Corbin Strong breaks his duck in 2026 by claiming the Franco-Belgian Circuit 2026 with an impressive display of sprint resistance. Coming off a rather underwhelming Giro d'Italia (his best result being fifth place on the Pieve di Soligo stage), the twenty-six-year-old New Zealander got the better of Danish rider Anders Foldager of Jayco-AlUla and the pink jersey wearer from the last Corsa Rosa Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step), who could do nothing against the superior finishing kick of the NSN Cycling Team rider in the closing metres.

THE RACE

With the seven morning breakaway riders (including Andrea Pietrobon of Polti VisitMalta) reabsorbed some seventy kilometres from the finish, it was Wilco Kelderman (Team Visma Lease a Bike) who animated the race, first attacking at -61 km with Leandre Van Hautegem (Team Flanders Baloise) and then continuing solo at the front from -42 km, serving as a reference point for the peloton for much of the race.

Caught by Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Colby Simmons (EF Education-EasyPost) and Johan Jacobs (Groupama-FDJ) at the start of the final of five laps of the 22.6-kilometre circuit (characterized by the Cote de Trieu and Col du Horlitin), the Dutchman and his temporary companions were definitively reeled in at -17 km, thus triggering a new series of attacks and counterattacks.

One of the day's great favourites, Arnaud De Lie, paid the price for this chaotic situation, surprisingly losing contact at -12 km while in front of the main group, NSN and Uno-X Mobility were primarily seeking to force a selection, after his Lotto Intermarchè had done much of the work.

Once the altitude difficulties ended before the final push towards the finish line on the Mont-de-l'Enclus, the peloton (which had briefly split into several sections) regrouped and, now comprising various elements, approached the final explosive hundreds of metres where, with perfect timing, Corbin Strong unleashed his power to secure his first victory of 2026.

Behind him, the desperate and powerful late charge by Anders Foldager earned the Scandinavian second place on the day, while Paul Magnier (who appeared to fade near the line and seemed capable of rivalling the NSN New Zealander only for brief moments) completed the podium in third position at a finish where he perhaps hoped to achieve something more.

FINISHING ORDER

1. Corbin Strong (NZL/NSN Cycling) - 4:32:18

2. Anders Foldager (DAN/Jayco AlUla) - s.t.

3. Paul Magnier (FRA/Soudal Quick-Step) - s.t.

4. Rick Pluimers (NED/Tudor Pro Cycling) - s.t.

5. Jenno Berckmoes (BEL/Lotto Intermarchè) - s.t.

6. Francisco Peñuela (VEN/Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) - s.t.

7. Clément Venturini (FRA/Unibet Rose Rockets) - s.t.

8. Eduard Prades (ESP/Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) - s.t.

9. Marijn van den Berg (NED/EF Education-EasyPost) - s.t.

10. Alexandre Delettre (FRA/TotalEnergies) - s.t.