Olav Kooij clinches the photo finish victory on the fourth stage of the Baloise Belgium Tour, the Begijnendijk – Betekom – Aarschot route of 183 km. The Dutch rider from Decathlon CMA‑CGM Team delivered a perfectly timed acceleration, just enough to edge out the formidable Belgian duo composed of Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick‑Step) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin‑Premier Tech), protagonists of a high-level sprint.

The stage was animated for a long time by a five-man breakaway featuring Bellens (Baloise Verzekeringen Het Poetsbureau Lions), Killy (Tarteletto‑Isorex), Coppens (BEAT CC p/b Saxo), Place (Aarco) and Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen‑Altez Industriebouw). Vanthourenhout was the first to crack, while the other four were caught by the peloton 2,300 meters from the finish, setting the stage for a thrilling sprint.

FINISHING ORDER 1 Kooij Olav Decathlon CMA CGM Team 04:07:42 2 Merlier Tim Soudal Quick-Step + 00 3 Philipsen Jasper Alpecin-Premier Tech + 00 4 de Kleijn Arvid Tudor Pro Cycling Team + 00 5 Girmay Biniam NSN Cycling Team + 00 6 De Clercq Naud Pauwels Sauzen - Altez Industriebouw Cycling Team + 00 7 Wærenskjold Søren Uno-X Mobility + 00 8 Dekker David BEAT CC p/b Saxo + 00 9 Kubis Lukas Unibet Rose Rockets + 00 10 Kopecky Matyas Unibet Rose Rockets + 00