After a sixth place finish and two third-place finishes, at the last available opportunity Jasper Philipsen finally manages to put his wheel ahead of everyone at the Baloise Belgium Tour 2026. With a sprint of his own, the Belgian from Alpecin-Premier Tech preceded Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto Intermarchè) and Max Kanter (XDS Astana) on the finish line of the Gingelom-Hoeilaart stage, conquering a victory that is worth double because, thanks to the time bonuses, the twenty-eight-year-old from Mol also managed to secure the overall classification of his home race.

THE RACE

Characterized by the breakaway that started in the early stages of the race and composed of Alexys Brunel (TotalEnergies), Zeno Moonen (Tarteletto–Isorex), Stijn Appel (Baloise Glowi Lions), Roan Konings (Metec–SOLARWATT p/b Mantel), Jocelyn Baguelin and Victor Hannes (Aarco) and Kay De Bruyckere (Pauwels Sauzen - Altez Industriebouw Cycling Team), the stage became intense along the two laps (43.4 kilometers each) of the final circuit drawn around the town of Hoeilaart.

Here, with six men in the breakaway after Moonen gave up 60 kilometers from the finish, the peloton had no problems asserting its greater strength first to contain and then to neutralize, 42 km from the conclusion, the main attempt of the day. With the peloton back together, it was NSN that took control of the race, setting the pace at the front for several kilometers, keeping the situation under control while alternately handing over to Uno-X, Cofidis and Unibet Rose Rockets.

Without any significant developments, they arrived 24 kilometers from the finish when Olivier Godfroid (Baloise Verzekeringen - Het Poetsbureau Lions) launched a solo attack that, before being neutralized, earned him first place ahead of Philipsen and Askey at the first of three Golden KM sprints. After the next two sprints (Berckmoes, Philipsen and Askey the order at the second; Aranburu, Kubis and Jeannière at the third), starting from the cobbled section of Mommaertsstraat at -17 km from the finish, a prolonged series of attacks and counterattacks began (protagonists among others Jonas Abrahamsen, Alessandro Romele, Dylan van Baarle and Jochem Kerckhaert) ending with the reabsorption of Milan Lanhove 3000 meters from the line.

With the situation momentarily back together, it was a tenacious Abrahamsen who tried his luck again, believing in it as usual, remaining in the wind until 400 meters from the finish when, catching him, the peloton went to contest the stage at the sprint, which was then brilliantly brought home by Philipsen ahead of Berckmoes, Kanter, Wærenskjold and Kooij.

The Belgian in this way has knocked Alex Aranburu from first place in the final standings (ultimately surpassed also by Berckmoes), obtaining a classification victory of considerable value for him (never first in the overall of a professional race) and for his team which had not celebrated the conquest of a stage race since the Tour of Norway in 2024 (1st Axel Laurance).

STAGE RESULTS

1. Jasper Philipsen (BEL/Alpecin-Premier Tech) - 4:08:31

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

3. Max Kanter (GER/XDS Astana) - s.t.

4. Soren Waerenskjold (NOR/Uno-X Mobility) - s.t.

5. Olav Kooij (NED/Decathlon-CMA CGM) - s.t.

6. Mike Teunissen (NED/XDS Astana) - s.t.

7. Emilien Jeannière (FRA/TotalEnergies) - s.t.

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

9. Tim Torn Teutenberg (GER/Lidl-Trek) - s.t.

10. Biniam Girmay (ERI/NSN Cycling) - s.t.

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION

1. Jasper Philipsen (BEL/Alpecin-Premier Tech) - 20:43:26

2. Jenno Berckmoes (BEL/Lotto-Intermarchè) at 0:05

3. Alex Aranburu (SPA/Cofidis) at 0:09

4. Lewis Askey (GBR/NSN Cycling) at 0:14

5. Quinten Hermans (BEL/Pinarello-Q36.5) at 0:15

6. Carlos Canal (SPA/Movistar) at 0:18

7. Lukáš Kubis (SVK/Unibet Rose Rockets) at 0:20

8. Emilien Jeannière (FRA/TotalEnergies) at 0:21

9. Matyas Kopecky (CZE/Unibet Rose Rockets) at 0:22

10. Tibor del Grosso (NED/Alpecin-Premier Tech) at 0:22

OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS

Points Classification: Jasper Philipsen (BEL/Alpecin-Premier Tech)

Best Young Rider Classification: Héctor Álvarez (SPA/Lidl-Trek)