Attacks go from the off as the peloton is fine with letting plenty of riders go up the road, but once those numbers start approaching 20 riders they start chasing. The early birds are the ones that made it:
Changsheng
Maciejuk
Hansen
Rangel
Kirsch
Pedersen
De Pooter
Osborne
Oshri
Novak
Dockx
Ndungu
Kessler
Malale
Perez
Back in the peloton the chasing duties are shared by the riders of Bacharu, Grieg, Lierse, Tryg and Bralirwa.
We are 60 km into the race. The breakaway has a lead of 3 minutes, but the group is already down to 10 riders with De Pooter, the last rider coming out of a cobbled section.
Osborne is caught by the peloton that is just under 100 riders strong. With 90 km to go this is the calm before the storm as we slowly approach the crucial cobbled sections of the race.
Just as we say that some riders are anticipating the race getting harder and jump from the peloton:
Sommer Ariesen Malacarne Yechezkel Matsangos Sanogo
The new attackers minus Matsangos make it to the 8 riders left from the original breakaway. This group has a 2 minute lead over the peloton.
But with less than 60 km left the breakaway is over just as the riders start tackling a series of consecutive uphills.
Sommer, Ariesen and Malacarne make another attempt to get ahead of the favourites.
That move was short-lived. Per and Gamper are at the front waiting on whoever makes the first move as the peloton is now breaking into a smaller group.
35 km left. No one the favourites have made a move yet, but it's a tactical game now as Habimana and Schäppi go up the road.
33 riders are left as we only have three, but it's really only two cobbled sections remaining. Stewart is the most notable rider missing from this group.
Gamper makes the first move on this false flat section. Rutsch is following, but the two aren't really creating a gap.
Habimana counters followed by Rossi and Ovsyannikov.
Abrahamsen looked like he was chasing them, but it's actually another attack. Rutsch is also involved again.
No one made a move on the longest cobbled section, but the group is down to just 18 riders.
And now Per makes his move with 22 km to go!
The others haven't panicked quite yet and are working together now, but the Slovenian has opened up a 32'' gap.
With 10 km left and final cobbled section ahead, Per has a 22'' lead. He was already nearly caught, but once Spengler, Girmay and Gamper decided they won't do all of the chasing the gap grew back a bit.
Rossi was looking good today, but he punctured just before the end of the final cobbled section, so unlucky.
Rutsch paced the group of favourites over the cobbles, but it wasn't enough to make a dent in what is still a modest gap to Per.
We are back where the race began at the start line in Kuurne. 5 km left and no one in this group is committing to the chase. Per is extending his gap.
Jacobs decides he can't wait and attacks! Girmay is on the chase.
Gamper countered and Per is now caught with 2 km to go. Also Rossi is back! What determination from the San Marino rider!
Ovsyannikov who's been saving his energy in the last kilometres starts the sprint under the flamme rouge. Girmay is on his wheel.
Girmay tries coming around with 400 m left. Rutsch looks favourite for 3rd behind them.
Girmay times it well and he just edges out Ovsyannikov on the line!
Rutsch is 3rd ahead of Per who made a brave move, but just fell short.
5th place goes to Wisniowski, what a result for the CT team Deutsche WindGuard! Lampawog is 6th ahead of Spengler, Gamper, Rossi and Jacobs rounding out the top 10.
Biniam Girmay celebrates winning the 2026 Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne in what it's sure to be one of many wins for the Eritrean superstar.
Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne 
