Under a clear sky and in front of an enthusiastic crowd, the 94th edition of the Baloise Belgium Tour got off to a festive start on Tuesday. The team presentation in Merelbeke-Melle was a relaxed affair, with relaxed riders and lively supporters looking forward to five days of racing action.
The crowd in Merelbeke-Melle did not only get to see the stars of the peloton, but was also treated to a number of heart-warming moments. Jasper Philipsen, “the Flame from Ham”, surprised Finn, who was celebrating his birthday, on stage with a signed race jersey — an unforgettable gift for the young fan. The presentation ended with an impressive minute’s applause in honour of Ludo Dierckxsens. In between, the fans took every opportunity to hunt for autographs and selfies.
The Baloise Belgium Tour racing starts on Wednesday, with a varied course consisting of three sprint stages, a time trial and a tough ride in the Ardennes. The first stage will heavily feature the sprinters with the traditional finish on De Wandelaar in Knokke-Heist.
There is no shortage of fast legs. Jasper Philipsen and European Champion Tim Merlier, two of the best sprinters in the world, will be facing each other. However, the competition is fierce: Casper van Uden, Ethan Vernon, Huub Artz, Arne Marit, Fernando Gaviria, Juan Sebastian Molano, Alberto Dainese, Alexander Kristoff, Orluis Aular and Timothy Dupont.
Will Ganna strike in the time trial?
For the overall victory, all eyes are on Filippo Ganna. The 28-year-old Italian, World Time Trial Champion in 2020 and 2021 and current Vice-World Champion and silver Olympic medallist behind Remco Evenepoel, will be able to show off his skills on a winding 9.7-kilometre course in Tessenderlo-Ham.
However, Ganna can expect stiff competition. Ethan Hayter and Alec Segaert combine climbing ability with time trial skills, making them dangerous outsiders for the overall classification. Then there is Thibau Nys who has his sights set on the queen stage starting and finishing in Durbuy. At UAE-Emirates, Florian Vermeersch and Rune Herregodts will have an opportunity to go for individual success.
And what about Philipsen? Last year, he proved that they can’t just ride away from him in the hills. Søren Kragh Andersen, Ben Turner, Carlos Canal and Lorenzo Rota are also guys to keep an eye on.
