Magnier and Brennan out sprinted by Corbin Strong at Circuit Franco-Belge
CyclingWednesday, 10 June 2026 at 18:45
Corbin Strong won the Circuit Franco-Belge on Wednesday afternoon. The New Zealander from NSN Cycling came out on top in a sprint up the hill. He beat top favorites Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike), among others, in a race where the Yellow Jerseys of Visma dominated the course.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Circuit Franco-Belge is a race that has been held since 1988 and originally started as a stage race. Following victories by riders such as Koos Moerenhout, Robbie McEwen, and Arnaud Démare, the race was transformed into a one-day event in 2016. Dylan Groenewegen won that year, but in recent years the organizers have opted for a more challenging course.
With the finish at Mont-de-l'Enclus, it suddenly became more of a race for the classics specialists—the men with the power to climb. But the strong sprinters who can handle a small climb also sensed their chance in Wallonia. With Arnaud De Lie, Matthew Brennan, and Paul Magnier at the start, there were three absolute top contenders who were hoping for a sprint finish.
The first few kilometers were relatively flat, and a nine-man breakaway formed on that terrain. The group included Axel van der Tuuk (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Alexys Brunel (TotalEnergies), and Timo Roosen (Picnic PostNL). A nice little group, but they didn’t stand a chance when the hills loomed ahead. It wasn’t just the Mont-de-l’Enclus that made the race tough; the Knokteberg was also part of the course.
Read more below the photo!
Visma | Lease a Bike and Kelderman are ready for battle
The breakaway group fell apart in the hills: Brunel was clearly the best climber at the front, but on his own, the Frenchman stood little chance. The peloton was picking up speed, and at the 65-kilometer mark, Brunel was caught. At that point, the final stretch began, with attacks from the Cofidis and Uno-X Mobility camps. Visma | Lease a Bike also joined the fray.
It was none other than Wilco Kelderman who launched the attack. The Dutchman had to pull out early in the Giro d'Italia but was fit enough to start in Belgium. He set off alongside Leander Van Hautegem (Flanders - Baloise). The pair built up a solid lead. It soon became clear that the young Belgian was no match for Kelderman’s power, and Kelderman set off on his own.
Behind him, there were many riders looking to make the break, but Visma | Lease a Bike consistently kept pace with every new breakaway attempt. That’s how the 35-year-old climber managed to hold on for so long. In the final thirty kilometers, however, the gap quickly closed. As he entered the final lap, 22 kilometers from the finish, he was joined by a trio.
Read more below the video!
De Bondt and Simmons are battling it out in the lead group
Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla) had made the breakaway, along with Johan Jacobs (Groupama-FDJ) and Colby Simmons (EF Education-EasyPost), whose brother had won the Tour Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes earlier that day. But the peloton was right behind them. Simmons then messed things up, and that cost him dearly.
Because if you mess around, De Bondt will make sure you know it. With some skillful steering, the Belgian nearly sent Simmons into the shoulder. Kelderman and Jacobs were reeled in shortly after De Bondt and Simmons, so a full peloton headed into the final climb of the Knokteberg. There, Louis Barré (Visma | Lease a Bike) accelerated.
The Frenchman pulled away quickly, while Lotto-Intermarché gave chase. Just at that moment, team leader De Lie’s legs gave out. A pivotal moment that opened up opportunities for the attackers: Riley Sheehan (NSN) and defending champion Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) immediately moved to the front. But it was stop-and-go, as there was little cooperation.
Read more below the photo!
Visma for Brennan, Quick-Step for Magnier
Sprinters like Magnier and Brennan were able to rejoin the pack, and Visma | Lease a Bike still had five riders working for the young Brit. Together with Soudal Quick-Step, they therefore decided to pick up the pace in the final ten kilometers, preventing any breakaways. A spectacular crash by David Haverdings gave viewers a scare: he somersaulted into a ditch but seemed miraculously unharmed.
So the depleted peloton prepared for a grueling uphill sprint. Brennan was brought to the front, but so was Marijn van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost). The sprint was initiated by Clément Venturini (Unibet Rose Rockets), but he went too early. Corbin Strong (NSN) took over and managed to stay ahead of Magnier.
Results of the 2026 Franco-Belgian Circuit
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Author: David Bavin-Hobbs - [email protected]
Read also
IDL-productions
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 Standings | Strong breakaway ruins the sprinter's day on stage 4
How much prize money did Jonas Vingegaard get for winning the Giro d'Italia?
Who is Isabella Holmgren, the 21-year-old Canadian keeping up with Vollering at the Giro d'Italia Women
Hincapie's new team announces its arrival with surprise Tour of Wallonia GC win
Bradley Wiggins thinks Vingegaard's Giro - Tour double plan will pay off vs Pogačar at the Tour de France
Latest Cycling News
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 Preview | Just 1 'easy' day left before the 'Dauphiné hits the mountains
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 Stage 5 Preview | biggest sprint chance — and Van Aert's best opportunity?
The story behind Simmons's latest win — and what it means for his Tour de France hopes
Simmons fuelled by frustration after missed chance: 'Had to save my legs for the team time trial'
Van Aert shows his sprint but Quinn Simmons stays clear with the break at the Dauphiné
Popular Cycling News
UCI disqualifies Jan-Willem van Schip for the third time in less than a year, 'tackled to ground' by police
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 Preview | Just 1 'easy' day left before the 'Dauphiné hits the mountains
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 start list | Movistar weakened by team time trial
Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 Standings | Strong breakaway ruins the sprinter's day on stage 4
Pogačar and UAE keep losing riders — so who will actually support him at the Tour de France?
Latest Comments
- - Don’t sleep on the break again! Sprint trains looked heavy yesterday and that diagonal tail from Belleville-en-Beaujolais could turbocharge a well-timed move. Eenkhoorn and Vermeersch are perfect picks, but I’ve got a hunch about Benjamin Thomas if Cofidis frees him early. Either way, this profile is sneaky harder than it looks — positioning into Blacé might decide the whole day.tourdeforce910-06-2026
- - Love how you laid out the terrain changes — those early 4th-category bumps plus the Ongt drag will sting just enough to soften a few legs, but with the last corner at 3 km this screams drag race. If Visma keep it tidy, Wout vs Coquard round two feels inevitable. Curious whether Jayco fully commits to Matthews or keeps powder dry for a late flyer.sprocketspiny10-06-2026
- - Not sure about Wout after the TTT drop—feels like a long shot. I’d add Trentin as a sleeper if Tudor commits, and keep an eye on Hofstetter’s positioning in that long straight. Timing the launch will be everything.sprocketspiny09-06-2026
- - Weather note is huge: headwind early = harder for the break to establish big gaps; tailwind finale = faster chase and potential echelons. That tilts it toward the sprinters who can climb. Godon top pick makes total sense.breakawaybikerd09-06-2026
- - Curious what EF does with the jersey—do they burn matches all day for Baudin’s lead, or let a non-threatening move up the road? If they hesitate, Zimmermann and Veistroffer have that punchy unpredictability to make it stick.raceready709-06-2026
- - The early cluster of climbs screams breakaway, but the timing (after km 110 all flat) feels like a gift to the chasers. If a big, committed move goes over the Col de la Croix de l’Arbre, though, Mohorič and Romeo are the danger men.cadencekingm09-06-2026
- - Loving the stage breakdown! With that long downhill/flat run-in and a tailwind on the 11 km straight, I’m leaning toward a reduced bunch sprint—especially if EF keeps the leash tight. Coquard vs. Godon could be spicy.jennifer1909-06-2026
- - Love the narrative arc here: puncture on stage 1, podium in the rain on stage 2, caught in the split on stage 3, then leader’s jersey on stageShades of Corbin Strong last year. If Sheehan pulls this off, that Wallonie-Arctic double template could be in play again.tourdeforce905-06-2026
- - Three seconds over Oliver and De Lie is nothing with one stage left. If NSN wants to keep the jersey, they’ll have to patrol every move and mop up sprint bonuses. Curious whether Sheehan goes defensive or tries another punch on the climbs—his style seems to suit the parcours.patriciaw05-06-2026
- - De Lie needed that one. You could see the weeks of frustration come off his shoulders when he collapsed on the bars. Classic Belgian timing on home roads. Also, credit to NSN—seven guys riding strong and still brave enough to attack for bonus seconds. That’s racing.raceready705-06-2026
Loading
