Two years after the success of Alexander Kristoff, a Norwegian returns to impose himself at the Antwerp Port Epic. The winner of the ninth edition of the demanding Belgian classic was indeed Per Strand Hagenes (Team Visma Lease a Bike) who, thanks to a perfectly executed finishing move within the last of the 192 kilometers of racing, went on to celebrate ahead of Pau Miquel (Bahrain Victorious) and Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla).

THE RACE

The race, characterized by a succession of crashes and punctures due to the many kilometers on pavé and gravel (about seventy in total) inserted in the route, was decided 43 kilometers from the finish when, closing down on Pau Miquel (Bahrain Victorious) who had departed four kilometers earlier, a group formed at the front comprising Victor Van de Putte (Lotto Intermarchè), Martin Svrček (Soudal Quick-Step), Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Per Strand Hagenes (Visma | Lease a Bike), Brent Van Moer (Q36.5 Pro Cycling), Ward Vanhoof (Flanders–Baloise), Sandy Dujardin (TotalEnergies) and a Toon Vandebosch (Alpecin - Premier Tech) who, stranded by a puncture, was soon replaced at the front by Alexis Renard (Cofidis), who managed to rejoin the leaders on his own shortly after.

The nine riders, at this point, obtained up to 50 seconds of advantage over the peloton which, led in the chase phase by Soudal Quick Step of Tim Merlier, once it came back to about thirty seconds was no longer able to close any gap to the breakaway riders. The latter, therefore, continued in common agreement until -12.6 kilometers from the finish when Hagenes, attacking with Svrcek, broke the harmony at the front of the race.

After their first attempt was neutralized, the duo (this time accompanied also by De Bondt) tried again at -8 km but, once again, without surprising their rivals of the day. With the situation compacted again at the front, in the final five thousand meters first De Bondt and then twice the tenacious Van Moer tried unsuccessfully to break away solo, an attempt in which instead, seizing the right moment, Hagenes succeeded, launching like a bolt just before the 500-meter banner to the finish line, going on to claim his fourth career victory, ending a drought that had lasted since October 3, 2023, the date of his triumph at the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro.

FINISHING ORDER

1. Per Strand Hagenes (NOR/Team Visma Lease a Bike) - 4:26:19

2. Pau Miquel (ESP/Bahrain-Victorious) - s.t.

3. Dries De Bondt (BEL/Jayco AlUla) - s.t.

4. Sandy Dujardin (FRA/TotalEnergies) - s.t.

5. Alexis Renard (FRA/Cofidis) - s.t.

6. Victor van de Putte (BEL/Lotto Intermarchè) - s.t.

7. Martin Svrcek (SVK/Soudal Quick-Step) - s.t.

8. Ward Vanhoof (BEL/Team Flanders Baloise) at 0:02

9. Brent Van Moer (BEL/Pinarello Q36.5) at 0:02

10. Tim Merlier (BEL/Soudal Quick-Step) at 0:34