\n20KM TO GO<\/p>\n
So with 20km to go, there are about 60 riders or so in the peloton, with Decathlon and Visma doing all the work. Things have calmed down, with no attacks being made – for now.<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:25:32.736Z<\/p>\n
Notable by their absence at the front is Alpecin-Premier Tech. Jasper Philipsen is still riding on his teammate\u2019s bike, and the team don\u2019t appear to want to commit for now.<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:24:16.242Z<\/p>\n
Still it’s Decathlon and Visma who lead.<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:22:37.858Z<\/p>\n
That group has made the juncture.<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:22:19.863Z<\/p>\n
Another chase group is trying to rejoin the peloton behind, and are only a few secods away.<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:21:46.038Z<\/p>\n
H\u00e9ctor \u00c1lvarez, before he was caught by the peloton.<\/p>\n
\n
![\"Latvia's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8Ltd3HACopmw4jSqEAxyyE.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:20:29.997Z<\/p>\n
Andresen’s Decathlon and Brennan’s Visma are doing the work at the front of the peloton.<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:18:05.598Z<\/p>\n
Given the way he has been sprinting this season, with victories at the Tour Down Under and sixth at the Omloop yesterday, Tobias Lund Andresen has to be considered a favourite for the expected sprint. His Decathlon team has done much of the work to keep this group together.<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:15:44.429Z<\/p>\n
Could this be the day that 20-year-old Matt Brennan claims his first spring classic victory? The Brit has done brilliantly to ride at the front all day, and is on paper one of the quickest sprinters left in the peloton. But will the taxing efforts of such a had race trake its toll on his young legs?<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:12:48.209Z<\/p>\n
And the chase group has rejoined the lead group – we have a large peloton all back together again!<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:11:29.991Z<\/p>\n
\u00c1lvarez’s time leading the race ends – he has been caught<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:07:04.689Z<\/p>\n
Jordi Meeus is another quick finisher in the lead chase group.<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:06:36.547Z<\/p>\n
\u00c1lvarez leads the chase group by 10 seconds, who themselves are 12 seconds ahead of the larger chase group containing Philipsen.<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:03:39.113Z<\/p>\n
Bike change for Jasper Philipsen! It\u2019s a quick one, but as a result he\u2019s been dropped out of the lead group and into the second.<\/p>\n
2026-03-01T15:03:02.522Z It’s all very messy out there! The lead group of 20 keep attacking each other, while the 40 behind chase.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T15:02:27.735Z<\/p>\n H\u00e9ctor \u00c1lvarez has attacked and has a small gap.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T15:01:53.715Z<\/p>\n Van Baarle was one of those to rejoin the lead group, and is now accelerating at the front.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T15:01:23.982Z<\/p>\n Philipsen, Andresen and Brennan are the notable fast finishers in this lead grop.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T15:00:28.252Z<\/p>\n Not everyone has managed to rejoin yet – there’s a group of 20 at the front, and another of about 40 chasing.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:58:58.859Z<\/p>\n It’s come back together again, as those ten riders are caught.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:58:28.831Z<\/p>\n There is a total of ten riders in this front group.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:58:02.759Z<\/p>\n Red Bull are leading the chase in the second group, now just a few seconds behind.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:57:24.525Z<\/p>\n As is Bol, Renard, Andersen Govekar and Rex.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:56:24.262Z<\/p>\n Brennan, Laporte, Kielich, Philipsen, Politt are in the front group.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:55:50.507Z<\/p>\n Two groups have clipped off the front, in echelon formation.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:55:24.477Z<\/p>\n Splits are happening in the peloton! It’s been caused by Visma, capitalising on the wind.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:54:43.662Z Here a lot of nerves in this lead group, as the direction keeps chasing amid high wind, as well as a few droplets of rain. Decathlon, Alpecin and Visma have all had stints at the front.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:53:42.081Z<\/p>\n With Milan and Magnier missing from this group, Jasper Philipsen is surely now the favourite for the win. Here he was earlier attacking on one of the climbs – he’s looked very strong all day.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:51:50.138Z<\/p>\n There looks to be at least 60 riders in this lead group.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:50:25.703Z<\/p>\n That’s it, the group has been brought back. We have a large peloton together for the race finale.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:48:40.371Z<\/p>\n The Decathlon-led peloton is bearing down on them. This looks like it’s about to all come back together.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:46:19.351Z<\/p>\n Decathlon are leading the chase in the group behind.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:46:01.999Z This group has caught the day’s break, forming a new, larger lead group.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:44:29.830Z<\/p>\n Berckmoes and \u00c1lvarez also appear to be in this group.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:42:02.160Z<\/p>\n This group are 15 seconds ahead of the rest of the peloton, and about 15 seconds behind the leading break.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:41:30.807Z<\/p>\n Also in this group are Brennan, Politt, Trentin, Canal, Van Baarle and Abrahamsen, among others.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:40:33.898Z<\/p>\n Kielich has been brought back.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:40:19.617Z<\/p>\n Three of them are Visma riders, one of whom, Timo Kielich, has attacked on the descent.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:39:43.696Z<\/p>\n It’s actually more like 15 riders than 20.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:39:11.380Z<\/p>\n No attacks went clear on the climb, but the peloton is now reduced to only about 20 riders.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:38:37.834Z<\/p>\n Girmay has been dropped on the climb, as has Groves<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:38:08.312Z Time for the final climb! Can anyone manage to escape out of the bunch?<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:36:42.300Z Given all the action it’s easy to forget about the break up the road, but they still lead, albeit by only a slender margin of 40 seconds.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:35:06.469Z<\/p>\n Just one more climb to come now, the 1.1km, 5.9% Kluisberg.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:34:27.201Z<\/p>\n That’s it, they’ve been brought back. There’s still about 60 riders in this peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:33:45.461Z<\/p>\n Red Bull are leading the chase in the peloton, and the days of this sextet look numbered.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:31:47.842Z<\/p>\n And now Mikkel Honor\u00e9 becomes the sixth rider in that group.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:30:19.044Z<\/p>\n Riley Sheehan has joined the quartet.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:29:46.060Z<\/p>\n With Magnier in te distant dropped group, Van Baarle has licence to attack.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:29:19.200Z<\/p>\n Now Van Baarle and Kielich have been joined by Mohoric and Hoole.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:28:55.909Z<\/p>\n Van Baarle and Kielich of Visma-Lease a Bike have a small lead on the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:28:10.762Z<\/p>\n Dylan van Baarle is one of those riders, and leads the group over the top.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:27:43.942Z<\/p>\n Now Decathlon take it up, and is taking a small group with him.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:27:12.900Z<\/p>\n A Visma rider accelerates, but doesn’t manage to get away.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:26:09.216Z<\/p>\n Visma lead the peloton towards the climb, before Alpecin take over at its foot.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:25:14.050Z Time for the penultimate climb, which the break are now riding up.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:24:13.129Z Meanwhile the lead breakaway of seven continue to soldier on, holding a lead of 1:15 over the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:23:32.780Z<\/p>\n The Milan\/De Lie\/Magnier group is 1:20 behind the peloton. That’s a lot of ground to make up – they might be falling out of contention for the win, even with the long flat section to the finish.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:20:35.205Z<\/p>\n Here’s the peloton, with Biniam Girmay still safely in it.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:18:37.273Z<\/p>\n The peloton has bridged up to that escape group. Despite the presence of three Red Bull riders and three from Decathlon, they were unable to work well enough together.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:16:24.284Z<\/p>\n Brennan has also joined this breakaway group\/<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:15:38.290Z<\/p>\n That trio has been joined by a Red Bull rider, Pithie, and now a third Decathlon rider, Andersen.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:14:55.936Z<\/p>\n Two Decathlon riders are with Philipsen – Hoole and Bol.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:14:28.729Z<\/p>\n Philipsen accelerates again, just like he did on the last climb.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:13:54.183Z<\/p>\n Detathlon lead the reduced peloton onto the climb, with several Alpecin riders behind them.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:13:30.694Z<\/p>\n Decathlon have four riders at the front of the peloton as they approach the climb, including their sprinter and leader Tobias Lund Andresen.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:12:35.670Z The break are about to begin the ruisberg, one of the most important parts of the race.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:11:33.425Z<\/p>\n Milan, De Lie and Magnier are among those not to have made it back yet. Sprinters like Girmay and Groves have made it, though.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:10:37.854Z<\/p>\n There looks to be about 40 or 50 riders in the peloton now.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:09:54.945Z<\/p>\n The front peloton is much bigger now, as some of the chasing groups have rejoined.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:09:06.906Z At the front of the race, the break leads by 1:48 ahead of the front peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:08:08.726Z<\/p>\n There’s now just three climbs left to complete.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:06:58.355Z<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:05:58.392Z<\/p>\n Another ten or so riders have joined that group, and more groups are close behind and will hope to join shortly.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:04:47.006Z<\/p>\n Up ahead, about ten riders have joined Philipsen and Mohoric.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:04:27.487Z<\/p>\n Arnaud De Lie is struggling at the back too, despite all the work done by his Lotto team on the previous climb.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:03:51.953Z<\/p>\n Milan is right at the back of the peloton and struggling to hold on.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:03:03.733Z<\/p>\n Matej Mohori\u010d is onto Phlipsen’s wheel.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:02:51.605Z<\/p>\n Paul Magnier is being dropped out of the back of the peloton – he has a puncture.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:02:25.627Z<\/p>\n In fact, Philipsen has opened up a gap over the peloton on this climb!<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:02:01.991Z<\/p>\n Now Jasper Philipsen takes over at the front, and is looking very strong.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:01:40.499Z<\/p>\n Matej Mohori\u010d is active at the front of the peloton and leads the peloton onto the climb.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T14:00:53.661Z The break are on the latest climb, which has some especially nasty cobbles. Their lead has plummeted, to just over 2:30.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:58:59.136Z<\/p>\n Yesterday’s runner-up Tim van Dijke is off the front by a few bikelengths.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:57:51.842Z<\/p>\n Lotto have swung off, and if the vacuum left riders are attacking, with Visma and Red Bull especially active.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:57:15.840Z<\/p>\n Riders have been dropped out of the peloton as a result of Lotto’s pace.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:56:48.384Z<\/p>\n Lotto Intermarch\u00e9 are really laying the hammer down on this climb in the peloton, significantly upping the pace.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:55:59.377Z The increase in pace in the peloton is having an affect on the break, whose lead has gone down from four minutes to little more than three.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:54:21.786Z The break is climbing again, up the 1.3km, 6.2% La Bourliquet.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:50:42.179Z<\/p>\n Ryan Mullen (NSN) has become he latest rider to abandon the race, after being dropped riding up Hameau des Papins.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:48:46.795Z<\/p>\n The peloton has bunched up again, at least towards the front of the group, with Alpecin and Lidl among the teams represented.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:45:40.337Z<\/p>\n The peloton is all stretched out after the acceleration from Visma-Lease a Bike.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:44:30.031Z<\/p>\n And now the pace is much higher, as Visma-Lease a Bike take to the front.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:43:27.355Z<\/p>\n At the same time, the pace is high enough for some to start being dropped out of the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:42:52.460Z<\/p>\n Things calm down in the peloton as they begin the climb. Jonathan Milan is right at the front, and the pace is slow enough for him to adjust his rain jacket.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:41:56.257Z<\/p>\n The pace is really up in the peloton as they approach the foot of the climb! Alpecin-Premier Tech win the fight for position, and lead them onto it.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:40:04.247Z The break have begun ascending the first of those six, the Hamea des Papins.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:38:38.192Z The break’s lead is at four minutes, but might start to come down now, as they enter the crucial period of the race with 6 climbs crammed into about 40km. This is where we anticipate the action kicking off in the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:32:32.155Z<\/p>\n Sean Christian (Modern Adventure Pro Cycling) has also abandoned as a result of the Wellens crash.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:30:52.404Z<\/p>\n And now there\u2019s been another crash, sprinter Tom Crabbe and Silvan Dillier among the fallers. Things are clearly very tense in the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:29:07.440Z Unfortunately, it\u2019s bad news for Wellens. He has had to abandon the race<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:28:17.831Z<\/p>\n As runner-up from two years ago, Tim Wellens would have been another rider to look out for to try and break out of the peloton on the final climbs. We\u2019ll have to wait and see if he can recover from this fall.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:24:53.574Z Meanwhile the break still holds a big lead over the peloton, of almost four minutes.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:23:20.476Z<\/p>\n There\u2019s been a crash in the peloton, and about a dozen riders have gone down, including Tim Wellens.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:22:31.020Z<\/p>\n As we approach the decisive climbs of the race, which riders can we expect to launch attacks?<\/p>\n Visma-Lease a Bike\u2019s Christope Laporte is one to watch. He looked great on the Muur yesterday, and has made the top eight in each of the last three editions of this race; and though normally he\u2019d wait for a sprint, the fact he\u2019s riding alongside fast-finisher Matthew Brennan, and the quality of the sprint field competing today, means he\u2019s likely to take more of a front-foot approach this time.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:17:34.412Z<\/p>\n As well as his Unibet Rose Rockets teammate Rory Townsend, Elmar Reinders has also abandoned the race.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:13:12.640Z The riders are now tacking on the last of these three quickfire climbs, La Houppe. After this, they’ll enjoy the respite of a flat section before the race really intensifies for the final six climbs.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:10:54.017Z<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s far from the last climbs to the finish line\u201d, Naesen added, \u201cso I would expect to see a select peloton fighting for the sprint, maybe half of the guys from the start.”<\/p>\n He agreed that the absence of Mathieu van der Poel changes everything, “but I can imagine Mathieu in the bus last night asking himself do I really want to go on a 65 kilometre solo, \u2018cos that’s what he’d need to do to win this race, and that’s not going to make for a comfortable Sunday.”<\/p>\n As for Naesen himself, Decathlon are fighting for Tobias Lund Andresen in the sprint, so Naesen’s own role will be to cover breaks on the climbs.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:10:12.407Z<\/p>\n Oliver Naesen also spoke to Cyclingnews today before the race. A veteran of a huge number of Classics, Naesen is always one of the most insightful members of the peloton into one-day racing, and he views Kuurne as “being a battle between offensive Classics riders and sprinting Classics riders.”<\/p>\n “It will be the same today. There is a favourable wind so attacks can go far, but the peloton is sprinter-heavy and in breaks there’s always going to be teammates of sprinters that can block those attacks.”<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:06:46.801Z<\/p>\n The teams of sprinters Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) are among those showing their faces at the front of the peloton.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T13:04:42.290Z And now they take on the cobbles of the Berg Ten Houte, which rises for 1km at 5.2%.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:58:53.260Z We\u2019re entering a new phase of the race, as they take on the Bossenaarstraat, the first of three climbs in quick succession.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:57:06.082Z Meanwhile the break’s lead continues to grow, now up to 3:45.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:56:26.535Z<\/p>\n And now another rider has fallen – Josh Burnett of the Burgos Burpellet BH team.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:55:42.822Z<\/p>\n Townsend has abandoned the race, becoming the first DNF of the day.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:54:34.590Z<\/p>\n Talking of crashes, more news has come in from yesterday\u2019s chaotic Omloop – and it\u2019s bad news for Stefan K\u00fcng. The Swiss classics specialist is set to miss the rest of the Spring after suffering a heavy fall.<\/p>\n Major fractures for Stefan K\u00fcng and Ben Swift as injury fallout from crash-ridden Omloop Het Nieuwsblad continues<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:53:07.538Z<\/p>\n There\u2019s been a crash in the peloton involving a few riders, Rory Townsend seemingly the worst off.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:47:18.245Z<\/p>\n At long last, after such a resillient chase, Adri\u00e0 and Ingebrigtsen have joined the front group. Chapeau for the effort!<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:46:12.348Z<\/p>\n Regarding whether he’ll have his own chance, Groves said “We always go into it to work to deliver the best result for the team, and in that case it’s Jasper in a sprint. But if it’s an attacking final, we also need numbers in the front and that’s probably a role of mine.<\/p>\n “I think I’m going to be better than yesterday. It wasn’t my best day, so yeah, we’ll see how we go and hopefully some good legs.”<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:45:14.668Z<\/p>\n With defending champion Jasper Philipsen in their line-up, and having won yesterday\u2019s Omloop with Mathieu van der Poel, there will be an onus on Alpecin-Premier Tech to control this race and bring the breakaway back. One of their riders, Kaden Groves, spoke to Cyclingnews this morning:<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a really difficult stage yesterday, with the weather and all that, so we have to see how the legs are, but we think it’s gonna be a pretty chaotic race with the wind.”<\/p>\n “In the end we have a great leader in Jasper, and a few of us to anticipate depending on how the race unfolds.”<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:43:08.821Z<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:37:48.629Z The peloton has well and truly sat up now, allowing the leading five an advantage of 2:25. In between, Adri\u00e0 and Ingebrigtsen are still soldiering on, but are finding they can’t close the deficit of 25 seconds between themselves and the leaders.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:31:49.516Z The riders are climbing again, this time up the 2.2km, 3.4% Lepelstraat.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:27:14.626Z<\/p>\n Adri\u00e0 and Ingebrigtsen, trying to join the leaders.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:24:59.022Z The five leaders are 1:10 up on the peloton, while Adri\u00e0 and Ingebrigtsen continue to dangle 20 seconds adrift.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:23:08.770Z<\/p>\n Things haven\u2019t fully calmed down in the peloton yet. There was a flurry of attackers trying to break and clear and attempt to bridge up to the leaders, but that move has been shut down.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:21:20.940Z<\/p>\n The five riders up the road, who appear to have succeeded in forming the day’s break.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:17:30.044Z<\/p>\n Meanwhile Adri\u00e0 is still trying to join them with his compaion, Storm Ingebrigtsen. The pair are just 15 seconds behind.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:16:41.014Z<\/p>\n It seems the peloton has at last sat up – the break’s lead is up to over a minute.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:15:35.261Z The five out front are mainting their lead as they climb up the second hill of the day, the Volkegemberg.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:13:03.409Z<\/p>\n Biniam Girmay has had to stop for a mechanical.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:11:28.056Z The five-man break are now 23 seconds up on the peloton, and 16 ahead of Roger Adri\u00e0, who has also been joined by another rider.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:08:44.772Z<\/p>\n And now Roger Adri\u00e0 is setting off in pursuit of the five leaders. He’s the kind of bigger name the peloton may deem too dangerous to let go.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:07:23.939Z<\/p>\n They’ve been joined by Johan Jacobs and Frits Biesterbos. This is looking promising.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:06:01.795Z<\/p>\n Three riders have managed to go clear and build a small lead – Dries De Bondt, Cole Kessler and Matis Louvel.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T12:00:50.607Z Still no sign of any breakaway forming. The next climb, the Volkegemberg, could provide an opportunity for one, but is still 10km away.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:54:11.861Z<\/p>\n Those ten attackers have succeeded in going clear, and the race is all back together again.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:50:29.546Z<\/p>\n Ten attackers started the climb with a small gap over the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:49:37.421Z<\/p>\n Attacks are being made as they climb the first obstacle of the day, the 1.4km, 3.6% Tiegemberg.<\/p>\n TIEGEMBERG<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:46:39.564Z They’ve been racing for almost 15km and still a break is yet to go free.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:43:02.826Z<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:41:28.029Z<\/p>\n With the final third of the race being completely flat without any bergs, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne is a frontloaded race, and it won\u2019t belong already until they reach the first of the day\u2019s 13 climbs – the Tiegemberg.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:36:26.767Z<\/p>\n Dries De Bondt tried to attack right from the get-go, but no break has formed yet.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:32:44.248Z And they’re off!<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:29:52.655Z<\/p>\n Incidentally, the Tudor rider mentioned who broke his teeth, Rick Pluimers, was down to start today, but (understandably) has pulled out, along with his teammate Aivaras Mikutis. That leaves Tudor with just five starters.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:27:26.647Z<\/p>\n The rain might mostly have held off yesterday, but that didn\u2019t curtail the number of incidents, in what Arnaud De Lie described as being \u201cthe most dangerous Omloop of my life.\u201d We summarised some of the fall-out from all of the drama.<\/p>\n Tudor rider breaks two teeth, Mathieu van der Poel makes a miraculous save, De Lie calls Omloop Het Nieuwsblad edition ‘The most dangerous Omloop of my life’<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:22:41.322Z<\/p>\n It\u2019s dry at the start for now, but the forecasts suggest that rain could potentially have a factor later in the day.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:17:44.068Z<\/p>\n The riders are on the move, making their way through the neutralised zone. They\u2019ll be racing before long.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:15:44.862Z<\/p>\n One such sprinter is Jasper Philipsen, pictured here at the start with Dylan Groenewegen, and the Belgian is hoping to defend his title after the success of his teammate Van der Poel yesterday.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:07:41.513Z<\/p>\n The majority of the riders who competed at yesterday\u2019s Omloop Nieuwsblad are present again today, although the parcours is more suited towards sprinters. That\u2019s reflected in what is a more sprinter-heavy start list, featuring some of the fastest finishers in the world.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T11:01:36.978Z<\/p>\n After sealing victory yesterday on what was his first race of the road season, Mathieu van der Poel is sitting this one out, paving the way for what looks set to be an open race.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T10:55:50.930Z<\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t already caught up with what happened during yesterday\u2019s dramatic, incident-packed Omloop Nieuwsblad, be sure to read our report covering all the thrills and spills.<\/p>\n Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Mathieu van der Poel storms to solo victory with stinging Muur van Geraardsbergen attack<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-03-01T10:54:45.482Z<\/p>\n Coming up fast after yesterday\u2019s Omloop Nieuwsblad, we\u2019re back in the Belgian countryside for the second installment of Opening Weekend – Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.<\/p>\n 2026-03-01T10:50:25.827Z<\/p>\n Hello and welcome to the 2026 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne!<\/p>\n 2026-02-26T13:43:30.101Z Data powered by FirstCycling<\/a><\/p>\n
\n40KM TO GO<\/p>\n
\n50KM TO GO<\/p>\n![\"Alpecin-Premier](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/LhHDHADAJwjEXb9zVZiuHH.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nDAY’S BREAK CAUGHT<\/p>\n
\nKLUISBERG<\/p>\n
\n60KM TO GO<\/p>\n
\nCOTE DE TRIEU<\/p>\n
\n70KM TO GO<\/p>\n![\"Eritrea's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/yUfwVW5qftF8VnTNXY4pwb.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nKRUISBERG<\/p>\n
\n80KM TO GO<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/mqz3BUdGNpf4UyPGeCJmqi.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nMONT SAINT-LAURENT<\/p>\n
\n90KM TO GO<\/p>\n
\nLA BOURLIQUET<\/p>\n
\nHAMEAU DES PAPINS<\/p>\n
\n100KM TO GO<\/p>\n
\nDNF – TIM WELLENS<\/p>\n
\n110KM TO GO<\/p>\n
\nLA HOUPPE<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/m78QFPsDSfCiyUB496eYHQ.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nBERG TEN HOUTE <\/p>\n
\nBOSSENAARSTRAAT<\/p>\n
\n130KM TO GO<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/EuoJw58TZcBMfE2G8vNEHA.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\n140KM TO GO<\/p>\n
\nLEPELSTRAAT<\/p>\n![\"Norway's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SpDxBpgqGYJEFxEu2dCiNk.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\n150KM TO GO<\/p>\n![\"USA's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3jg2kN9tKgBVXFWyMPLiB5.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nVOLKEGEMBERG<\/p>\n
\n160KM TO GO<\/p>\n
\n170KM TO GO<\/p>\n
\n180KM TO GO<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sVApa5DqVV4vfpXsoKmcwd.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nOFFICIAL START<\/p>\n![\"Belgium's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Epf6pgxo9Xyt4ipDtqA4Kn.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nStart list<\/p>\n