Soren Waerenskjold wins first Classic in hectic sprint finish at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2025, Jasper Philipsen third

Soren Waerenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) took a surprise victory in Omloop Nieuwsblad 2025, the first Classic of the season, pipping Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in a hectic bunch sprint. It was a first-ever Classics win for Waerenskjold and the biggest win of the 24-year-old's career.

‘He’s taken that on the line’ – Waerenskjold wins Omloop in dramatic fashion

Video credit: TNT Sports

The opening race of cycling's Spring Classics season culminated in a rare bunch sprint and delivered an even less likely champion.

Soren Waerenskjold of Uno-X Mobility, charged out of a chaotic, crowded finale to finish ahead of young talent Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep) and nine-time Tour de France stage winner, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) for victory at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

Despite his Visma-Lease a Bike team controlling the race for long periods, pre-race favourite Wout van Aert had to settle for 11th place.

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The first three hours of the 197km unfolded in a relaxed fashion.

An attack out of the gate produced a breakaway containing seven riders: Giosue Epis (Arkea B&B Hotels), Elmar Reinders (Jayco Alula), Enzo Leijnse and Julius van Den Berg (Team Picnic PostNL); Siebe Deweirdt (Flanders - Baloise); Victor Vercouillie (Flanders - Baloise); and Hartthijs De Vriew (Unibet Tietema Rockets.)

The dominant teams in the World Tour, Visma-Lease a Bike and UAE Team Emirates, took responsibility for controlling the gap, and allowed it to max out at just over seven minutes in the first two hours. As the race reached the first stretch of cobbles, a lid was placed firmly on it.

As the race reached the exposed stretch of smooth Lagge Munte cobbles, and Visma-Lease a Bike took their collective eye off the ball, and their rivals UAE Emirates sought to catch them napping. The crosswinds were not really blowing hard enough to cause too much panic, but the mid-race aggression succeeded in putting a significant dent in the breakaway's advantage.

Highlights: Waerenskjold takes surprise Omloop win on the sprint

Video credit: TNT Sports

The bergs and cobbles that came thick and fast from the second passage of the Haaghoek onwards did more damage, however. After Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) took it upon himself to launch a solo move on the Holleweg, Alpecin-Deceuninck forced a split in the bunch on the steep, shiny cobbles of the Molenberg.

This time Van Aert and his Visma colleagues were caught out, as Philipsen's team-mates looked to put the Dutch squad under pressure. A big effort by Tiesj Benoot, among others, did enough to bridge back across to the front group with 29km and three climbs remaining.

Alpecin looked to keep the speed high and the race under control as the peloton approached Geraardsbergen. Unfortunately for last year's winner Jan Tratnik (Red Bull Bora-hansgroghe) it was too high for him to return to the front after he suffered an ill-timed puncture.

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Mid-way up the Muur, Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) put in an acceleration, but it was not sufficient to put many of the big-name sprinters out of contention, and Philipsen notably managed to go over the top in fourth wheel.

Wellens kicked again on the approach to the final climb, the Bosberg, but over the top there was stalling, as the remnants of the peloton came back together.

One who could not afford a bunch finish was former European time trial champion Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ), who jumped on one moment of hesitation in an all-or-nothing attack.

It was a valiant attempt but there were enough riders behind committed to a bunch finish, and the road and wind conditions were to the lone rider's disadvantage. He was caught before the flamme rouge and 50 riders made it to the final straight together.

Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck) looked to set up Philipsen, but it was Tarling who launched Sam Watson first. Philipsen hit the wind late - perhaps too late - and reached the line with Waerenskjold and Magnier, the three impossible to separate by eye.

The replay showed Waerenskjold had it by a wheel, the 24-year-old taking his first win at World Tour level and a huge scalp of many of the sport's biggest names.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

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