National Championships 2021 – Belgium – Road Race [FULL RACE] (flemish)

June 20, 2021

National Championships 2021 – Belgium – Waregem – Waregem : 221,3 km

The Belgian National Road Race Championship is a cycling race which decides who will become Belgian national champion for the year to come. The winners of each event are awarded with a symbolic cycling jersey, which is black, yellow and red, like the national flag. These colours can be worn by the rider at other road racing events to show their status as national champion. The champion’s stripes can be combined into a sponsored rider’s team kit design for this purpose.

Wout van Aert captured the Belgian road title for the first time in his career on Sunday afternoon. He took victory in a three-man sprint from Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo) and Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck-QuickStep). It was his first race since winning the Amstel Gold Race on April 18 and his appendix operation halfway through May.

“It’s one of the most beautiful jerseys in the peloton. Obviously I wanted to win it one day. I want to dedicate this victory to my buddy Small who lost the battle against bone cancer last month. A lot of things happened recently but it doesn’t mean much if something like that happens. I had to think a lot about him the past few weeks. I had to fight to come here and race. I want to thank him for giving me that power today,” Van Aert said.

Van Aert appeared in front during the penultimate of four local laps of 16km. The small lead group with Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck-QuickStep) was caught back and the peloton headed to the 1km long Holstraat climb. Philippe Gilbert (Lotto-Soudal) anticipated the climb but Edward Theuns neutralized his effort and brought the peloton back.

At the top of the climb with 24km to go, the same spot where Lotte Kopecky attacked in the women’s race, Van Aert blasted away with Remco Evenepoel on his wheel. Men like Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka Assos) and Tiesj Benoot (Team DSM) failed to close the gap straight away in a combined effort but Theuns managed to bridge up solo at 22km from the finish. Alpecin-Fenix was unable to control the strong lead group and the three would battle for the victory. Van Aert marked two attempts from Evenepoel to sneak away and in the sprint he kept Theuns in check.

“It was a difficult finale. Edward Theuns bridged up with me but didn’t want to co-operate. I wanted to bank on my sprint but I was carrying the race with Remco Evenepoel. It seems like I’m always doing close sprints. I’m glad the photo finish was clear,” Van Aert laughed.

“It sounds ridiculous after a victory but there’s certainly room for improvement. Today I had to undergo the race and bide my time. I rode several championships where it didn’t work out well. Today I managed to get into the right breakaway move. Due to circumstances this is a very pleasing victory. The Tour de France is very different to this race but I had doubts and now I can head to the Tour with confidence and show the tricolor jersey.”

Third-placed Evenepoel showed disappointment although he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance in the sprint.

“If I wanted to win I had to reach the finish alone. Those two are two real classics specialists so on a short climb I’m not explosive enough to drop them. The level at the Belgian championships is so high and on a course like this one it’s even harder for me. Podium in the ITT and today is nice but tomorrow nobody remembers who finished on the podium,” Evenepoel said.

Runner-up Theuns skipped most of the work in the lead group but still he was unable to mark the speed and power of Van Aert in the sprint.

“It was the chance of my life to win the Belgian title. I’m super disappointed. It’s been a few difficult weeks for me. I’m riding so strong and still the team doubts whether to take me to the Tour or not. I think I showed what I can do by closing the gap on these two giants on my own. I knew it would be difficult but I believed that I would be able to beat Van Aert.

“I hoped to come out of his wheel but I quickly came next to him. I didn’t dare to shift up one more time. I banked on my jump because I know he’s had some problems there,” Theuns laughed. “Due to corona the team wasn’t allowed to take the start in the races that suit me the best, Dwars door Vlaanderen and Gent-Wevelgem, so I wasn’t able to show my form as much as I wanted,” Theun told Sporza.

Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix) started the sprint from far out in the peloton but the trio was too far away to grab a second title. Eventually it was Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe) who won the sprint in the peloton ahead of Milan Menten (Bingoal-Pauwels Sauces-WB) and Merlier.

How it unfolded

The peloton rolled out of Waregem at noon for 221 kilometres of mostly flat racing, with three loops which each had to be covered four times. Nobody got away during a first hour of flat out racing with an average of 48.8km/h.

A small lead group put Alpecin-Fenix under pressure in the mid-part of the race. The four leaders were Kenny Molly (Bingoal-Pauwels Sauzen WB), team-mates Brent Van Moer and Tosh Van der Sande from Lotto-Soudal and Mauri Vansevenant (Deceuninck – Quick-Step). The four leaders collected a maximum bonus of six minutes on the peloton after 100km of racing.

The large Alpecin-Fenix team received some support from the Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise team and slowly the gap came back down, still averaging 46km/h during the first three hours of racing. The pace in the peloton increased even more on the four final local laps with attacks constantly being fired around by big guns like Campenaerts, Benoot and Theuns.

Next up was Yves Lampaert who was joined by defending champion Dries De Bondt. The duo bridged up to the four leaders but never gained more than a minute on the peloton where Alpecin-Fenix kept working.

During the penultimate lap, at 28km from the finish, everything was back together when riding over the cobbles of the Herlegemstraat and approaching the Holstraat climb where the race would be decided.

Results :
1 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma 4:40:41
2 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
3 Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:01
4 Jordi Meeus (Bel) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:05
5 Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
6 Tim Merlier (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
7 Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal
8 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
9 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
10 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Team Arkea-Samsic
11 Kenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
12 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
13 Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
14 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Team DSM
15 Piet Allegaert (Bel) Cofidis
16 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
17 Gilles De Wilde (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
18 Pieter Serry (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
19 Tim Declercq (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
20 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
21 Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
22 Aimé De Gendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
23 Bert De Backer (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
24 Lawrence Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
25 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Lotto Soudal
26 Ilan Van Wilder (Bel) Team DSM
27 Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Total Direct Energie
28 Thimo Willems (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
29 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
30 Nathan Van Hooydonck (Bel) Jumbo-Visma
31 Fabio Van Den Bossche (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
32 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
33 Jelle Wallays (Bel) Cofidis
34 Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain Victorious
35 Loïc Vliegen (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
36 Arjen Livyns (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
37 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
38 Steff Cras (Bel) Lotto Soudal
39 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Team Qhubeka Assos 0:00:13
40 Ward Vanhoof (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:00:16
41 Sander Armée (Bel) Team Qhubeka Assos
42 Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
43 Gianni Marchand (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
44 Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
45 Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:19
46 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
47 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) EF Education-Nippo
48 Jordi Warlop (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:00:27
49 Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
50 Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:00:34
51 Jens Debusschere (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:00:40
52 Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Team Qhubeka Assos
53 Ludovic Robeet (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:01:42
54 Jules Hesters (Bel) Beat Cycling
55 Aaron Verwilst (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:01:50
56 Jens Reynders (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
57 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis
58 Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:01:54
59 Eliot Lietaer (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
60 Harm Vanhoucke (Bel) Lotto Soudal
61 Stan Dewulf (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team
62 Lionel Taminiaux (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:01:58
63 Michiel Stockman (Bel) Team SKS Sauerland NRW 0:03:48
64 Ruben Apers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
65 Floris De Tier (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:04:26
66 Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:05:21
67 Viktor Verschaeve (Bel) Lotto Soudal
68 Cedric Beullens (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
69 Frederik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal
70 Arne Marit (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
71 Tom Paquot (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
72 Florian Vermeersch (Bel) Lotto Soudal
73 Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Evopro Racing
74 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal
75 Julian Mertens (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
76 Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
77 Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
78 Brent Van Moer (Bel) Lotto Soudal
79 Maxim Van Gils (Bel) Lotto Soudal
80 Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
81 Jacob Relaes (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
82 Jeroen Eyskens (Bel) Evopro Racing
83 Emiel Vermeulen (Bel) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
84 Timothy Dupont (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
85 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
86 Lennert Teugels (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
87 Lander Loockx (Bel)
88 Dries De Bondt (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:06:45
89 Toon Vandebosch (Bel) 0:07:22
90 Laurenz Rex (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
91 Laurens Huys (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
92 Sean De Bie (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
93 Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
94 Stijn Steels (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
95 Thomas Joseph (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
96 Mauri Vansevenant (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
97 Abram Stockman (Bel) Team SKS Sauerland NRW 0:08:11
98 Johan Hemroulle (Bel) Xspeed United Continental
99 Sébastien Grignard (Bel) Lotto Soudal
100 Enzo Wouters (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
101 Frederik Backaert (Bel) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
102 Laurens Sweeck (Bel)
103 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
104 Boris Vallee (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
105 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal
106 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix Development Team
107 Maxime De Poorter (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
108 Alex Colman (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
109 Aaron Van Poucke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
110 Tom Meeusen (Bel)
111 Gerben Thijssen (Bel) Lotto Soudal
112 Sasha Weemaes (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
113 Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
114 Lindsay De Vylder (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
115 Stefano Museeuw (Bel) Beat Cycling
116 Toon Aerts (Bel)
117 Kobe Goossens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
118 Henri Vandenabeele (Bel) Team DSM
119 Jordy Bouts (Bel) Beat Cycling
120 Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
121 Kenny Molly (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
122 Christophe Noppe (Bel) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:09:38
DNF Thijs Aerts (Bel)
DNF Jens Adams (Bel)
DNF Niels Verdijck (Bel) Eurocyclingtrips-CMI Pro Cycling
DNF Seppe Rombouts (Bel) LVIV Cycling Team
DNF Mathias De Witte (Bel) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Maximilien Picoux (Bel) Xelliss-Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Niels Merckx (Bel)
DNF Doron Wiggins (Bel) Xspeed United Continental
DNF Senne Leysen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
DNF Niels Vandeputte (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
DNF Edward Planckaert (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
DNF Eli Iserbyt (Bel)
DNF Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel)
DNF Simon Daniels (Bel) Xspeed United Continental
DNF Jasper De Plus (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
DNF Jonas Castrique (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
DNF Remy Mertz (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
DNF Quentin Venner (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
DNF Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
DNF Mehdi Tigrine (Bel) Kuwait Pro Cycling Team
DNF Diether Sweeck (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
DNF Ludwig De Winter (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
DNF Robbe Ghys (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Gil D´Heygere (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
DNF Stijn De Bock (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
DNF Alfdan De Decker (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
DNF Elias Van Breussegem (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
DNF Brent Van De Kerkhove (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
DNF Thibau Verhofstadt (Bel) Tarteletto-Isorex
DNF Ben Hermans (Bel) Israel Start-up Nation
DNF Ayco Bastiaens (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
DNS Sander De Pestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNS Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
DNS Daan Soete (Bel)
DNS Quinten Hermans (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux