Jasper Philipsen secured a victory at the 80th edition of Nokere Koerse on Wednesday, beating breakaway rider Alec Segaert in an uphill sprint to the finish. The race served as a final tune-up for many sprinters ahead of the upcoming Milan-Sanremo, a major event on the cycling calendar.
Philipsen, riding for Alpecin-Premier Tech, previously crashed in this Belgian race last year but chose to return as part of his preparation for Milan-Sanremo. Other notable riders participating included Jordi Meeus of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, Lukas Kubis of Unibet Rose Rockets, and Alberto Dainese of Soudal Quick-Step.
Tim Merlier, a three-time winner, was absent due to injury, and defending champion Nils Eekhoff was likewise sidelined, guaranteeing a recent winner for the event.
The race began with a slow pace, eventually seeing a breakaway form consisting of Lionel Taminiaux of Lotto-Intermarché, Sean Christian of Modern Adventure, and Jelle Harteel and Jonah Killy of Tarteletto. The breakaway riders quickly established a lead of three minutes, with the teams of Meeus and Philipsen taking control of the peloton.
Several crashes occurred during the race, including one involving Hugo Hofstetter, who was able to continue despite the incident. Philipsen also saw teammate Edward Planckaert abandon the race.
Philipsen’s participation in Nokere Koerse comes after a disappointing Milan-Sanremo last year, where he finished 163rd following a crash in this very race, according to In de Leiderstrui. This year, he’s aiming for a stronger performance at La Primavera.
Looking ahead, riders will now focus on Milan-Sanremo, with the Kemmelberg serving as a key challenge on Friday and the Poggio and Cipressa climbs taking center stage on Saturday. Details on the timing of these crucial passages can be found here. Fans can also locate a poll on who is predicted to win Milan-Sanremo on sporza.
For those managing fantasy cycling teams, the busy racing schedule, including Nokere Koerse, is already underway, as noted by sporza.
