Philipsen gets ideal Milan-Sanremo tune-up in Nokere Koerse, with Segaert caught right at the line

🚴🇧🇪 | Na de koers bij de vrouwen zijn ook de mannen onderweg in #NokereKoerse. Krijgen we een sprint of zijn er renners die op de kasseien het verschil kunnen maken? We zijn live! Wielrennen 👀 HBO Max

2:09 PM · Mar 18, 2026

Breakaway of four forms in subdued opening phase

It was a slow start in Deinze. The pace was low and there was no immediate rush to form the day’s breakaway. Eventually, one did go clear. Lionel Taminiaux of Lotto-Intermarché, Sean Christian of Modern Adventure, and Tarteletto duo Jelle Harteel and Jonah Killy all headed up the road.

The four leaders quickly built an advantage of three minutes. In the peloton, the teams of top favourites Meeus and Philipsen took control. Even so, it remained a very calm race at that point, with the break still enjoying a lead of around two and a half minutes.

Several crashes on the run-in to the finale

Even in a quiet race, concentration still matters. Hugo Hofstetter briefly lost that focus and crashed. The French outsider grabbed his shoulder, but was at least able to continue for the time being. Meanwhile, Philipsen saw teammate Edward Planckaert abandon the race.

Just before the penultimate passage of the Lange Ast climb, 0.6 kilometres at 4.3 percent, there was another crash in the peloton. This time it involved, among others, Pascal Ackermann of Jayco and spring surprise Tom Crabbe of Flanders-Baloise. Both initially got going again, but the German rider later had to step off.

Read on below the video!

🚴🇧🇪 | Het is voorlopig niet de dag van Hugo Hofstetter. Voor de tweede keer in korte tijd ligt hij op de grond. #NokereKoerse Wielrennen 👀 HBO Max

3:45 PM · Mar 18, 2026

Teams without an out-and-out sprinter try to attack

Heading toward the finish line at the end of the last of three local laps, the pace in the peloton finally began to rise. Lidl-Trek and Soudal Quick-Step in particular had seen enough of the calm tempo and decided to lift the speed. It still did not create a real split, though.

For a moment it looked as though a group might get away thanks to an acceleration from Danish rider Julius Johansen, but with Hofstetter among those present, that move also stalled. The attacks kept coming, however, and it felt only a matter of time before a counter-move would stick. A few kilometres later, Hofstetter hit the deck yet again.

Read on below the video!

🚴🇧🇪 | De vluchters zijn gegrepen. Het is het sein voor Jonah Killy om het te proberen. De Amerikaan heeft binnen een mum van tijd een kleine halve minuut te pakken. #NokereKoerse Wielrennen 👀 HBO Max

3:42 PM · Mar 18, 2026

Segaert goes solo

Because of the repeated accelerations, the original breakaway had little left to show for its efforts with 30 kilometres to go. Only continental rider Killy was still dangling 30 seconds ahead of the peloton, as the bunch prepared for the final ascent of the Lange Ast.

Nobody got away on that climb, but the cobbled sectors that followed did make a difference. Belgian rider Alec Segaert of Bahrain Victorious launched a move and quickly opened a decent gap over the peloton. Even so, with just over ten kilometres remaining, it was still a long way out for the lone attacker.

Continue reading below the photo!

Bahrain riders do an excellent job of disrupting the chase for Segaert

With five kilometres to go, Segaert still held an advantage of more than 30 seconds over the peloton, where his Bahrain Victorious teammates did an excellent job of stalling the chase. The riders of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe had to throw everything at the pursuit at the front of the bunch in an effort to bring the Belgian back.

It did not happen immediately. Even with one kilometre left, the Bahrain Victorious rider still had a lead of 20 seconds. It proved just not enough for the courageous Belgian. Right on the line, he was swallowed up by Philipsen, who won the sprint from the peloton. Meeus and Molano rounded out the podium.

🚴🇧🇪 | Wat een fantastische ontknoping in #Nokersekoerse. Aanvaller Alec Segaert lijkt de winst te gaan pakken, maar valt stil op de Waregemsestraat. Jasper Philipsen pakt toch de zege! 🥇👏 Wielrennen 👀 HBO Max