Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal) took a hardfought but clear triumph in the Belgian Nationals Road Race on Sunday, outpowering leading favourite Lotte Kopecky (SDWorx-Protime) in a small group sprint for her first ever senior title.
The 137-kilometre course starting in Antwerp and finishing in Brasschaat saw multiple options go clear, and it was only in the closing part of the course that it became certain a bunch sprint, of some 30-35 riders, would definitively materialise.
Given the rollercoaster recent past, Bossuyt's win ahead of Kopecky and Lotto-Intermarché's Sandrine Tas carried huge importance for the 25-year-old, who was in tears after the finish.
“There are so many emotions… that I am crying here,” she said, according toNieuwsblad..
“This surpasses everything. I hope this is the start of something very beautiful. I was already super happy with that stage in the Vuelta and that this… I have no words for it.”
"I had actually already put that difficult period behind me, but on a day like today, it all comes back to the surface. I shouldn't cry… but still. Getting to wear that jersey in the Tour de France is going to be very beautiful."
2026 Belgian National Championships WE race: a split begins to form (Image credit: Getty Images)
How it unfolded
Early attacks allowed first Jan Dobbelaere and the veteran Loes Sels (Belco-Van Eyck) to get away, but only with a minimal advantage and they were caught three laps out. The first of the late attacks, made by Bossuyt's teammate Julie Van de Velde (AG Insurance - Soudal) also failed to work out.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
However, Van de Velde's move sparked a much more dangerous mass move, containing defending champion Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal) and no less than three Fenix-Premier Tech racers: Lotte Claes, Julie De Wilder and Xaydee Van Sinaey in a group of nine. This break was powerful enough to stay away for nearly 20 kilometres, and even when it was, Ghekiere took advantage of a cobbled sector to try and stay away.
Ghekiere's move was then backed by Tas - later third - and young Belgian sprinter Fleur Moors (Lidl-Trek), and Moors went for it again in the final kilometres. AG Insurance-Soudal were working hard for a sprint by that stage, though, and a few minutes later, Bossuyt paid off all their hard work.
“When Justine Ghekiere was away with Tas and Moors, I told her not to ride along, because that was a dangerous situation," Bossuyt later told Nieuwsblad.
"When everything came back together, it worked out well for me. Moors had already done quite a bit of work at the front, so I just kept an eye on Lotte. With 250 meters to go, I launched my sprint. I felt I was in control.”
2026 Belgian National Championships: the final podium for the elite women's road race (Image credit: Getty Images)
Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The Independent, The Guardian, ProCycling, The Express and Reuters.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
