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 recent winner of a stage of the Vuelta a España, and the GP de Wallonie back in 2025, Bossuyt's victory is the latest chapter of a dream comeback following a two-year suspension for banned substance Letrozole.
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 to Nieuwsblad..
“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."
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.
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.”
Results
Pos |
Rider |
Time |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Shari Bossuyt (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal |
03:22:10 |
2 |
Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx-Protime |
00:00:00 |
3 |
Sandrine Tas (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
00:00:00 |
4 |
Anna Vanderaerden (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech Development Team |
00:00:00 |
5 |
Kelly Druyts (Bel) |
00:00:00 |
6 |
Olivia Vercruysse (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech Development Team |
00:00:00 |
7 |
Femke van Goethem (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
00:00:00 |
8 |
Margot Vanpachtenbeke (Bel) Lidl-Trek |
00:00:00 |
9 |
Audrey de Keersmaeker (Bel) Picnic PostNL |
00:00:00 |
10 |
Emma Siegers (Bel) Ag Insurance Soudal Devo Team |
00:00:00 |
11 |
Febe Poppe (Bel) |
00:00:00 |
12 |
Marith Vanhove (Bel) Ag Insurance Soudal Devo Team |
00:00:00 |
13 |
Billy Goossens (Bel) Ag Insurance Soudal Devo Team |
00:00:00 |
14 |
Jinse Peeters (Bel) |
00:00:00 |
15 |
Lani Wittevrongel (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
00:00:00 |
16 |
Mieke Docx (Bel) Das-Hutchinson |
00:00:00 |
17 |
Britt Huybrechts (Bel) |
00:00:00 |
18 |
Febe Jooris (Bel) UAE Team ADQ |
00:00:00 |
19 |
Justine Ghekiere (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal |
00:00:00 |
20 |
Cleo Kiekens (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
00:00:00 |
21 |
Lotte Claes (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech |
00:00:00 |
22 |
Emeline Detilleux (Bel) |
00:00:00 |
23 |
Loes Sels (Bel) |
00:00:00 |
24 |
Emma Duchateau (Bel) |
00:00:00 |
25 |
Auke de Buysser (Bel) EF Education-Oatly |
00:00:00 |
26 |
Britt Kooremans (Bel) |
00:00:00 |
27 |
Sterre Vervloet (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
00:00:00 |
28 |
Anna Bruneel (Bel) Ag Insurance Soudal Devo Team |
00:00:00 |
29 |
Julie de Wilde (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech |
00:00:00 |
30 |
Fleur Moors (Bel) Lidl-Trek |
00:00:00 |
31 |
Katrijn de Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
00:00:00 |
32 |
Annelies Frieda Bart Nijssen (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
00:00:00 |
33 |
Fauve Bastiaenssen (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal |
00:00:08 |
34 |
Hélène Hesters (Bel) Liv AlUla Jayco |
00:00:10 |
35 |
Xenna de Bruyckere (Bel) |
00:00:10 |
36 |
Hanne Polus (Bel) |
00:00:10 |
37 |
Marthe Verhaeghe (Bel) |
00:00:10 |
38 |
Eleanor Wiseman (Bel) Minimax Cycling Team |
00:00:10 |
39 |
Ella Heremans (Bel) Picnic PostNL |
00:00:10 |
40 |
Tess Moerman (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal |
00:00:10 |
41 |
Lotte Baele (Bel) |
00:00:12 |
42 |
Emma Theys (Bel) |
00:00:12 |
43 |
Julie Brouwers (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
00:00:12 |
44 |
Luca Vierstraete (Bel) Ag Insurance Soudal Devo Team |
00:00:12 |
45 |
Antje Valkeneers (Bel) |
00:00:12 |
46 |
Hanna Theys (Bel) |
00:00:12 |
47 |
Marieke Meert (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
00:00:12 |
48 |
Marthe Truyen (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech |
00:00:16 |
49 |
Nette Coppens (Bel) |
00:00:16 |
50 |
Anaelle Ströker (Bel) |
00:00:17 |
51 |
Julie Hendrickx (Bel) |
00:00:17 |
52 |
Jade Linthoudt (Bel) Minimax Cycling Team |
00:00:22 |
53 |
Julie Stockman (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
00:00:22 |
54 |
Frauke Bruylandts (Bel) |
00:00:22 |
55 |
Junne Vermeeren (Bel) Minimax Cycling Team |
00:00:22 |
56 |
Sanne Laurijssen (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech Development Team |
00:00:22 |
57 |
Dina Scavone (Bel) |
00:00:22 |
58 |
Ilken Seynave (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
00:00:27 |
59 |
Joyca Geerts (Bel) |
00:00:33 |
60 |
Lone Meertens (Bel) |
00:00:33 |
61 |
Falke Kerkhof (Bel) |
00:00:33 |
62 |
Marion Norbert Riberolle (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech Development Team |
00:00:39 |
63 |
Julie van de Velde (Bel) AG Insurance-Soudal |
00:00:56 |
64 |
Hanne de Zutter (Bel) |
00:01:31 |
65 |
Xaydee van Sinaey (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech |
00:01:31 |
66 |
Fien van Eynde (Bel) Fenix-Premier Tech |
00:01:31 |
67 |
Dina Boels (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
00:01:31 |
68 |
Jana Dobbelaere (Bel) |
00:01:40 |
69 |
Britt Knaven (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
00:02:06 |
70 |
Eefje Brandt (Bel) |
00:02:37 |
71 |
Chloë van den Eede (Bel) |
00:02:37 |
72 |
Shana van Glabeke (Bel) |
00:03:55 |
73 |
Amber Lacompte (Bel) |
00:03:55 |
74 |
Rosanne Breugelmans (Bel) |
00:04:48 |
75 |
Nell Bogaert (Bel) |
00:06:27 |
76 |
Esmée Gielkens (Bel) |
00:06:27 |
77 |
Marie Vandecasteele (Bel) |
00:06:27 |
78 |
Maaike de Mits (Bel) |
00:06:27 |
79 |
Cato Speleers (Bel) |
00:06:27 |
80 |
Malou van Hooste (Bel) |
00:06:27 |
81 |
Josse Nonneman (Bel) |
00:06:27 |
82 |
Fiona Mertens (Bel) |
00:06:27 |
83 |
Evelien Debboudt (Bel) |
00:09:17 |
84 |
Estée Goossens (Bel) |
00:11:51 |
85 |
Shanaya Esther Schollaert (Bel) |
00:11:51 |
DNF |
Lotte Olbrechts (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Jeanne Dupont (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Carolien Haers (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Britt Vanhenden (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Ditte Lenseclaes (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Katrijn de Ceulaer (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Eléonore Hiller (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Shania de Prijck (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Amber Coninckx (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Hayley van Raemdonck (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Lisa van Oost (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Jana van der Veken (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Kim van den Steen (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Lien Schampaert (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Stephanie Kemps (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Leontine Farazijn (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Dorien Rietjens (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Naomi de Roeck (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Yolien van den Hende (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Yenthe van Lommel (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Fleur Vandecaveye (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Hannah Mahieu (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Sterre Hendrickx (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Julie Vlyminck (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Lisa de Blauwe (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Nore Pauwels (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Nele van Assche (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Jasmine de Schepper (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Axelle Feyen (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Kato van Hoecke (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
|
DNF |
Lotte van Ombergen (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
|
DNF |
Paquita Derie (Bel) Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team |
|
DNF |
Renee Aelvoet (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Auke Anne (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Ilke Beddeleem (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Aurelie Decock (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Morgane de Halleux (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Joyce de Loof (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Roxanne Bailliu (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Lotte de Roover (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Carmen Bosmans (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Julie Inghelbrecht (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Yade Mestdagh (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Hanne Michiels (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Chelsey Saintobyn (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Hanne Segers (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Liesa Segers (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Aiko Uyttenhove (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Jana van Compernolle (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Lucca van Haesebroucke (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Lensy Debboudt (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Fleur Deprince (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Laure Huybrechts (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Emily de Cuyper (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Tatiana Triest (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Luana Zago (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Kato Aerts (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Gemke de Rocker (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Tessa Zwaenepoel (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Vicky Galle (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Jill Ramaekers (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Kiona Crabbé (Bel) |
|
DNF |
An-Sofie Marien (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Lova Dierick (Bel) Citymesh - Customm Pro Cycling Team |
|
DNF |
Marieke Goossenaerts (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Reine Slegers (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Tine Rombouts (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Shanyl de Schoesitter (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Nele de Vos (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Julie Ingels (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Goele Despiegelaere (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Marie Huvenne (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Julie van Volsem (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Heleen Vermeulen (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Fien de Wispelaere (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Meg de Bruyne (Bel) |
|
DNF |
Demmy Druyts (Bel) |
