Results Tour de Wallonie 2026 Stage 1 - Jordi Meeus takes big win while in the transfer market spotlight
Cycling
One day after the Giro d’Italia finished, the action shifted to Belgium with the start of the 2026 Tour de Wallonie. With a punchy stage 1 featuring multiple ascents of the cobbled Thuin wall (0.3 km at 8.7%), the finish delivered standout results. Jordi Meeus took the win and the first overall lead.
The Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe rider claimed victory while remaining a headline name in the transfer market in recent days. According to reports, the sprinter will sign for Lidl-Trek from 2027, becoming one of Jonathan Milan’s most reliable lead options in the fastest finishes.
Meeus again showcased his ability to handle hard, explosive routes, coping smoothly with the cumulative wear from the repeated Thuin ascents before finishing off his team’s work in the final sprint. The Belgian thus extends his strong run of results after his recent win at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque 2026, consolidating himself as one of the peloton’s most dependable finishers on this kind of finale.
Foldanger and Heidek complete podium
Second place went to Danish rider Anders Foldager of Team Jayco-AlUla, while Kim Heiduk impressed again in third for the Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team. New Zealander Ben Oliver finished fourth in the colours of Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, further confirming his consistency on rolling terrain.
Behind them came Milan Menten and Liam Slock for Lotto-Intermarché, along with Joppe Heremans, Niels Vandeputte, and two Movistar Team riders who were again highly competitive: Natnael Tesfatsion and Carlos Canal, ninth and tenth respectively.
Tesfatsion’s presence in the front group also underlines the Eritrean’s fine form after his recent podium in Dunkerque, while Movistar Team continues to stack solid performances at this point of the European calendar. Stage 1 of the Tour de Wallonie made it clear the general classification fight is wide open and that Belgium’s short, sharp walls will again play a decisive role all week.
Stage 1 results Tour de Wallonie 2026
| Position | Rider | Team |
| 1 | Meeus Jordi | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe |
| 2 | Foldager Anders | Team Jayco-AlUla |
| 3 | Heiduk Kim | Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team |
| 4 | Oliver Ben | Modern Adventure Pro Cycling |
| 5 | Menten Milan | Lotto-Intermarché |
| 6 | Slock Liam | Lotto-Intermarché |
| 7 | Heremans Joppe | Van Rysel-Roubaix |
| 8 | Vandeputte Niels | Alpecin-Premier Tech |
| 9 | Tesfazion Natnael | Movistar Team |
| 10 | Canal Carlos | Movistar Team |
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- Roglic could not have won anyway, after Jonas followed him when Roglic decided it was his turn for a stage win. Jonas had already attacked Kuss twice, so it was Jonas who was within seconds of taking the lead before Kuss was 'gifted' the win. It felt a bit like Roglic was being thrown under the bus when the team made his unhappiness public.Hills3314-11-2026
- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
- Martinez had a good year! 5th at the Tour was a great result for him, albeit largely through getting in successful breaks, but he held it better than Pidcock who’d done the same.Lozza14-11-2026
- guess what Valgren, you're 34, and no you're not good enough. sorry to say.mij14-11-2026
- I'm a sepp fan and like to think he earned that LOL, indulge me : ) I think Jonas was fine. Roglic did not want to concede to Sepp. and I don't think you ever attack your own teammate in the leaders jersey if he is holding his own, which Sepp just about was.mij14-11-2026
- enough time? he's 24 years old. He's won 10 races over the last 2 years and some are significant. I won't argue about his attitude being good - it needs to improve. But with some coaching and mentorship he has a lot of winning ahead of him and has plenty of time to win a GT. I don't think he will ever beat Tadej, but everyone else is fair game Look at Mas and Valverde - they were 31 and 29, respectively, when they won the Vuelta.mij14-11-2026
- Pogacar has a fine head on his shoulders.Careful investments and a couple of coffee shops sounds like a wonderful way to chill after an intense career.Stay healthy GOAT.
Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
- I live in Ljubljana and often go on trips in the surrounding area, where I frequently see young cyclists in 'Pogi Team' jerseys training, either alone or in groups. By simply motivating so many young people to take up cycling, Tadej has already achieved something truly significant.Velijo14-11-2026
- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026
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