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Follow us on GoogleAfter the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, it's time for the second round of Tour de France warm-up races, made up of the Tour de Suisse, the Tour of Slovenia and the Baloise Belgium Tour. IDL Pro Cycling previews the five-day race in Belgium, which features no individual time trial for the first time in several years.
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The Baloise Belgium Tour has an impressive roll of honour, featuring big names such as Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel. Last year, victory went to UAE rider Filippo Baroncini, who edged out stage winners Ethan Hayter and Jenno Berckmoes. Tim Merlier (twice) and Jasper Philipsen (once) also took stage victories in the sprint stages.
Recent winners of the Baloise Belgium Tour
2025 Filippo Baroncini
2024 Soren Waerenskjold
2023 Mathieu van der Poel
2022 Mauro Schmid
2021 Remco Evenepoel
2020 CANCELLED
2019 Remco Evenepoel
2018 Jens Keukeleire
2017 Jens Keukeleire
2016 Dries Devenyns
2015 Greg Van Avermaet
2024 Soren Waerenskjold
2023 Mathieu van der Poel
2022 Mauro Schmid
2021 Remco Evenepoel
2019 Remco Evenepoel
2018 Jens Keukeleire
2017 Jens Keukeleire
2016 Dries Devenyns
2015 Greg Van Avermaet
Baloise Belgium Tour 2026: Route, stage favorites, and race timing
Stage 1, Wednesday, June 17: Scherpenheuvel-Zichem – Scherpenheuvel-Zichem (188.4 km)
The Baloise Belgium Tour kicks off with a flat stage in and around Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, where we also finished in 2024 and 2023. Biniam Girmay overcame Merlier to win stage 1
Winner:
Biniam Girmay (NSN)
Biniam Girmay (NSN)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 2, Thursday, June 18: Merelbeke-Melle – Knokke-Heist (197.5 km)
In stage two, we headed down to the Belgian coast, where the traditional finish was located on the slightly uphill Wandelaar in Knokke-Heist. There, it came down to a three-way battle between the favorites Tim Merlier, Olav Kooij, and Jasper Philipsen: Merlier won that battle.
Winner:
Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
Stage 3, Friday, June 19: Durbuy–Durbuy (173 km)
The queen stage was scheduled for Friday this time, but the recipe in the Ardennes remained the same. The riders still had to conquer the hills in and around Durbuy. Experience came in handy there, as Alex Aranburu (Cofidis) used his experience from two years ago and won again. He also took the lead.
Winner:
Alex Aranburu (Cofidis)
Alex Aranburu (Cofidis)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 4, Saturday, June 20: Begijnendijk – Aarschot (182.8 km)
The fourth stage takes the peloton from Begijnendijk to Aarschot, where the sprinters will typically get a third chance. There are a few hills along the way, but none steep enough to drop the sprinters.
Winner:
Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 5, Sunday, June 21: Gingelom – Hoeilaart (182.6 km)
In the final stage, a new option was chosen, with a ride through the Grape Region. Several short, fierce climbs were on the program in the local circuit, where we also saw cobblestones. In a thrilling battle of seconds, Jasper Philipsen ultimately managed to win the stage, and in doing so, the Belgian also claimed the overall victory.
Winner:
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Premier-Tech)
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Premier-Tech)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
GC Favorites, 2026 Baloise Belgium Tour
The Baloise Belgium Tour has a different format than in previous years, with the main change being that there is no longer an individual time trial. Instead, an extra stage has been added for the punchers in the Druivenstreek, which automatically gives them a slight advantage.
Or does it? The truth is, the overall winner will likely come down to who performs best in the hilly stage around Durbuy. And don't underestimate the impact of the Golden Kilometer either. For that first check, we can mark Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto-Intermarché) and Alex Aranburu (Cofidis), a former winners in Durbuy.
Other than that, we mainly see riders we also encounter during the Flemish spring classics. Florian Vermeersch (UAE Emirates-XRG), Jasper Stuyven, Dylan van Baarle (Soudal Quick-Step), Rasmus Tiller, Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X), Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Riley Sheehan (NSN), Alex Aranburu ( Cofidis), Jakob Soderqvist, Soren Kragh Andersen (Lidl-Trek), Carlos Canal (Movistar), Quinten Hermans (Pinarello-Q36.5), and Rick Pluimers (Tudor) are all in the mix.
Given the importance of the bonus points and the absence of a time trial, we also believe the sprinters have a chance this year, provided they don’t lose too much time in Durbuy. Classic riders like Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM), Soren Waerenskjold (Uno-X), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Biniam Girmay (NSN), and Lukas Kubis (Unibet Rose Rockets) are certainly not ones to be overlooked.
IDL Pro Cycling top GC picks, Baloise Belgium Tour 2026
Top favorites: Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto-Intermarché) and Florian Vermeersch (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Outsiders: Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step), Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X), Jasper Philipsen and Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Premier Tech)
Long shots: Biniam Girmay, Riley Sheehan (NSN), Alex Aranburu (Cofidis), Soren Kragh Andersen (Lidl-Trek), Carlos Canal (Movistar), Quinten Hermans (Pinarello-Q36.5), Rick Pluimers (Tudor), and Lukas Kubis (Unibet Rose Rockets)
Outsiders: Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step), Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X), Jasper Philipsen and Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Premier Tech)
Long shots: Biniam Girmay, Riley Sheehan (NSN), Alex Aranburu (Cofidis), Soren Kragh Andersen (Lidl-Trek), Carlos Canal (Movistar), Quinten Hermans (Pinarello-Q36.5), Rick Pluimers (Tudor), and Lukas Kubis (Unibet Rose Rockets)
2026 Baloise Belgium Tour start list
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
How to watch the Baloise Belgium Tour 2026 on TV
As every year, the Baloise Belgium Tour will be broadcast on TV internationally:
| Location | TV Service |
| North America | FloBikes |
| Australia | SBS on Demand |
| United Kingdom | TNT Sports/HBO Max |
| Europe | Eurosport 1 |
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- Checking out the European course beforehand is smart. Hope she enjoys racing at home, whatever the result.jennifer1902-11-2026
- How does the starting order get decided in cyclocross? Eighth sounds impressive if she had to work her way through the whole field.cadencekingm02-11-2026
- The article’s timeline seems a bit muddled: it says this was the 2026 Koppenbergcross, then calls it her final race of 2025–Still, her progress is encouraging.pedalpowe2902-11-2026
- It’s lovely to see her smiling and thanking the fans. Taking things week by week sounds like the right approach after such a difficult year.patriciaw02-11-2026
- Eighth after starting on the back row at the Koppenberg is a strong ride. Good to see Fem building race rhythm without the pressure of chasing victories.tourdeforce902-11-2026
- I don’t understand how you can break vertebrae and not feel much pain there. Does that mean the collarbone injury was just more noticeable, or can spinal fractures sometimes cause very little pain? Hope he’s fully healed soon.sprocketspiny01-11-2026
- The recovery-score details are interesting, but they’re not a substitute for proper medical advice. Hopefully the team are keeping a close eye on him and letting the scans—not the urge to train—set the timetable.jennifer1901-11-2026
- Pogacar’s point about the safety gap between the Tour and smaller races is spot on. Riders are going faster than ever, yet some finishes still have awkward turns and road furniture right in the finale. Organisers need to take this seriously.gearguru3301-11-2026
- Two extra vertebrae fractures is a frightening discovery, especially after the concussion and collarbone injury. Glad he’s recovering, but it shows why coming back too soon would be a terrible risk.breakawaybikerd01-11-2026
- The team says it wants answers “as quickly as possible”, but speed shouldn’t come at the expense of a thorough investigation. Since Picnic PostNL commissioned it, will the full report be published? The team’s transparency will matter as much as who leads the inquiry.cyclechamp4530-10-2026