Results Antwerp Port Epic 2026 - Per Strand Hagenes victorious after perfectly-timed breakaway attack

The Antwerp Port Epic served up exactly that as Per Strand Hagenes' well-timed move saw him take a brilliant win from the breakaway. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider was the strongest of the leaders and picked his moment perfectly inside the final kilometer to take his fourth professional victory.

After the early gravel sections came thick and fast with 60 of the 193 kilometers raced and some early attacks were reeled in, veteran Emils Liepiņš made his move with roughly 112 kilometers to go. He was joined by Robin Orins at the front as the duo looked to establish a breakaway move. However, the pair were caught just under 10 kilometers later.

It became clear that the race would become one of attrition, particularly given the high temperatures in or around 28 degrees throughout the afternoon. Pau Marti and Marvin Peters were the next to go up the road soon after as they built a lead that increased to almost 55 seconds with 72 kilometers left.

The peloton made the catch and the race re-set itself with just over 52.5 kilometers remaining. Visma | Lease a bike, Lotto - Intermarche and Alpecin Premier - Tech were among the jerseys at the front looking to keep the pace high and a split in the bunch saw around 70 riders stretch themselves ahead of the rest.

And the day's crucial breakaway formed in the dust and chaos, with nine riders going ahead that included Per Strand Hagenes, Dries De Bondt and Martin Svrček. Nine teams were represented on the front before Alpecin - Premier Tech's Toon Vandebosch crashed on a gravel segment and lost his place in the front, while Cofidis' Alexis Renard worked to bridge across the gap that gew to just short of a minute with 35 kilometers to go.

With Svrček at the front and not contributing to the break, Soudal - Quickstep led the chase behind. Renard completed his move across to the breakaway and with 12 kilometers to go, Strand Hagenes opened up the first attack of the leaders before being reeled in.

Svrček himself made a ove as it seems Soudal - Quickstep changed tactic to focus on a breakaway win. De Bondt and Strand Hagenes could match his power in the drag race as the breakaway stalemate continued, with riders at the front looking at each other with less than five kilometers to go.

Brent Van Moer's late attack with 1.7 kilometers to go was caught and the riders came to the final kilometer together before Strand Hagenes leapfrogged the rest to hold on despite a surging Pau Miquel and De Bondt in the final few metres.