Results Tour de Wallonie 2026 Stage 1 - Jordi Meeus takes big win while in the transfer market spotlight

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.

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.