VIDEO: Tim Wellens abandons Kuurne after heavy crash leaves Belgian champion in visible pain

Tim Wellens’ Opening Weekend unravelled in a matter of seconds at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne 2026.

The Belgian national champion crashed heavily in the run-up to what he had earlier described as the key phase of the race, and his race was over almost immediately. Television images showed the UAE rider in clear distress, throwing off his helmet and pacing in visible pain before stepping into the team car.

Wellens had warned before the decisive sequence of climbs that the 90-kilometre mark would be a “gathering point where everyone gets nervous.”

Moments later, that nervousness boiled over. In the scramble for position ahead of the first major moves in the Pays des Collines, he went down along with several others.

The crash capped a bruising 24 hours across Belgium’s cobbles and narrow roads.

Kuurne was already being raced in the shadow of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, where multiple high-profile riders hit the deck. Stefan Kung suffered a broken femur in a heavy fall, Vlad Van Mechelen fractured his collarbone, and Rick Pluimers required urgent dental treatment after losing two teeth in a crash on the Molenberg.

Wellens’ abandonment adds another significant name to a growing list of casualties from a cold, nervous and crash-strewn start to the spring Classics.

The timing is particularly cruel. As Belgian champion, Wellens had been one of UAE’s key cards in a race expected to ignite in the Hainaut hills. His exit leaves the team reshuffling plans mid-race and removes one of the riders who had openly signalled an aggressive approach.

Whether the crash has longer-term consequences for his spring campaign remains to be seen. For now, the images from Kuurne serve as another stark reminder of how unforgiving Opening Weekend can be when weather, wind and tension collide.