Belgian National Championships: Shari Bossuyt outpowers Lotte Kopecky for emotional bunch sprint victory

Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal) took a hardfought but clear triumph in the Belgian Nationals Road Race on Sunday, outpowering leading favourite Lotte Kopecky (SDWorx-Protime) in a small group sprint for her first ever senior title.

The recent winner of a stage of the Vuelta a España, and the GP de Wallonie back in 2025, Bossuyt’s victory is the latest chapter of a dream comeback following a two-year suspension for banned substance Letrozole.

“There are so many emotions… that I am crying here,” she said, according to Nieuwsblad..

“This surpasses everything. I hope this is the start of something very beautiful. I was already super happy with that stage in the Vuelta and that this… I have no words for it.”

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“I had actually already put that difficult period behind me, but on a day like today, it all comes back to the surface. I shouldn’t cry… but still. Getting to wear that jersey in the Tour de France is going to be very beautiful.”

2026 Belgian National Championships WE race: a split begins to form (Image credit: Getty Images)How it unfolded

“When Justine Ghekiere was away with Tas and Moors, I told her not to ride along, because that was a dangerous situation,” Bossuyt later told Nieuwsblad.

“When everything came back together, it worked out well for me. Moors had already done quite a bit of work at the front, so I just kept an eye on Lotte. With 250 meters to go, I launched my sprint. I felt I was in control.”

2026 Belgian National Championships: the final podium for the elite women’s road race (Image credit: Getty Images)Results

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2026 Belgian National Championships Women Elite Road Race Results (Image credit: FirstCycling)