Van Loy takes victory at GP Hasselt
Betsema and Cant round out podium
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Ellen Van Loy claimed her first victory of the season with a strong solo win at the GP Hasselt. Van Loy beat some stiff competition in Koksijde winner Denise Betsema and world champion Sanne Cant.
Van Loy set her stall out early, storming into the first corner in the lead and a rapid first lap helped her build a small advantage over the rest of the pack. Behind her was Cant and Betsema led the charge but a mechanical issue hampered the latter. Betsema would lose more than 20 seconds as she tinkered with her bike and had to push hard to bridge the gap.
Meanwhile, Cant was briefly left to her own devices as she tracked down Van Loy, who was less than 10 seconds behind her compatriot on the second lap. The world champion would soon get reinforcements with four laps remaining as Loes Sels and Inge van der Heijden caught up with her, while Betsema continued to close the gap.
Despite the extra help behind, Van Loy maintained a lead of 20 seconds on the chasers and looked comfortable as the laps ticked down. As the last lap approached, Van Loy was still in the lead and the lights to flag victory looked on for the 38-year-old. It would be close, though. Betsema had caught Cant and now had her sights on Van Loy. The finish line couldn’t come quickly enough for Van Loy, but she would hold on to cross the line for victory just a few seconds ahead of Betsema with Cant rounding out the podium.
Full Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions | 0:47:57 |
| 2 | Denise Betsema (Ned) Marlux - Bingoal | 0:00:04 |
| 3 | Sanne Cant (Bel) Corendon - Circus | 0:00:17 |
| 4 | Loes Sels (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen - Vastgoedservice | 0:00:26 |
| 5 | Inge Van Der Heijden (Ned) | 0:01:11 |
| 6 | Marthe Truyen (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions | 0:01:20 |
| 7 | Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) | 0:01:34 |
| 8 | Aniek Van Alphen (Ned) | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
| 9 | Maghalie Rochette (Can) | 0:01:49 |
| 10 | Lizzy Witlox (Ned) | 0:02:15 |
| 11 | Mari-Liis Mõttus (Est) | 0:02:29 |
| 12 | Suzanne Verhoeven (Bel) | 0:02:36 |
| 13 | Bethany Crumpton (GBr) | 0:02:48 |
| 14 | Karen Verhestraeten (Bel) | 0:03:02 |
| 15 | Veerle Goossens (Ned) | 0:03:35 |
| 16 | Elodie Kuijper (Ned) | 0:04:08 |
| 17 | Tereza Vaníčková (Cze) | 0:04:20 |
| 18 | Monique Van De Ree (Ned) | 0:04:38 |
| 19 | Jana Dobbelaere (Bel) | 0:04:39 |
| 20 | Kaat Hannes (Bel) | 0:04:58 |
| 21 | Marlies Vos (Ned) | 0:05:02 |
| 22 | Corey Coogan Cisek (USA) | 0:05:12 |
| 23 | Magdalena Mišoňová (Cze) | 0:05:44 |
| 24 | Meg De Bruyne (Bel) | 0:05:57 |
| 25 | Lise Van Wunsel (Bel) | 0:06:03 |
| 26 | Sophie Thackray (GBr) | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
| 27 | Kiona Crabbé (Bel) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
| 28 | Tinne Vermeiren (Bel) | 0:07:16 |
| 29 | Pien Limpens (Ned) | -1 Lap |
| 30 | Louise Heywood-Mahe (GBr) | -1 Lap |
| 31 | Julie Brouwers (Bel) | -1 Lap |
| 32 | Valerie Boonen (Bel) | -2 Laps |
| 33 | Katharina Julia Hinz (Ger) | -2 Laps |
| 34 | Yenthe Van Lommel (Bel) | -2 Laps |
| 35 | Lara Defour (Bel) | -2 Laps |
| 36 | Laetitia Maus (Lux) | -3 Laps |
| 37 | Lina Beirinckx (Bel) | -3 Laps |
| 38 | Famke Van Waterschoot (Ned) | -4 Laps |
| DNF | Sara Beeckmans (Bel) | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
'There's still room for improvement' - Remco Evenepoel not concerned about premature peak form after winning Volta Valenciana
No Milan-San Remo start planned after brilliant stage race debut with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe -
'I really put myself through it' - Zoe Bäckstedt loses the UAE Tour white jersey but impresses on the brutal slopes of Jebel Hafeet
Having shown her skills in the bunch sprints early in the week, Bäckstedt beat some climbers on the mountain -
'I still cannot believe that it's really happened' - Femke de Vries delighted with a breakout ride, taking third place in UAE Tour
'A little bit more training, a little bit more resting, a little bit watching the food and being more serious' brings Dutch rider a career-best result on Jebel Hafeet -
Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana: Remco Evenepoel navigates chaotic final to secure overall victory as Raúl García Pierna wins stage 5 from breakaway
Crashes and attacks define short and punchy final stage, with Emil Herzog second and Jasper Schoofs third whilst Evenepoel wins first stage race of 2026




