Kuurne Race Report: As anticipated, the 2025 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne got here right down to a bunch dash. Pretty unsurprisingly, it was Jasper Philipsen who was completely piloted to the finish-line by his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammates to take the win. He soundly beat younger Olav Kooij of Visma | Lease a Bike and Hugo Hofstetter (IPT).
Kuurne’25 finale
Jasper Philipsen gave himself a improbable birthday current. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider, turned 27 at the moment, received Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in a bunch dash, he was too quick for Olav Kooij and Hugo Hofstetter.
Completely satisfied birthday Jasper
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne Parcours
Not a lot has modified on the route of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, or extra like Kortrijk-Brussel-Kuurne. The beginning is in Kortrijk, which isn’t removed from Kuurne. Within the first a part of the race, one hill has gone, however an identical one has been added. This ensures that the race continues to be virtually 200 kilometres lengthy. The finale is precisely the identical as final 12 months. It’s sure that the Hainaut triptych of newcomers with Hameau des Papins (1,200 metres, common 6.6%, max. of 16.2%), Le Bourliquet (1,300 metres, common 6.8%, max. 15.3%) and Mont Saint-Laurent (1,300 metres, common 7.8% max. 17%) – along with the next ultimate part with the Hotond, the Côte de Trieu or the Knokteberg and the Kluisberg – can flip the race the wrong way up once more.
Kuurne’25 map
There are 13 climbs within the route. The primary is the Tiegemberg after simply 17.5 kilometres. After an intermediate part, the cobbled climbs will observe one another in fast succession after 70 kilometres of racing. The Bossenaarstraat, the Berg Ten Houte and La Houppe. The five-hundred-meter lengthy Beerbosstraat, 34 kilometres from the end, is the final cobbled part and an enormous impediment earlier than the end. Then, through the hilly Sint-Denijs, the race heads in the direction of Kuurne, the place the end line is crossed after 184.2 kilometres. There’s a ending circuit of 12.5 kilometres via Kortrijk and Harelbeke. Within the end, the sprinter’s group may pull the race again collectively.
Kuurne’25 profile
The Climbs:
Tiegemberg (1,400 m at 4%) – after 17.5 km
Volkegemberg (1000 m at 5.1%) – after 35.6 km
Boembeek (1100 m at 4.8%) – after 55.1 km
Bossenaarstraat (1,300 m at 5.6%) – after 70.6 km
Berg Ten Houte (1,100 m at 6.2%) – after 74.3 km
La Houppe (1,880 m at 4.8%) – after 81.3 km
Hameau des Papins (1,200 m at 6.6%) – after 99.1 km
Le Bourliquet (1,300 m at 6.8%) – after 107.5 km
Mont Saint Laurent (1,300 m at 7.8%) – after 112.6 km
Kruisberg (1,400 m at 4.8%) – after 121.5 km
Hotond (1,200 m at 3.1%) – after 123.2 km
Côte de Trieu/Knokteberg (1,260 m at 7%) – after 130.7 km
Kluisberg (1,100 m at 6%) – after 138.1 km.
Wout van Aert might be hoping for higher legs at the moment
It took virtually 50 kilometres earlier than the ‘break of the day’ managed to get away: Huub Artz (Intermarché-Wanty), Tomáš Kopecký (Unibet Tietema Rockets), Dries De Bondt (Decathlon AG2R), Ward Vanhoof (Flanders-Baloise), Marius Mayrhofer (Tudor), Ceriel Desal and Axandre Van Petegem (Wagner Bazin WB), the son of former classics specialist Peter Van Petegem. They constructed up a lead of virtually 5 minutes.
It was quick from the gun
The distinction had been diminished to lower than 4 minutes when there was some motion on the Hameau des Papins (1,2km at 6.6%). Jan Tratnik crashed, whereas Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ), Timo Kielich (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Emirates-XRG) went on the assault. Riders on the again have been being dropped, together with Søren Wærenskjold, the winner of the Omloop on Saturday, there have been 95 kilometres nonetheless to go.
third on Saturday within the Omloop – Can Jasper Philipsen end increased in Kuurne?
Because of a puncture for Kielich, there have been solely two counter-attackers left. At Le Bourliquet (1,3Km at 6.8%), Matteo Jorgenson put the hammer down within the peloton. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider prompted the peloton to separate, but it surely all got here collectively once more going in the direction of the Mont Saint Laurent (1,3km at 7.8%). There, Tim Wellens compelled the tempo. He rode with Jonas Abrahamsen and Stan Dewulf to Askey, who needed to let Narváez go.
The ‘Break of the Day’
Over the summit, Wout van Aert additionally crossed to them with about ten different riders. Additionally they picked up Narváez. This group dropped again into the peloton within the run-up to the Kruisberg. Then, on the Hotond, Van Aert made one other try and get away. He seemed to be driving higher than the day earlier than within the Omloop, however he couldn’t break free. So, it was a big peloton that headed to the Côte de Trieu. The main group of seven began the penultimate climb with a lead of virtually 1 minute.
Perhaps not spring but in Flanders
Two riders have been between the main group and the peloton: Wellens had attacked on the climb and was on the prime with Stefan Bissegger, who had escaped earlier. They then caught the dropped Artz and joined the seven leaders simply earlier than the Kluisberg. Behind; Van Aert, who needed to chase again when the peloton break up, went on the assault. Solely Roger Adrià may observe the Belgian. The Spaniard of Pink Bull-BORA-hansgrohe didn’t work, so Van Aert needed to do all of it to get throughout to the leaders.
Fairly a smattering of cobbled climbs at the moment
Van Aert was unable to catch them with out assist. After chasing for nearly 10 kilometres, he gave up. The 2 dropped again into the peloton with 50 kilometres to go. Tim Merlier’s Soudal Fast-Step group was now main. Aided by Jonathan Milan’s Lidl-Trek, Jordi Meeus’ Pink Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and finally Milan Fretin’s Cofidis, they saved the hole to the 9 leaders brief. The distinction fluctuated between 30 and 40 seconds.
Wellens made it over to the break
The collaboration within the break had fallen to items. First there was an assault by De Bondt, after which Wellens. This led to scaling down on the entrance. De Bondt and Wellens remained with Mayrhofer and Desal. They held out till about 12 kilometres from the end, simply after the passage via end. After that, the peloton may put together for a bunch dash. Three kilometres from the end, there was a crash involving Matevž Govekar, who tried to dodge a warning flag.
Olav Kooij can be Visma’s man for a bunch dash
The stage was set for a bunch dash, involving Merlier, Milan, Meeus, Fretin, Kooij, Philipsen and Van den Berg. Van den Berg was on the entrance with one kilometre to go on the wheel of a teammate, however then it was Visma | Lease a Bike who got here via. First Van Aert, then Jorgenson, however Alpecin-Deceuninck stormed to the entrance for Jasper Philipsen.
An ideal lead-out for Jasper Philipsen
The boys in gray led-out Philipsen completely and he completed off the work of his teammates. Olav Kooij was shut, however couldn’t get subsequent to the Belgian. Philipsen received the second day of the Opening Weekend, after his third place within the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Olav Kooij needed to accept second, Hugo Hofstetter was third.
third and 1st – A superb Opening weekend for Philipsen
Race winner, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “It’s unimaginable to win on my twenty seventh birthday. Perhaps that additional 12 months gave me some additional power. We had a really robust group within the ultimate. With out them it will not have been potential. I knew that the prospect of a dash was large. There was some motion within the hilly zone, however a big peloton at all times stayed collectively, preventing to come back again. It was very tough to come back again. To be sincere, my legs have been inferior to yesterday on the hills. In earlier years, the Opening Weekend was by no means actually successful. Yesterday was a day with combined emotions, however to win at the moment, on my birthday, makes it additional particular. We had one among our strongest lead-outs, with Jonas Rickaert and Kaden. Usually he may also win sprints himself, on the highest degree. It’s tremendous good to get this on the identical web page and win the race as a group. I feel Groves may even go to the Tour this 12 months. Usually we’ve got a very good combo. Throughout the race I requested how everybody was feeling, however everybody had already misplaced their greatest legs. Within the authentic plan, Kaden, if he had felt nice, may have taken his likelihood. However everybody was a bit out of their greatest power. However on the flat we are able to at all times do our factor.”
The Kuurne’25 Podium: Olav Kooij, Jasper Philipsen and Hugo Hofstetter
# All of the information from the Opening Weekend in EUROTRASH Monday. #
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne End result:
1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 4:42:24
2. Olav Kooij (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike
3. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Israel-Premier Tech
4. Arne Marit (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty
5. Rick Pluimers (Ned) Tudor
6. Jonathan Milan (Ita) Lidl-Trek
7. Marijn van den Berg (Ned) EF Schooling-EasyPost
8. Pavel Bittner (CZ) Group Picnic PostNL
9. Lukas Kubis (Slov) Unibet Tietema Rockets
10. Kaden Groves (Aus) Alpecin-Deceuninck.
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