Tim Merlier wins the 2026 Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen: Groenewegen beaten in the sprint

Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) has won the 2026 Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen, a one-day race held over the 180.2-kilometre circuit of Koolskamp, in West Flanders. The Belgian rider finished in 03:46:05, beating Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets) and Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) in the sprint, both credited with the same time as the winner. The race The race was decided in the final sprint, with the fast men taking centre stage in the last kilometre. Merlier found space on the right in the final metres, passing Groenewegen and crossing the line first. For the Soudal Quick-Step rider, it is his second victory in this race, after the one he took two years ago. Results Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) — 03:46:05 Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets) — s.t. Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) — s.t. Arvid De Kleijn (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) — s.t. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) — s.t. The winner's words "The headwind made things difficult, and you had to pick the right moment to go, but also have some luck to launch your sprint. I'm happy to take the victory here for the second time in my career, especially as it's close to my home," Merlier said in a team statement after the victory. The Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen opens the trio of Belgian races this weekend, which continues on Saturday with the Flandrien 0.0 Classic and on Sunday with the Gooikse Pijl.