“I suffered a lot out there” – Jordi Meeus thanks team after powering to first win of 2026 at Le Samyn

Jordi Meeus delivered a statement sprint in Dour to claim his first victory of 2026 at Le Samyn, but the Belgian made clear afterwards that the win had been forged through hardship rather than comfort.

“It’s really great to win here,” Meeus said after overpowering the field in a reduced bunch sprint. “Omloop, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and Le Samyn were a big goal for me. There was probably a bit more possible last weekend, but I’m happy to win one of those three races.”

The race itself had been anything but straightforward. A long solo effort from Per Strand Hagenes forced the peloton into a high-speed chase on the final lap, stretching the bunch and disrupting organisation.

The Norwegian was only caught inside the final 500 metres, leaving little margin for error on the uphill drag to the line.

Meeus had remained patient as the elastic tightened, tucked behind Gianni Vermeersch in the closing kilometres before launching with authority once the catch was made. The finish was decisive, but the effort required to arrive there was significant.

“I suffered a lot out there,” he admitted. “It was ridden really hard. In the finale, I was pretty much on the limit, but fortunately, I still had a good sprint in my legs.”

That ability to produce one final acceleration after a demanding race proved decisive. Several rivals had already been distanced by repeated surges on the cobbled circuits, while others were left out of contention by late incidents and splits in the peloton. Meeus, by contrast, managed his effort carefully enough to still deliver when it mattered most.

Crucially, he was quick to shift the focus away from himself.

“The team was very strong. I wouldn’t have been able to win today without them. So I want to thank them.”

Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe had remained visible throughout the closing phase, helping to stabilise the pursuit of Hagenes before positioning Meeus perfectly for the finale. When the opportunity arrived, Meeus needed only one clean sprint to finish the job.

After narrowly missing out during Opening Weekend, Le Samyn now gives Meeus an early-season reward and validation that the winter preparation has translated into results.