Flanders–Baloise forced to close after Flemish government withdraws financial support

Professional cycling is losing an iconic name. Flanders–Baloise will withdraw from the professional peloton after the 2026 season. The Belgian organisation has been one of the country’s most important development teams for many years, but financial difficulties have now forced it to close. It marks the end of a team that has been involved in cycling for 33 years.

The team began as a development project in 1993 before establishing itself at professional level during the first decade of the 21st century. Racing as Marlux–Wincor Nixdorf, it joined cycling’s second tier in 2003 and later worked with sponsors including Chocolade Jacques, Baloise and Mercator. However, the support provided by the Flemish government always remained the most important pillar of the project.

Over the years, the team raced under names including Topsport Vlaanderen, Sport Vlaanderen and, most recently, Flanders–Baloise. From 2005 onwards, it focused entirely on developing Belgian riders, particularly young talent from Flanders. In its farewell statement, the organisation highlighted an impressive figure: 218 Flemish riders were given the opportunity to become professionals with the team.

Of those riders, 87 subsequently reached UCI WorldTeam level. Iljo Keisse, Serge Pauwels, Jan Bakelants, Thomas De Gendt, Sep Vanmarcke, Yves Lampaert, Edward Theuns, Oliver Naesen, Victor Campenaerts, Arne Marit, Milan Fretin and Jenno Berckmoes are among the riders who began their professional journeys with the Flemish team. The next generation of Belgian talent will now have to find a different route into the professional peloton.

The Flemish government is set to withdraw from the project from 2027, meaning Flanders–Baloise will lose its biggest financial backer. The team spent this season searching intensively for new sponsors, but those efforts have now ended. The organisation has decided not to continue its search, which means the team will disappear from the peloton at the conclusion of the 2026 season.

Flanders–Baloise has 20 riders on its roster this season. Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws reports that some have already secured places elsewhere: Jules Hesters is reportedly set to join Picnic PostNL, while Tom Crabbe—the team’s highly rated 21-year-old star, who has already claimed five professional victories this season—is expected to move to Pinarello–Q36.5. However, the closure leaves a significant number of the team’s riders facing considerable uncertainty over their futures.