Jasper Philipsen takes silver and Jordi Meeus the bronze while Nys and Van Aert round out top five
Arnaud de Lie (Lotto Dstny) overpowered an all-star field in the final 150 metres of a reduced bunch sprint and secured his first elite men’s road race national title at the Belgian Road Nationals.
The 22-year-old outsprinted Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe) to record the first road championship on the Lotto Dstny team in a decade.
Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek) finished just ahead of Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) in fourth while Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) trailed the duo for sixth
The 22-year-old De Lie used a lead out by teammates Lennert Van Eetvelt and Milan Menten to launch his winning move
I really have no words for it," Arnaud De Lie said with emotion after the race
"This is the most beautiful jersey in the peloton
ProTeams Lotto Dstny and Team Flanders-Baloise brought 20 riders to the start line while Alpecin-Deceuninck was the largest WorldTour team represented with 12 riders
Lotto Dstny set the tone of the 222.4km race from Sint-Lievens-Houtem to Zottegem with Victor Campenaerts and Florian Vermeers comprising the day’s main breakaway for most of the day
Vermeers having returned to racing from four months away to recover from a thigh bone fracture.
Once the race came back together with under 50km to go
Campenaerts took off again but this time with Quinten Hermans
They stayed away for 45km and then the tactics changed to position the sprinters
“We knew it would come down to a sprint," De Lie said in a team statement
When your teammates come up to you during the race and say you're still looking good
and then there was that impressive lead-out
I gave it everything and saw no one around me at the finish… That's when I knew I had won."
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She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams
She has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast)
Her favorite road and gravel rides are around horse farms in north Georgia (USA) and around lavender fields in Provence (France)
Wout van Aert finished fifth in the Belgian road race championships in Zottegem
The Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader showed himself in the final
but saw four riders finish ahead of him in the sprint
The tricolour jersey was for Arnaud De Lie
Team Visma | Lease a Bike appeared at the start in Sint-Lievens-Houtem with four riders
Tosh Van der Sande and Julien Vermote supported leader Van Aert in the 222 km race on hilly roads
Van der Sande and Vermote also did their part in the peloton
where Van Aert and Benoot rode around attentively
Van Aert accelerated firmly on the cobbles of the Lippenhovestraat
A reduced group eventually sprinted for the win
De Lie proved the strongest on the slightly uphill finish
but it's reassuring that I was among the best again”
so I had to waste too much energy to move up
"Tiesj and I were where we wanted to be in the final
I was able to sprint for the win again and I’m happy with that
It quickly became clear that I would come up short against the fastest riders
which wasn't as tough as I hoped it would be
I'm glad I was among the better riders again."
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World champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) will headline the inaugural edition of Milan-San Remo Women in 2025
The Belgian and teammate Lorena Wiebes are joined in the Milan-San Remo Women start list by Tour de France winner Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM)
Olympic champion Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly)
Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ)
The 156-kilometre Milan-San Remo Women's route begins in Genoa and follows the same explosive finale as the men's race
with the ascents of the Cipressa and Poggio deciding the winner
Data powered by FirstCycling
World Champion solos 30km to victory as Cant beats Ghekiere to silver
World champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) claimed a crushing victory at the Belgian Road Championships
winning by more than three minutes after attacking alone with 30km still to race
Sanne Cant (Fenix-Deceuninck) outsprinted Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal) for the silver medal
They were the only riders to finish within four minutes of Kopecky
who cruised to her fourth national road race crown
Kopecky began to put her stamp on proceedings with more than 50km remaining in Zottegem
attacking with intent from a reduced peloton with an effort that splintered the race still further
Fleur Moors (Lidl-Trek) was the first to bridge across
Ghekiere and Jesse Vandenbulcke (De Ceuster-Bonache)
Having forced the day’s key selection
Kopecky seemed to figure that she would not find allies in the front group and so she decided to press on alone with 30km remaining
She might light of the cobbles of Kruiswaterplein and Lippenhovestraat to stretch out her lead and the finale would prove a procession
and she would more double that advantage before the finish
Cant used her explosiveness to attack on Lippenhovestraat
but it was already apparent that they were competing for silver and bronze
and she had time to celebrate her victory by dismounting and walking across the line with her bike held aloft.
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World champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) claimed a crushing victory at the Belgian Road Championships
and she had time to celebrate her victory by dismounting and walking across the line with her bike held aloft
Results powered by FirstCycling
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Julius Caesar also enters the crosshairs of monument assailants
it is well known that the leader in Gaul was anything but tender with the local population
indeed: he was often guilty of indiscriminate massacres of entire tribes
and which he himself recounted in De Bello Gallico
Caesar also applied in Gaul the Roman strategy of parcere subiectis et debellare superbos: in fact
the Romans treated conquered peoples who subjugated themselves very well
but they knew how to be ferocious with those who
manifested a desire to regain their lost independence.Thus
in the lands that were once the lands of the Gauls
today Caesar is not forgiven the cruelties of two thousand years ago
a statue of theimperator has been vandalized: unknown persons detached Caesar’s spear (and in doing so
and in its place affixed the inscription “krapuul” (“scum”)
the names of the perpetrators are not yet known: the mayor of Zottegem
has let it be known that investigations have already begun and that the cost of repairing the damage will be borne by the perpetrators when they are discovered
At the moment it is not known whether this gesture is to be related to the protests of the Black Lives Matter movement: in the town of Zottegem
twenty-five thousand inhabitants halfway between Ghent and Brussels
activists and supporters of the cause have focused heavily on monuments to King Leopold II
who was responsible for a brutal colonial policy against the Congo
where the memory of the ferocity of the Belgian colonizers is still strong
The Belgian classic takes the riders from Sint-Lievens-Houtem to Zottegem
where a chance for the sprinters may be ahead
Antwerp-based practice Studio Farris Architects has completed Collegium
that refurbishes and extends a dilapidated 19th-Century building located on a neglected urban ‘island’
The architectural concept was to regenerate the area by reconnecting it with the city centre and reveal the inherent beauty of the former OLV Collegium
the project comprises 65 apartments spread between the historical building and the new extension
The Collegium has been substantially and sympathetically reconstructed
while the white-rendered extension is characterised by a series of cascading terraced volumes that are designed to maximise exterior living spaces
The architect says that the ‘pixelation’ of the new building also helped to create a range of different apartments in terms of size
A new pedestrian walkway connects the development to the city’s principal commercial street
while also providing access to public parking
This is signalled by a gated building on the street and continues through a pedestrian path activated by offices on the ground floor
a historic building forms the accesses point to the residential complex through an existing arched opening that connects to the courtyard
The entrances to the apartments are located off the courtyard
which functions as a meeting place and thoroughfare for crossing the city
The architecture that is visible from the courtyard reconciles the old and the new
and openness that can be compared to a monastery courtyard
The architecture that is visible from the street relates to the existing buildings in a seamless way
creating continuity and freshness in relation to the surrounding context
Among the environmental initiatives employed on the project are high levels of insulation (made from recyclable materials)
and the deliberate removal of bricks from the collegium façade to promote bird nesting
© Built Environment and Architecture Media Ltd 2025
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By Bjorn Haake in Zottegem Silence-Lotto's Flanders fortunes have received a boost with its Classics..
Silence-Lotto's Flanders fortunes have received a boost with its Classics contenders performing well in stage one of the Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde on Monday
Having been under fire from high-profile quarters in its own country
the team is seeking to find form heading into the northern Classics
which begin with the Tour of Flanders this weekend
Leif Hoste and Philippe Gilbert were all in the first group that finished behind the escape duo
Van Avermaet was quite happy with the development
"We made the race today; that was the first time that I see that and I think this is a change for us."
Van Avermaet has 'tasted blood' and is excited at the prospects for next week's big races
"Nobody factors us in their Flanders calculations but hopefully it will be good now," he said
"With Flanders and Paris-Roubaix coming up this is very important for us."
He admitted that Cadel Evans' victory last weekend in the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali
played a vital role in arresting the squad's form deficiency
It's important to take that victory – it helps with the motivation
Maybe we can take a stage here in De Panne
The promising Belgian sprinter is now itching for Sunday
where he believes the weather will be integral to the team's chances of success
"Wednesday [in Dwars door Vlaanderen] it was really cold but now it's warmer and this is better for me
I've seen the forecasts and it should get warmer
That's also better for my legs – I ride really well in this weather."
Hoste was also looking better than in previous races after De Panne's first day
"I think it is a step forward for me," he said
"I had to abandon Tirreno and Dwars van Vlaanderen
Saturday [at the E3 Prijs] it was already getting better
Silence-Lotto will have its work cut out for it in De Ronde as Katusha's Filippo Pozzato and the Quick Step squad have been looking sharp of late
Van Avermaet prefers to simply focus on what he can influence
"I am very happy with my condition for Sunday and I hope to do well."
By Gregor Brown in Zottegem Two-time Ronde van Vlaanderen winner Tom Boonen is participating in the..
Two-time Ronde van Vlaanderen winner Tom Boonen is participating in the Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde solely for race preparation
With only five days to go until Flanders' biggest race
the 27 year-old Belgian from Mol noted that "Everything is okay."
doesn't seemed bothered that he has not left his mark in the three-day race
"I am not going to try," he stated to Cyclingnews
It is possible to do good in this race and then go on to do well in Flanders
but it is not necessary." Boonen is clearly relaxed heading into Sunday's appointment in Brugge and prefers to prioritise his objectives
many riders wish to make a mark in De Panne so they don't walk away from their Classics campaign empty-handed
"It does not matter and doesn't make a difference," Boonen continued – words easily coming from a rider who has such a strong palmarès
"A stage win or something is always nice," he admitted
"I think I only sprinted one time in seven years at this race
After a Classics campaign that includes Ronde van Vlaanderen (April 6) and Paris-Roubaix (April 13)
Boonen will re-focus on the Tour de France
Belgium Italian Luca Paolini wants to leave his mark on the Driedaagse..
sees the three-day race as a perfect spot to rid his "bad feelings"
Paolini failed to repeat his 2007 opening-stage success this year
finishing second to Enrico Gasparotto (Barloworld) on the opening stage
The Italians attacked with 20 kilometres remaining
but Paolini couldn't overcome the might of Gasparotto at the finish in Zottegem
"I think I did a good attack on the pavé," he said
"I initiated the attack and then we were in two [with Gasparotto]
and so I think it is good to get second today."
The Italian still has three more stages to leave a mark
The rider wants to prove the decision by various race organisers that have overlooked the squad this year a mistake
"We are not able to race [the Tour of] Flanders; this has left me with a really bad feeling," he said
It is believe that the combination of these riders' issues have led to organisers opting to select less controversial teams for their races
"I think the legs are going well," Paolini confirmed
"I just came from Coppi e Bartali in Italy and so I think here I can do well
This cold and bad weather is good for me; it is enough to have the head and determination in races like this
Paolini's next races will be Gent-Wevelgem (April 9)
Scheldeprijs (April 16) and the Giro del Trentino (April 22 - 25)
In between Belgian races he returns home to Italy where he trains with team-mate Dario Andriotto