Toon Aerts (Telenet Fidea) won the Soudal Classics on Sunday. He crossed the finish line with a solo victory 14 seconds ahead of Tom Meeusen (Telenet Fidea) and 1:17 ahead of Vincent Baestaens (BKCP-Corendon).
"Through my first gear (lap) I immediately felt that I had good legs," Aerts told Sport.be.
Aerts led for most of the men's race but he made his official winning move with two laps to go. It was a move he felt, at the time, might have been too early. "It started in the penultimate lap when I was in the lead. I maybe started too early, to think of the victory, and was not riding [technically] well. In the last lap I made another tumble. I tried as quickly as possible to get the rhythm back and the lead, that I had to keep still. I felt really strong today."
Aerts told Sport.be that he and his teammate Meeusen previewed the course ahead of the race and decided on where they would play out their tactics. "The intention was to get into the technical area and to immediately sit up front. At one point I was in the lead. I pulled through and immediately felt that I had good legs. I had no doubts. Through the speaker I heard that I had increased my lead. I set the pace and could hold it to the end, but all in all this is still an unexpected victory."
Full Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 1:02:09 |
| 2 | Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:00:14 |
| 3 | Vincent Baestaens (Bel) BKCP - Corendon | 0:01:17 |
| 4 | Julien Taramarcaz (Sui) Era - Murprotec | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
| 5 | Eli Iserbyt (Bel) VZW Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
| 6 | Sven Nys (Bel) Crelan - AA Drink Team | 0:01:45 |
| 7 | Radomir Simunek (Cze) Era - Murprotec | 0:01:52 |
| 8 | Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team | 0:01:57 |
| 9 | Jim Aernouts (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:02:27 |
| 10 | Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team | 0:03:02 |
| 11 | Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Crelan - AA Drink Team | 0:03:04 |
| 12 | Jens Vandekinderen (Bel) Kalas-NNOF Cycling Team | 0:03:19 |
| 13 | Niels Wubben (Ned) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:04:46 |
| 14 | Thomas Joseph (Bel) Lares - Doltcini Cycling Team | 0:04:51 |
| 15 | Dave De Cleyn (Bel) Cycling Team Zemst VZW | 0:04:57 |
| 16 | Ivan Gicquiau (Fra) | 0:05:11 |
| 17 | Tony Periou (Fra) | 0:05:24 |
| 18 | Lander Loockx (Bel) Kalas Cycling Team 99 Schriek | -1 Lap |
| 19 | Pieter Van Roosbroeck (Bel) VA-Cycling Team Zele | -2 Laps |
| 20 | Niels Koyen (Bel) CCN - Metalac Cycling team | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
| 21 | Jeremy Martin (Can) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
| 22 | Kyle De Proost (Bel) Kon. Balen B.C. V.Z.W. | -3 Laps |
| 23 | Hendrik Sweeck (Bel) Era - Murprotec | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
| 24 | Mark Mcconnell (Can) | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
| 25 | Edwin De Wit (Bel) Rupelspurters Boom | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
| 26 | Senne De Meyer (Bel) K. Edegem Bicycle Club - BMX R | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
| 27 | Valentin Lucas (Fra) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
| 28 | Yannick Mayer (Ger) | -4 Laps |
| 29 | Nicholas Smith (Aus) | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
| 30 | Wouter Goosen (Bel) Zannata Cycling Team | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
| 31 | Yelle Learts (Bel) WSC Hand In Hand Baal | -5 Laps |
| 32 | Trevor O'Donnell (Can) | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
| 33 | Isaac Niles (Can) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
| 34 | Alex Forrester (GBr) | -6 Laps |
| DNF | Joeri Adams (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
-
Best gravel shoes 2026: All the best options for every kind of gravel cycling
The best gravel shoes on the market, from racy options through to hike-a-bike workhorses for bikepackers -
'Patrick Lefevere, you're a knucklehead' - Former Grand Tour winner Chris Horner reacts in video to recent comments by former Soudal-QuickStep boss and on development of Remco Evenepoel
'You guys haven't taught him tactically how to race his bike yet' retired US pro says about apparent lack of strategy used by Evenepoel in big road races against Pogačar -
'We learned from yesterday' - Nienke Veenhoven improves to podium on second day at UAE Tour Women to reaffirm her sprint pedigree
21-year-old Dutch rider says team adjusted tactics, 'it’s better to be safe at the back than in the mess in the peloton' -
'Let's just hope it doesn't snow for three weeks' – Wout van Aert on track to start at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad as poor weather hits Visma's altitude camp
Dutch team delighted with star Belgian's progress after ankle fracture in January, but stress he isn't ready just yet
