Kuurne - Brussels - Kuurne 2025: Favourites

Asgreen (2020) and Jungels (2019) both won solo, while Van Aert (2024) and Benoot (2023) took victory from a group that broke away from the peloton early on. The last sprinters to triumph in Kuurne were Fabio Jakobsen (2022) and Mads Pedersen (2021).

So, statistically speaking, this so-called sprinter’s classic has turned into a race for attackers. And with Visma | Lease a Bike – the team that dominated the last two editions – known for blowing races apart early, there’s every chance we’ll see something similar unfold this time. On the other hand, their fast man, Olav Kooij, is on board this year, so the ‘Visma Bees’ could also opt for a sprint finish.

Last year, Van Aert showed his intentions with a strong move on the cobbles of Mont Saint-Laurent, almost 80 kilometres from the line. Eventually, he left the hilly zone with only two breakaway companions, Oier Lazkano and Tim Wellens – well ahead of the chasing peloton. The trio extended their lead in the final hour, so there was never really a battle between the breakaway riders and the peloton/sprinters, before Van Aert easily outsprinted Lazkano and Wellens in Kuurne.

It would be great to see that old cat-and-mouse game between attackers and the peloton/sprinters again in KBK this year, but will it happen…?

Favourites 2025 Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne

**** Wout van Aert, Jasper Stuyven, Jhonatan Narváez
*** Olav Kooij, Jasper Philipsen, Tim Merlier, Jonathan Milan
** Tim Wellens, Mathias Vacek, Oier Lazkano, Jordi Meeus, Matej Mohoric
* Taco van der Hoorn, Victor Campenaerts, Toms Skujins, Marijn van den Berg