Jasper Philipsen secured victory in the Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne classic on Sunday, triumphing in a sprint finish. The Belgian rider, who had already shown strong form by finishing third in Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, confirmed his status as one of the top sprinters as the European cycling season gets underway.
The event, part of Belgium’s "opening weekend," featured a demanding course with narrow roads, cobbled sections, and rolling hills, setting the stage for the spring one-day classics across Belgium, northern France, the Netherlands, and Italy.
Philipsen edged out Dutch rider Olav Kooij of Visma and France’s Hugo Hofstetter of Israel Premier Tech in the final sprint, securing his first win of the 2025 season.
The Alpecin-Deceuninck sprinter continues to build on an impressive career, having previously claimed the Tour de France green jersey in 2023 and a prestigious Milan-San Remo victory last year.
His performance in Kuurne highlights his growing dominance in sprint finishes, especially as he looks ahead to the major classics.
Visma, last year’s winners with Wout van Aert, attempted to position Kooij for victory in the final kilometer of the 197km race.
However, Philipsen, benefiting from a well-timed lead-out by teammate Kaden Groves, surged past in the closing meters to take the win. The result cements his status as the sprinter to watch as the European cycling calendar gains momentum.
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