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Double celebration for Lotto-Groupe Wanty: Verbeeck wins time trial, De Keersmaeker sprints to another stage victory

Lotto-Groupe Wanty continued its dominance on the fourth day of racing in the Ronde van Vlaams-Brabant. In the morning, Tuur Verbeeck was the fastest rider in the individual time trial, while Mathias De Keersmaeker claimed his fourth consecutive stage victory in the afternoon sprint. With five wins in the first five stages, the team remains unbeaten. In addition, Lotto-Groupe Wanty occupied the entire top four of the time trial, while Tars Poelvoorde comfortably retained his lead in the general classification.
Race 01 August 2026
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The day started with an individual time trial, a discipline that clearly suits Verbeeck. The rider set the fastest time and secured Lotto-Groupe Wanty’s fourth stage victory of the race. “A time trial is always tough, but it’s something I really enjoy. I like pushing myself to the limit, and to take the victory on top of that is of course very special,” said Verbeeck.

In the afternoon, a short and nervous stage was on the menu. “We knew it was going to be more difficult to control because it was a short stage. At the start, the other teams raced very aggressively and we always made sure to be present in the moves,” explains De Keersmaeker.

Eventually, the stage once again ended in a bunch sprint, where Lotto-Groupe Wanty delivered another perfect lead-out for De Keersmaeker. “It came down to a sprint, and once again we had perfect teamwork and a perfect lead-out. That allowed me to finish it off in the same way as the previous days.”

With this impressive run of victories, Lotto-Groupe Wanty heads into the final stage of the Ronde van Vlaams-Brabant with full confidence. The atmosphere within the team is excellent. “It’s really enjoyable to be part of such a strong team. Everything is going as planned and winning all five stages so far makes it truly special,” concludes Verbeeck.

 

Photo: Kamil Photos