	Soudal Quick-Step	1:25
104	Krists Neilands	NSN Cycling Team	2:26
105	Fabian Lienhard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	2:32
106	Petr Kelemen	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
107	Gustav Wang	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
108	Lars Daelmans	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
109	Kamil Malecki	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
110	Robbe Ghys	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	2:45
111	Stijn Appel	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	3:47
112	Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard	Lidl-Trek	3:49
113	Florian Sénéchal	Alpecin-Premier Tech	4:03
114	Jasper De Buyst	Lotto-Intermarché	4:54
115	Liam Van Bylen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	6:13
116	Arne Baers	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	8:16
117	Rory Townsend	Unibet Rose Rockets	8:27
118	Maxence Place	Aarco	9:20
119	Johan Meens	Aarco	s.t.
120	Johan Dorussen	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	9:37
121	Gilles Dockx	Aarco	s.t.
122	Milan Fretin	Cofidis	10:31
123	Christiaan van Rees	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
124	Roy Hoogendoorn	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
125	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
126	Zeno Moonen	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
127	Manlio Moro	Movistar Team	s.t.
128	Lindsay De Vylder	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
129	Arthur Blaise	Aarco	s.t.
130	Jules Hesters	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
131	Victor Hannes	Aarco	11:42
132	Nicola Marcerou	Team TotalEnergies	11:46
133	Jelle Vermoote	Tarteletto-Isorex	11:59
134	Jonah Killy	Tarteletto-Isorex	12:52
135	Michiel Hillen	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	13:41
136	Max Kroonen	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	15:24
137	Jarno Bellens	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
138	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
139	Timo Roosen	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
140	Bogdan Zabelinskiy	Aarco	s.t.
141	Heimo Fugger	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
142	Frederik Frison	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
143	Alexys Brunel	Team TotalEnergies	15:33
144	Taco van der Hoorn	Lotto-Intermarché	17:46
145	Ayco Bastiaens	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
146	Arthur van den Boer	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	17:49
147	Piet Allegaert	Cofidis	18:27
148	Tijmen Eising	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	18:39
149	Casper Pedersen	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
150	Gleb Syritsa	XDS Astana Team	19:17
151	Thom van der Werff	Team Picnic PostNL	20:11
152	Luca Mozzato	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	20:19
153	Sam Bennett	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	20:28
154	Maikel Zijlaard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	21:04

Stage 2 map & profile:

Stage 2 map

Stage 2 profile

Wednesday, June 17: Stage 1, Scherpenheuvel-Zichem - Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, 188.3 km

Stage 1 map & profile

Biniam Girmay wins stage one.

Plato's dialogue Apology is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Weather at the start/finish city of Scherpenheuvel-Zichem at 2:35 PM, local time: 26C (79F), mostly cloudy, with the wind from the west-southwest at 10 km/hr (6 mph). There is just a 2% chance of rain.

The race: Here's the report from stage winner Biniam Girmay's NSN Cycling Team:

With a little over two weeks to go until the start of the Tour de France, Biniam Girmay outlined his form as he capped off another strong NSN team performance to win stage one of the Baloise Belgium Tour on Wednesday.

Biniam, who took third in the Brussels Cycling Classic on his last outing at the start of the month, was piloted brilliantly by teammate Jake Stewart approaching the finish line, before he used his trademark sprint finish to take the victory in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem.

“I want to thank my teammates – they did a super job for me,” he says. “At the start of the season, we did some nice leadouts, but we missed some wins. Today, we did an incredible job – we were calm, and we focused on our jobs. We kept organized in the last three kilometers.

“I’m super happy to win here in Belgium. It’s super nice to win here – I’ve trained a few times on these roads, I knew the finish a little bit, and it suited me well. I’m happy to finish off the good job.”

Biniam Girmay is the winner.

The parcours of both today’s opener and Thursday’s second stage to the coast in Knokke-Heist are suited to sprinters, but the fastmen were almost denied their opportunity on the uphill approach to the line here. Late attacker Rune Herregodts (UEX) was still clear under the flamme rouge, but was just caught by the surging peloton approaching the line.

Biniam adds: “He was super strong – we thought he would come back early. He kept on pushing, but we were lucky we caught him before the last 100 meters! I’m happy to beat him!”

Head DS Sam Bewley noted the significance of not just the victory, but the work beforehand, as the sport’s biggest race draws closer.

“That was a really important win for a few reasons,” he says. “It’s the first time we’ve put the whole sprint group together around Bini since the start of the year, and also the first time we’ve integrated Jake into the group.

“It’s important to come to this race, get the group together, execute sprints, and understand what we can do better ahead of the Tour de France.

“Obviously, our focus on top of executing is to win. We know Bini likes to win, and to win before the Tour, when we have all the best sprinters in this race, that brings a confidence boost to everyone.

“Momentum from this going into the Tour is really important, so we’re on track. It’s a great start to the race, and we have a few more stages to try and execute some more sprints.”

Complete results:

188.3 kilometers raced at an average speed of 45.958 km/hr

1	Biniam Girmay	NSN Cycling Team	4hr 5min 50sec
2	Tim Merlier	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
3	Max Kanter	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
4	Steffen De Schuyteneer	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
5	Søren Wærenskjold	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
6	Arvid de Kleijn	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
7	Joshua Giddings	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
8	Emilien Jeannière	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
9	Mike Teunissen	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
10	Rui Oliveira	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
11	Lukas Kubis	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
12	Frits Biesterbos	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
13	Eñaut Urkaregi	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
14	Emils Liepins	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
15	Tim Torn Teutenberg	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
16	Naud De Clercq	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
17	David Dekker	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
18	Anthony Turgis	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
19	Tom Crabbe	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
20	Hugo Page	Cofidis	s.t.
21	Jenno Berckmoes	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
22	Olav Kooij	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
23	Jasper Philipsen	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
24	Jochem Kerckhaert	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
25	Timothy Dupont	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
26	Jocelyn Baguelin	Aarco	s.t.
27	Daan Depuydt	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
28	Wies Nuyens	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
29	Guillaume Boivin	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
30	Aaron Gate	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
31	Lorenzo Milesi	Movistar Team	s.t.
32	Vincent Van Hemelen	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
33	Bart Kortleve	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
34	Toon Aerts	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
35	Robbe Mellaerts	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
36	Olivier Godfroid	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
37	Alex Aranburu	Cofidis	s.t.
38	Jasper Stuyven	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
39	Alexandre Delettre	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
40	Alex Kirsch	Cofidis	s.t.
41	Tibor Del Grosso	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
42	Iván García Cortina	Movistar Team	s.t.
43	Roan Konings	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
44	Luca Giaimi	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
45	Riley Sheehan	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
46	Lewis Askey	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
47	Brent Van Moer	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
48	Rune Herregodts	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
49	Héctor Álvarez	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
50	Leander Van Hautegem	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
51	Ryan Gal	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
52	Arne Santy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
53	Michiel Van Vliet	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
54	Viktor Vandenberghe	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
55	Carlos Canal	Movistar Team	s.t.
56	Thomas Gachignard	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
57	Matyas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
58	Ferre Geeraerts	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
59	Kay De Bruyckere	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
60	Julius Johansen	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
61	Michiel Lambrecht	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
62	Huub Artz	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
63	Filip Maciejuk	Movistar Team	s.t.
64	Michael Vanthourenhout	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
65	Jenthe Biermans	Cofidis	s.t.
66	Florian Vermeersch	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
67	Jake Stewart	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
68	Davide Toneatti	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
69	Fabio Van den Bossche	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
70	Nils Eekhoff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
71	Milan Lanhove	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
72	Krists Neilands	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
73	John Degenkolb	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
74	Michiel Coppens	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
75	Jonas Hem Hvideberg	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
76	Jonas Abrahamsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
77	Antoine L'Hote	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
78	Rick Pluimers	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
79	Rasmus Tiller	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
80	Dylan van Baarle	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
81	Dylan Teuns	Cofidis	s.t.
82	Aimé De Gendt	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
83	Quinten Hermans	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
84	Gianni Marchand	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
85	Jonas Geens	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
86	Victor Broex	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
87	Wessel Mouris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
88	Otto Vergaerde	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
89	Gerben Kuypers	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
90	Jonas Rickaert	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
91	Tomas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
92	Sergio Meris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
93	Storm Ingebrigtsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
94	Stan Dewulf	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
95	Matis Louvel	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
96	Joren Bloem	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
97	Erik Resell	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
98	William Blume Levy	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
99	Jakob Söderqvist	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
100	Bert Van Lerberghe	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
101	Julius van den Berg	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
102	Alessandro Romele	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
103	Tim Marsman	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
104	Cees Bol	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
105	Florian Dauphin	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
106	Robbe Ghys	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	1:41
107	Petr Kelemen	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	2:16
108	Fabian Lienhard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
109	Stijn Appel	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
110	Lars Daelmans	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
111	Kamil Malecki	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
112	Gustav Wang	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
113	Jasper De Buyst	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
114	Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard	Lidl-Trek	3:33
115	Florian Sénéchal	Alpecin-Premier Tech	3:47
116	Liam Van Bylen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	4:42
117	Rory Townsend	Unibet Rose Rockets	5:49
118	Arne Baers	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	8:00
119	Yorben Lauryssen	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
120	Victor Hannes	Aarco	9:04
121	Maxence Place	Aarco	s.t.
122	Johan Meens	Aarco	s.t.
123	Johan Dorussen	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	9:21
124	Gilles Dockx	Aarco	s.t.
125	Jelle Vermoote	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
126	Arthur Blaise	Aarco	10:15
127	Alexys Brunel	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
128	Christiaan van Rees	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
129	Nicola Marcerou	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
130	Michiel Hillen	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
131	Zeno Moonen	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
132	Lindsay De Vylder	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
133	Jules Hesters	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
134	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
135	Roy Hoogendoorn	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
136	Manlio Moro	Movistar Team	s.t.
137	Milan Fretin	Cofidis	s.t.
138	Jonah Killy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
139	Søren Kragh Andersen	Lidl-Trek	15:08
140	Heimo Fugger	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
141	Bogdan Zabelinskiy	Aarco	s.t.
142	Jarno Bellens	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
143	Tijmen Eising	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
144	Max Kroonen	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
145	Ayco Bastiaens	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
146	Frederik Frison	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
147	Taco van der Hoorn	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
148	Timo Roosen	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
149	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
150	Casper Pedersen	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
151	Gleb Syritsa	XDS Astana Team	17:33
152	Thom van der Werff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
153	Sam Bennett	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
154	Piet Allegaert	Cofidis	s.t.
155	Luca Mozzato	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
156	Maikel Zijlaard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
157	Arthur van den Boer	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
158	Sebastian Kolze Changizi	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	18:32
DNF	Juan Sebastian Molano	UAE Team Emirates-XRG

GC after stage 1:

GC leader: Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team)
Points classification leader: Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team)
Best young rider: Bart Kortleve (Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel)
Teams classification leader: Lotto-Intermarché

1	Biniam Girmay	NSN Cycling Team	4hr 5min 40sec
2	Bart Kortleve	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	@ 2sec
3	Robbe Mellaerts	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	0:03
4	Tim Merlier	Soudal Quick-Step	0:04
5	Max Kanter	XDS Astana Team	0:06
6	Wies Nuyens	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	0:07
7	Steffen De Schuyteneer	Lotto-Intermarché	0:10
8	Søren Wærenskjold	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
9	Arvid de Kleijn	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
10	Joshua Giddings	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
11	Emilien Jeannière	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
12	Mike Teunissen	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
13	Rui Oliveira	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
14	Lukas Kubis	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
15	Frits Biesterbos	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
16	Eñaut Urkaregi	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
17	Emils Liepins	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
18	Tim Torn Teutenberg	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
19	Naud De Clercq	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
20	David Dekker	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
21	Anthony Turgis	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
22	Tom Crabbe	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
23	Hugo Page	Cofidis	s.t.
24	Jenno Berckmoes	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
25	Olav Kooij	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
26	Jasper Philipsen	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
27	Jochem Kerckhaert	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
28	Timothy Dupont	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
29	Jocelyn Baguelin	Aarco	s.t.
30	Daan Depuydt	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
31	Guillaume Boivin	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
32	Aaron Gate	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
33	Lorenzo Milesi	Movistar Team	s.t.
34	Vincent Van Hemelen	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
35	Toon Aerts	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
36	Olivier Godfroid	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
37	Alex Aranburu	Cofidis	s.t.
38	Jasper Stuyven	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
39	Alexandre Delettre	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
40	Alex Kirsch	Cofidis	s.t.
41	Tibor Del Grosso	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
42	Iván García Cortina	Movistar Team	s.t.
43	Roan Konings	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
44	Luca Giaimi	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
45	Riley Sheehan	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
46	Lewis Askey	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
47	Brent Van Moer	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
48	Rune Herregodts	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
49	Héctor Álvarez	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
50	Leander Van Hautegem	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
51	Ryan Gal	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
52	Arne Santy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
53	Michiel Van Vliet	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
54	Viktor Vandenberghe	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
55	Carlos Canal	Movistar Team	s.t.
56	Thomas Gachignard	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
57	Matyas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
58	Ferre Geeraerts	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
59	Kay De Bruyckere	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
60	Julius Johansen	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
61	Michiel Lambrecht	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
62	Huub Artz	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
63	Filip Maciejuk	Movistar Team	s.t.
64	Michael Vanthourenhout	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
65	Jenthe Biermans	Cofidis	s.t.
66	Florian Vermeersch	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
67	Jake Stewart	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
68	Davide Toneatti	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
69	Fabio Van den Bossche	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
70	Nils Eekhoff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
71	Milan Lanhove	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
72	John Degenkolb	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
73	Michiel Coppens	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
74	Jonas Hem Hvideberg	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
75	Jonas Abrahamsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
76	Antoine L'Hote	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
77	Rick Pluimers	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
78	Rasmus Tiller	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
79	Dylan van Baarle	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
80	Dylan Teuns	Cofidis	s.t.
81	Aimé De Gendt	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
82	Quinten Hermans	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
83	Gianni Marchand	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
84	Jonas Geens	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
85	Victor Broex	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
86	Wessel Mouris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
87	Otto Vergaerde	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
88	Gerben Kuypers	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
89	Jonas Rickaert	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
90	Tomas Kopecky	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
91	Sergio Meris	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
92	Storm Ingebrigtsen	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
93	Stan Dewulf	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
94	Matis Louvel	NSN Cycling Team	s.t.
95	Joren Bloem	Unibet Rose Rockets	s.t.
96	Erik Resell	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
97	William Blume Levy	Uno-X Mobility	s.t.
98	Jakob Söderqvist	Lidl-Trek	s.t.
99	Bert Van Lerberghe	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
100	Julius van den Berg	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
101	Alessandro Romele	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
102	Tim Marsman	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
103	Cees Bol	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
104	Florian Dauphin	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
105	Krists Neilands	NSN Cycling Team	0:40
106	Robbe Ghys	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	1:51
107	Petr Kelemen	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	2:26
108	Fabian Lienhard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
109	Stijn Appel	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
110	Lars Daelmans	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw	s.t.
111	Kamil Malecki	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
112	Gustav Wang	XDS Astana Team	s.t.
113	Jasper De Buyst	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
114	Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard	Lidl-Trek	3:43
115	Florian Sénéchal	Alpecin-Premier Tech	3:57
116	Liam Van Bylen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	4:52
117	Rory Townsend	Unibet Rose Rockets	5:59
118	Arne Baers	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	8:10
119	Yorben Lauryssen	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
120	Victor Hannes	Aarco	9:14
121	Maxence Place	Aarco	s.t.
122	Johan Meens	Aarco	s.t.
123	Johan Dorussen	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	9:31
124	Gilles Dockx	Aarco	s.t.
125	Jelle Vermoote	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
126	Arthur Blaise	Aarco	10:25
127	Alexys Brunel	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
128	Christiaan van Rees	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
129	Nicola Marcerou	Team TotalEnergies	s.t.
130	Michiel Hillen	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
131	Zeno Moonen	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
132	Lindsay De Vylder	Alpecin-Premier Tech	s.t.
133	Jules Hesters	Team Flanders-Baloise	s.t.
134	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
135	Roy Hoogendoorn	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel	s.t.
136	Manlio Moro	Movistar Team	s.t.
137	Milan Fretin	Cofidis	s.t.
138	Jonah Killy	Tarteletto-Isorex	s.t.
139	Søren Kragh Andersen	Lidl-Trek	15:18
140	Heimo Fugger	UAE Team Emirates-XRG	s.t.
141	Bogdan Zabelinskiy	Aarco	s.t.
142	Jarno Bellens	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
143	Tijmen Eising	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
144	Max Kroonen	BEAT CC p/b Saxo	s.t.
145	Ayco Bastiaens	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
146	Frederik Frison	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
147	Taco van der Hoorn	Lotto-Intermarché	s.t.
148	Timo Roosen	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
149	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen	Decathlon CMA CGM Team	s.t.
150	Casper Pedersen	Soudal Quick-Step	s.t.
151	Gleb Syritsa	XDS Astana Team	17:43
152	Thom van der Werff	Team Picnic PostNL	s.t.
153	Sam Bennett	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
154	Piet Allegaert	Cofidis	s.t.
155	Luca Mozzato	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
156	Maikel Zijlaard	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
157	Arthur van den Boer	Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions	s.t.
158	Sebastian Kolze Changizi	Tudor Pro Cycling Team	18:42

Stage 1 map & profile:

Stage 1 map

Stage 1 profile

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Start list with back numbers, June 16, 2026:

	UAE Team Emirates-XRG
1	Sebastian Molano
2	Florian Vermeersch
3	Julius Johansen
4	Rune Herregodts
5	Heimo Fugger
6	Luca Giaimi
7	Rui Oliveira
	Alpecin-Premier Tech
11	Jasper Philipsen
12	Tibor Del Grosso
13	Lindsay De Vylder
14	Jonas Rickaert
15	Florian Sénéchal
16	Tim Marsman
17	Jonas Geens
	Soudal Quick-Step
21	Tim Merlier
22	Ayco Bastiaens
23	Casper Pedersen
24	Jasper Stuyven
25	Fabio Van den Bossche
26	Dylan van Baarle
27	Bert Van Lerberghe
	Lotto-Intermarché
31	Huub Artz
32	Jenno Berckmoes
33	Jasper De Buyst
34	Steffen De Schuyteneer
35	Joshua Giddings
36	Toon Aerts
37	Taco van der Hoorn
	Decathlon CMA CGM Team
41	Stan Dewulf
42	Cees Bol
43	Antoine L'Hote
44	Robbe Ghys
45	Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen
46	Olav Kooij
47	Liam Van Bylen
	Lidl-Trek
51	Tim Torn Teutenberg
52	Héctor Álvarez
53	Søren Kragh Andersen
54	Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard
55	Jakob Söderqvist
56	Eñaut Urkaregi
57	Otto Vergaerde
	Movistar Team
61	Iván García Cortina
63	Carlos Canal
64	Filip Maciejuk
65	Lorenzo Milesi
66	Manlio Moro
	NSN Cycling Team
71	Biniam Girmay
72	Lewis Askey
73	Guillaume Boivin
74	Matis Louvel
75	Krists Neilands
76	Riley Sheehan
77	Jake Stewart
	Team Picnic PostNL
81	John Degenkolb
82	Frits Biesterbos
83	Christiaan van Rees
84	Nils Eekhoff
85	Julius van den Berg
86	Timo Roosen
87	Thom van der Werff
	Uno-X Mobility
91	Jonas Abrahamsen
92	Jonas Hem Hvideberg
93	Storm Ingebrigtsen
94	William Blume Levy
95	Erik Resell
96	Rasmus Tiller
97	Søren Wærenskjold
	XDS Astana Team
101	Alessandro Romele
102	Aaron Gate
103	Davide Toneatti
104	Max Kanter
105	Gleb Syritsa
106	Mike Teunissen
107	Gustav Wang
	Team Flanders-Baloise
111	Tom Crabbe
112	Ferre Geeraerts
113	Jules Hesters
114	Michiel Lambrecht
115	Milan Lanhove
116	Vincent Van Hemelen
117	Leander Van Hautegem
	Cofidis
121	Piet Allegaert
122	Alex Aranburu
123	Jenthe Biermans
124	Milan Fretin
125	Alex Kirsch
126	Dylan Teuns
127	Hugo Page
	Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
131	Sam Bennett
132	Aimé De Gendt
133	Frederik Frison
134	Quinten Hermans
135	Kamil Malecki
136	Emils Liepins
137	Brent Van Moer
	Team TotalEnergies
141	Alexys Brunel
142	Florian Dauphin
143	Alexandre Delettre
144	Thomas Gachignard
145	Nicola Marcerou
146	Emilien Jeannière
147	Anthony Turgis
	Tudor Pro Cycling Team
151	Petr Kelemen
152	Arvid de Kleijn
153	Sebastian Kolze Changizi
154	Fabian Lienhard
155	Luca Mozzato
156	Rick Pluimers
157	Maikel Zijlaard
	Unibet Rose Rockets
161	Joren Bloem
162	Matyas Kopecky
163	Tomas Kopecky
164	Lukas Kubis
165	Sergio Meris
166	Wessel Mouris
167	Rory Townsend
	Baloise Lions
171	Arne Baers
172	Jarno Bellens
173	Daan Depuydt
174	Olivier Godfroid
175	Michiel Hillen
176	Robbe Mellaerts
177	Arthur van den Boer
	Tarteletto-Isorex
181	Timothy Dupont
182	Yorben Lauryssen
183	Gianni Marchand
184	Zeno Moonen
185	Arne Santy
186	Jonah Killy
187	Jelle Vermoote
	BEAT CC p/b Saxo
191	Stijn Appel
192	Michiel Coppens
193	David Dekker
194	Jochem Kerckhaert
195	Daan van Sintmaartensdijk
196	Max Kroonen
197	Tijmen Eising
	Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel
201	Victor Broex
202	Johan Dorussen
203	Ryan Gal
204	Roy Hoogendoorn
205	Roan Konings
206	Bart Kortleve
207	Michiel Van Vliet
	Aarco
211	Jocelyn Baguelin
212	Arthur Blaise
213	Gilles Dockx
214	Victor Hannes
215	Johan Meens
216	Maxence Place
217	Bogdan Zabelinskiy
	Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw Cycling Team
221	Lars Daelmans
222	Kay De Bruyckere
223	Naud De Clercq
224	Gerben Kuypers
225	Wies Nuyens
226	Viktor Vandenberghe
227	Michael Vanthourenhout

2026 Baloise Belgium Tour
Tour de Belgique - Ronde van België (2.Pro), Belgium

95th edition: June 17 - June 21, 2026

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2026 Baloise Belgium Tour Tour de Belgique - Ronde van België (2.Pro), Belgium

95th edition: June 17 - June 21, 2026

Home

Racing Results & Archives

Bicycles & Cycling Lifestyle

Cycling History

Site Information

2026 Baloise Belgium Tour
Tour de Belgique - Ronde van België (2.Pro), Belgium